Study Desk

Then Job responded,

Then Job answered and said,

"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.

"Oh that I knew how to find Him, That I might come to His home!

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

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

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

"I would learn the words which He would answer, And perceive what He would tell me.

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

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

Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

"There the upright would argue with Him; And I would be free of my Judge forever.

There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

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

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him; He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him.

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

"But He knows the way I take; When He has put me to the test, I will come out as gold.

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

"My foot has held on to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.

My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

"I have not failed 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 esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

"But He is unique, and who can make Him turn? Whatever His soul desires, He does it.

But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

"For He carries out what is destined for me, And many such destinies are with Him.

For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

"Therefore, I would be terrified at His presence; When I consider this, I am frightened of Him.

Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

"It is God who has made my heart faint, And the Almighty who has terrified me,

For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

But I am not destroyed by darkness, Nor by deep gloom which covers me.

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.