1 Then Job answered by saying: 2 Now again my conversation is in bitterness, and the force of my scourging weighs more heavily on me because of my mourning. 3 Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and that I may approach even to his throne? 4 I would place judgment before his eye, and my mouth would fill with criticism, 5 so that I may know the words that he will answer me and understand what he will say to me. 6 I do not want him to contend with me with much strength, nor to overwhelm me with the bulk of his greatness. 7 Let him show fairness in response to me, and let my judgment reach to victory. 8 If I go to the east, he does not appear; if I go to the west, I will not understand him. 9 If I turn to the left, what can I do? I will not take hold of him. If I turn myself to the right, I will not see him. 10 Truly, he knows my way and has tested me like gold that passes through fire. 11 My feet have been following his footsteps; I have kept to his way and have not strayed from it. 12 I have not withdrawn from the commands of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hidden in my sinews. 13 For he is alone, and no one is able to disturb his intention; and whatever his spirit wills, that he accomplishes. 14 And when he fulfills his will in me, many other similar ones will also be present with him. 15 And, for this reason, I have been troubled at his presence, and, when I consider him, I am approached by fear. 16 God has weakened my heart, and the Almighty has confused me. 17 Yet I have not perished because of the threatening darkness, nor has gloom covered my face.
Job · Catholic Public Domain Version
Job 23 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
Cross references (16)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 2 Job 10:1; Job 7:11; Psalm 32:4; Job 6:2–3; Psalm 77:2–9
- 3 Job 16:21; Job 31:35–37; Hebrews 4:6; Jeremiah 14:7; Job 13:3
- 4 Job 13:18; Daniel 9:18–19; Job 37:19; Genesis 18:25–32; Joshua 7:8–9
- 5 1 Corinthians 4:3–4; Job 13:22–23; Job 10:2; Job 42:2–6
- 6 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Job 13:21; Job 9:33–34; Ezekiel 20:35; Job 9:19
- 7 Job 13:3; Isaiah 1:18; Romans 8:1; Jeremiah 12:1; Jeremiah 3:5
- 8 Psalm 10:1; Job 9:11; Job 35:14; 1 Timothy 6:16; Psalm 13:1–3
- 9 Isaiah 8:17; Psalm 89:46
- 10 James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:7; James 1:2–4; Psalm 139:1–3; Zechariah 13:9
- 11 Psalm 44:18; 2 Peter 2:20–22; Psalm 17:5; Psalm 125:5; Romans 2:7
- 12 Jeremiah 15:16; Psalm 119:11; Psalm 119:103; John 4:34; Psalm 19:9–10
- 13 Psalm 115:3; Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 46:10; Daniel 4:35; Job 12:14
- 14 1 Thessalonians 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Psalm 97:2; Romans 11:33; Isaiah 40:27–28
- 15 Psalm 119:120; Job 31:23; Psalm 77:3; Job 10:15; Job 23:3
- 16 Psalm 22:14; Job 27:2; Isaiah 6:5; Psalm 88:16; Deuteronomy 20:3
- 17 Job 19:8; Isaiah 57:1; 2 Kings 22:20; Job 18:6; Job 22:11
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Place there is none; we go both "backward" and "forward," and there is no place.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)