Job 23 NKJV ISV Parallel

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◄ Job 23 ►

New King James Version

International Standard Version

1Then Job answered and said:

1Job's response was to say:

2“Even today my complaint is bitter; My hand is listless because of my groaning.

2"I'm still complaining bitterly today; my hand is heavy because of groaning.

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

3If only I knew where to find him, I would visit him where he has taken his seat.

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

4I would lay out 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 know how he would answer me; I understand what he'll tell me.

6Would He contend with me in His great power? No! But He would take note of me.

6"Would he use his great power to fight me? No, he'll pay attention to me.

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

7In that place, the upright can reason with him; and I'll be acquitted once and for all by my judge."

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

8"Look! If I go east, he isn't there! If I go to the west, I don't perceive him.

9When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.

9If he's working in the north, I can't observe him; If he turns south, I can't see him.

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

10Because he knows the road on which I travel, when he had tested me, I'll come out like gold.

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

11My feet stay where his footsteps lead; I kept on his pathway and haven't 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 haven't wandered away from the commands that he has spoken; I've treasured what he has said more than my own meals."

13“But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does.

13"But he is One—who can change him? He does whatever he wants to do.

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

14He'll complete what he has planned for me; he has many things in mind for me!

15Therefore I am terrified at His presence; When I consider this, I am afraid of Him.

15That's why I'm terrified at his presence! When I think about it, I'm afraid of him.

16For God made my heart weak, And the Almighty terrifies me;

16God has caused me to faint; the Almighty makes me terrified!

17Because I was not cut off from the presence of darkness, And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.

17Nevertheless, I haven't been silenced because of the darkness, even when thick darkness obscures my vision."