| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2“Even today my complaint is bitter; My hand is listless because of my groaning. | 2Today also my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning. |
| 3Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! | 3If only I knew how to find Him, so that I could go to His throne. |
| 4I would present my case before Him, And fill my mouth with arguments. | 4I would plead my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. |
| 5I would know the words which He would answer me, And understand what He would say to me. | 5I would learn how He would answer me; and understand what He would say to me. |
| 6Would He contend with me in His great power? No! But He would take note of me. | 6Would He prosecute me forcefully? No, He will certainly pay attention to me. |
| 7There the upright could reason with Him, And I would be delivered forever from my Judge. | 7Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would escape from my Judge forever. |
| 8“Look, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; | 8If I go east, He is not there, and if I go west, I cannot perceive Him. |
| 9When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. | 9When He is at work to the north, I cannot see Him; when He turns south, I cannot find Him. |
| 10But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. | 10Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold. |
| 11My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. | 11My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept to His way and not turned aside. |
| 12I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food. | 12I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily food. |
| 13“But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does. | 13But He is unchangeable; who can oppose Him? He does what He desires. |
| 14For He performs what is appointed for me, And many such things are with Him. | 14He will certainly accomplish what He has decreed for me, and He has many more things like these in mind. |
| 15Therefore I am terrified at His presence; When I consider this, I am afraid of Him. | 15Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I am afraid of Him. |
| 16For God made my heart weak, And the Almighty terrifies me; | 16God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. |
| 17Because I was not cut off from the presence of darkness, And He did not hide deep darkness from my face. | 17Yet I am not destroyed by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face. |
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