Job 23

₂‘I will not stop complaining.

I groan and accuse God

because He makes me suffer a lot.

₃If I knew where I could find God,

I would have gone to Him where He lives.

₄I would ask Him to listen to what I am saying,

and I would tell Him everything.

₅I would listen to what He says

and try to understand his answer.

₆He would not use all

his strength against me. No,

I am sure that He would listen to me.

₇I am an honest man.

I would speak to God

and tell Him everything.

God is my Judge,

and He would save me forever.

₈But He is not where I look for Him.

He is not in the east or west.

₉If He works in the north,

I can not find Him,

and if He goes to the south, I don't see Him.

₁₀But He knows my life.

He knows where I go.

If He tests me, He will see

that I am as pure as gold.

₁₁I have lived as He wanted,

I have walked in the ways of God,

and I have not turned away from Him

or taken another path.

₁₂I have always obeyed his laws

and the things that He said.

His words were always the

most important to me.’

₁₃‘God chooses what He wants to do

and no one can change his plans or stop Him.

He does what He decides.

₁₄Yes, He will do what He has decided,

and He has many plans for me.

₁₅This is why I am afraid of Him.

I become afraid

when I think of meeting Him.

₁₆God makes me tremble with fear.

I become afraid when I think

of the Almighty God.

₁₇It is not the darkness that makes me afraid

and makes me keep quiet. It is God.’