| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2“Even today my complaint is bitter; My hand is listless because of my groaning. | 2"Even today my complaint is still bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. |
| 3Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! | 3O that I knew where I might find him, that I could come to his place of residence! |
| 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 would know with what words 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 contend with me with great power? No, he would only pay attention to me. |
| 7There the upright could reason with Him, And I would be delivered forever from my Judge. | 7There an upright person could present his case before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge. |
| 8“Look, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; | 8"If I go to the east, he is not there, and to the west, yet I do not perceive him. |
| 9When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. | 9In the north when he is at work, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I see no trace of him. |
| 10But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. | 10But he knows the pathway that I take; if he tested me, I would come forth like gold. |
| 11My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. | 11My feet have followed his steps closely; I have kept to his way and have 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 allotted portion. |
| 13“But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does. | 13But he is unchangeable, and who can change him? Whatever he has desired, he does. |
| 14For He performs what is appointed for me, And many such things are with Him. | 14For he fulfills his decree against me, and many such things are his plans. |
| 15Therefore I am terrified at His presence; When I consider this, I am afraid of Him. | 15That is why I am terrified in his presence; when I consider, I am afraid because of him. |
| 16For God made my heart weak, And the Almighty terrifies me; | 16Indeed, God 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 have not been silent because of the darkness, because of the thick darkness that covered my face. |
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