Then Job answered and said,
Even to-day is my complaint {Or, bitter Or, accounted rebellion}rebellious:
My stroke is heavier than my groaning.
Oh that I knew where I might find him!
That I might come even to his seat!
I would set my cause in order before him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know the words which he would answer me,
And understand what he would say unto me.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
Nay; {Or, he would only give heed}but he would give heed unto me.
There the upright might reason with him;
So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
And backward, but I cannot perceive him;
On the left hand, when he doth work, but I cannot behold him;
He {Or, turneth himself to…him, but}hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.
{Or, For}But he knoweth {Hebrew: the way that is with me.}the way that I take;
When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot hath held fast to his steps;
His way have I kept, and turned not aside.
I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips;
I have treasured up the words of his mouth {Or, more than my own law}more than my {Or, portion See Proverbs 30:8 }necessary food.
But {Or, he is one}he is in one mind, and who can turn him?
And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
For he performeth that which is appointed for me:
And many such things are with him.
Therefore am I terrified at his presence;
When I consider, I am afraid of him.
For God hath made my heart faint,
And the Almighty hath terrified me;
{Or, For I am not dismayed because because of the darkness, Nor because thick darkness covereth my face}Because I was not cut off before the darkness,
Neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.
Querverweise zu Hiob 23,3 Hiob 23,3
Surely I would speak to the Almighty,And I desire to reason with God.
Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near:
Oh that I had one to hear me!(Lo, here is my {Hebrew: mark.}signature, let the Almighty answer me)And that I had the {Hebrew: book.}indictment which mine adversary hath written!
Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder;I would bind it unto me as a crown:
I would declare unto him the number of my steps;As a prince would I {Or, present it to him}go near unto him.
{Or, That one might plead for a man with God. As a son of man pleadeth for his neighbor}That he would maintain the right of a man with God,And of a son of man with his neighbor!
let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Moreover Jehovah answered Job, and said,
Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty?He that argueth with God, let him answer it.
Then Job answered Jehovah, and said,
Behold, I am of small account; What shall I answer thee?I lay my hand upon my mouth.
Once have I spoken, and I will not answer;Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.
to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having {Or, placed in us}committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Jehovah, have we waited for thee; to thy name, even to thy memorial name, is the desire of our soul.
We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.
Though our iniquities testify against us, work thou for thy name's sake, O Jehovah; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.
Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom {Or, the gospel was}the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience,