Job 23

Job Will Pursue the Lord

Job 23, verse 1. Then Job answered and said:

“Indeed, I know pleading is out of my reach,

For His hand is heavy upon my groaning.

Who then would know, that I might find Him,

And might bring this matter to an end?

I would state my case before Him

And fill my mouth with arguments.

Would that I knew the words He would answer me

And could understand what He would tell me.

Though He would come on me in His great strength,

He would not use the occasion to threaten me.

For truth and rebuke are from Him,

And He would bring my judgment to an end.

“Though I should proceed to this important end

Until I no longer exist,

Still what would I know about the last things?

When He worked on the left hand,

I could not understand it.

His right hand will encompass me,

But I will not see it.

For He knows my way already,

And He has weighed me as gold.

I will go forth in His commandments;

For I have kept His ways and will not turn aside.

I will not disregard His commandments;

But I have hidden His words in my bosom.

“If He too has thus judged,

Who is he that has opposed Him?

Whatever He has willed, that He has done.

Therefore I pursue Him zealously,

And when I was instructed, I thought of Him.

Therefore let me be serious before His face.

I will consider and be afraid of Him.

For the Lord softened my heart,

And the Almighty has alarmed me.

For I did not know darkness would come upon me,

But thick darkness covered my face.

Old Testament text from the St. Athanasius Academy Septuagint™. Copyright © 2008 by St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology. Used by permission. All rights reserved.