23 Then Iyyov responded to Elifaz and the others:

2 Even today my complaint is bitter.

≈I’m groaning because my situation is so difficult.

3 If only I knew where to find him

I would have gone to his place.

4 I would present my case to him,

≈and I would expound all my arguments,

5 I want to know how he’d answer,

≈and to understand what he’ll say to me.

6 Would he use his incredible power to dispute my case?

No, surely he’d pay attention to me.

7 An honest person could reason with him there,

and I would be set free forever by the one judging me.

8 Look, I go to the east but he isn’t there,

≈and to the west but I can’t detect him there.

9 He works in the north, but I can’t see him,

≈and when he turned south, I didn’t spot him.

10 Nevertheless, he knows the path that I’ve taken.

He’s tested me and I’ve come out like refined gold.

11 My feet have followed in his tracks.

≈I’ve kept to the path without wavering.

12 I’ve always obeyed what he commanded,

and I’ve valued his words more than my daily food.

13 But he’s independent so who could dissuade him?

≈He does whatever he wants to do.

14 He carries out what’s been decided for me,

≈and he knows so much about me.

15 That’s why I’m terrified in his presence,

≈I’m afraid of him when I consider all that.

16 God has caused me to be faint-hearted.

≈The provider has terrified me.

17 I haven’t been silenced when facing the darkness,

or by the fog that covers my face.

Iyyov complains about continued evil

24 Why doesn’t the provider store up the times,

and those who know him never see him age?

2 People move boundaries.

They steal sheep and goats and graze  them.

3 They drive away the donkey of a family who lost the husband.

≈They take the widow’s ox as payment for a pledge.

4 They turn needy people off the road.

≈The poor people in the land mustn’t be seen.

5 Indeed, the poor work in the desert.

≈The wilderness is their field where they search for something to eat.

6 They harvest whatever they can find in the countryside,

≈and they gather grapes left behind in the wicked peoples’ vineyards.

7 They spend the night under-dressed from lack of clothing,

≈and have nothing to cover themselves with in the cold.

8 They get soaked by the showers in the hills,

≈and huddle against the rocky ledge for shelter.

9 They pull the fatherless baby from the breast,

≈and take the children from poor families to pay their debt.

10 Without clothing, they walk around under-dressed.

≈Harvesting for others, they’re feeling hungry.

11 They squeeze out olive oil at the press.

≈They tread the juice out of the grapes while they thirst.

12 People groan in the cities,

≈and wounded souls cry out.

but God seems to not be offended.

13 They’re in with those rebelling against the light.

They take no notice of his ways,

≈and they don’t stay on his paths.

14 At first light, the murderer gets up and kills the poor,

≈and in the night he’s like a thief.

15 The adulterer watches out for the twilight,

saying that no one will see him,

and he puts a covering over his face.

16 They dig into people’s houses in the dark,

but they stay hidden away during the day—

they don’t know what daylight is.

17 To them, morning is like deep darkness.

They’re familiar with the terrors of deep darkness.

18 They’re swift on the surface of the waters.

Their portion of the land is cursed.

No one goes in the direction of their vineyards.

19 Drought as well as heat will snatch away the snow.

≈The grave will do the same to those who have sinned.

20 The womb will forget them—the worm will dine on them.

≈They won’t be remembered again—injustice is like a broken tree.

21 He devours the barren woman who’s never had a child.

He doesn’t do anything good to the widow.

22 He uses his strength to drag powerful people away.

He rises but no one trusts in life. WHAT???

23 He gives him support and security,

and his eyes =are on their ways.

24 They’re promoted for a while then they’re gone.

Then they’re cut down and gathered up like wheat,

≈then they wither like the stalks of grain.

25 If that isn’t true, then who will prove me a liar

≈and demonstrate that my words mean nothing?