1 T hen Job replied,

And Job answered and said,

2 “ Even today my complaint is rebellion; His hand is heavy despite my groaning.

Even to-day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

3 “ Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat!

Oh that I knew where I might find him, that I might come to his seat!

4 “ I would present my case before Him And fill my mouth with arguments.

I would order the cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments;

5 “ I would learn the words which He would answer, And perceive what He would say to me.

I would know the words he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

6 “ Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power? No, surely He would pay attention to me.

Would he plead against me with great power? Nay; but he would give heed unto me.

7 “ There the upright would reason with Him; And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

There would an upright man reason with him; and I should be delivered for ever from my judge.

8 “ Behold, I go forward but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

Lo, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I do not perceive him;

9 W hen He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I behold not; he hideth himself on the right hand, and I see not.

10 “ But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

But he knoweth the way that I take; he trieth me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 “ My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.

My foot hath held to his steps; his way have I kept, and not turned aside.

12 “ I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have laid up the words of his mouth more than the purpose of my own heart.

13 “ But He is unique and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does.

But he is in one, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, that will he do.

14 “ For He performs what is appointed for me, And many such decrees are with Him.

For he will perform is appointed for me; and many such things are with him.

15 “ Therefore, I would be dismayed at His presence; When I consider, I am terrified of Him.

Therefore am I troubled at his presence; I consider, and I am afraid of him.

16 “ It is God who has made my heart faint, And the Almighty who has dismayed me,

For God hath made my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me;

17 B ut I am not silenced by the darkness, Nor deep gloom which covers me.

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he hidden the gloom from me.