Job replied again
23
1 Then Job replied again, saying this:
2 “Today I am again complaining bitterly/strongly to God;
I continue groaning, but he [SYN] continues to ◄punish me/cause me to suffer►.
3 I ◄wish that I knew/want to know► where I could meet/talk with him,
so that I could go to the place where he lives.
4 If I could do that, I would tell him why I know that I am innocent;
I would tell [MTY] to him all my ◄arguments/evidence to show that I have not done what is evil►.
5 Then I would find out and understand what he would reply to me [DOU].
6 Would he use his great power to argue with me?
No, he would listen to me carefully.
7 I am ◄an honest/a righteous► man; so I would be able to discuss things with him fairly,
and then he would declare that I am innocent, and that decision would endure forever.
8 But, I have gone to the east, and he is not there;
I have gone to the west, but I have not found him there.
9 I have gone north and I have gone south,
but I have not seen him anywhere.
10 But he knows how I have conducted my life;
and when he has finished testing me, he will see that I am as pure as [SIM] gold whose impurities have all been burned out.
11 I [SYN] have faithfully walked on the road that he showed me;
I have not turned away from obeying him.
12 I have always obeyed what he [SYN] commanded;
I have hidden away in my inner being the words that he has spoken.
13 He never changes. There is no one who can [RHQ] stop him from doing what he desires.
Whatever he wants to do, he does.
14 And he will finish doing the things that he has planned for me;
and I am sure that he has thought about doing many things for me.
15 So I am terrified in his presence;
when I think about what he can do, I am very afraid [DOU].
16 Almighty God has caused me [SYN] to feel timid and terrified [DOU].
17 It is as though there is only thick darkness in front of me,
but it is God that I am afraid of, not the darkness.”