Jó 23
Så tog Job til Orde og svarede:
Ak, vidste jeg Vej til at finde ham, kunde jeg nå hans Trone!
Da vilde jeg udrede Sagen for ham og fylde min Mund med Beviser,
vide, hvad Svar han gav mig, skønne, hvad han sagde til mig!
Mon han da satte sin Almagt imod mig? Nej, visselig agted han på mig;
da gik en oprigtig i Rette med ham, og jeg bjærged for evigt min Ret.
Men går jeg mod Øst, da er han der ikke, mod Vest, jeg mærker ej til ham;
jeg søger i Nord og ser ham ikke, drejer mod Syd og øjner ham ej.
Thi han kender min Vej og min Vandel, som Guld går jeg frem af hans Prøve.
Min Fod har holdt fast ved hans Spor, hans Vej har jeg fulgt, veg ikke derfra,
fra hans Læbers Bud er jeg ikke veget, hans Ord har jeg gemt i mit Bryst.
Men han gjorde sit Valg, hvem hindrer ham Han udfører, hvad hans Sjæl attrår.
Thi han fuldbyrder, hvad han bestemte, og af sligt har han meget for.
Derfor forfærdes jeg for ham og gruer ved Tanken om ham.
Ja, Gud har nedbrudt mit Mod, forfærdet mig har den Almægtige;
thi jeg går til i Mørket, mit Åsyn dækkes af Mulm.
Then Job answered and said,
Even to day {is} my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. {stroke: Heb. hand}
Oh that I knew where I might find him! {that} I might come {even} to his seat!
I would order {my} cause 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.
Will he plead against me with {his} great power? No; but he would put {strength} in me.
There the righteous might dispute 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, where he doth work, but I cannot behold {him}: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see {him}:
But he knoweth the way that I take: {when} he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. {that...: Heb. that is with me}
My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary {food}. {esteemed: Heb. hid, or, laid up} {my...: or, my appointed portion}
But he {is} in one {mind}, and who can turn him? and {what} his soul desireth, even {that} he doeth.
For he performeth {the thing that is} appointed for me: and many such {things are} with him.
Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
Because I was not cut off before the darkness, {neither} hath he covered the darkness from my face.