Job 23

Job Says He Longs For God

1Then Job answered and said, 2“Even today my complaint is contentious;
His hand is heavy despite my groaning. 3“Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might [even] come to His seat! 4“I would present my cause before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments. 5“I would learn the words which He would answer,
And understand what He would say to me. 6“Would He contend against me with His great power?
No, surely He would give attention to me. 7“There the righteous and upright could reason with Him;
So I would be acquitted forever by my Judge. 8“Behold, I go forward (to the east), but He is not there;
I go backward (to the west), but I cannot perceive Him; 9To the left (north) He turns, but I cannot behold Him;
He turns to the right hand (south), but I cannot see Him. 10“But He knows the way that I take [and He pays attention to it].
When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous]. 11“My feet have carefully followed His steps;
I have kept His ways and not turned aside. 12“I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have kept the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. 13“But He is unique and unchangeable, and who can turn Him?
And what His soul desires, that He does. 14“For He performs what is planned (appointed) for me,
And He is mindful of many such things. 15“Therefore I would be terrified at His presence;
When I consider [all of this], I tremble in dread of Him. 16“For God has made my heart faint,
And the Almighty has terrified me, 17But I am not silenced by the darkness [of these woes that fell on me],
Nor by the thick darkness which covers my face.