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Job's Reply to Eliphaz

Today I Complain Bitterly

23 Job said:
Today I complain bitterly,
because God has been cruel
    and made me suffer.
If I knew where to find God,
I would go there
    and argue my case.
Then I would discover
    what he wanted to say.
Would he overwhelm me
    with his greatness?
No! He would listen
    because I am innocent,
and he would say,
    “I now set you free!”

I cannot find God anywhere—
in front or back of me,
    to my left or my right.
God is always at work,
    though I never see him.
10 But he knows what I am doing,
and when he tests me,
    I will be pure as gold.
* 11 I have never refused to follow
    any of his commands,
12 and I have always treasured
    his teachings.[a]
13 But he alone is God,
    and who can oppose him?
God does as he pleases,
14 and he will do exactly
    what he intends with me.
* 15 Merely the thought
of God All-Powerful
16     makes me tremble with fear.
17 God has covered me
    with darkness,
    but I refuse to be silent.[b]

Footnotes

  1. 23.12 treasured his teachings: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  2. 23.17 silent: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 17.

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