1 T hen Job answered and said,

¶ Then Job answered and said,

2 Y es, I know it is true. But how can mortal man be right before God?

I know it is so of a truth, but how shall a man be justified with God?

3 I f one should want to contend with Him, he cannot answer one in a thousand.

If he desires to contend with him, he will not be able to answer him one thing of a thousand.

4 i s wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has hardened himself against Him and prospered or even been safe?

He is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has hardened himself against him and remained in peace?

5 W ho removes the mountains, and they know it not when He overturns them in His anger;

Who uproots the mountains in his anger, and they know not who overturned them.

6 W ho shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars of it tremble;

Who removes the earth out of her place and causes her pillars to tremble.

7 W ho commands the sun, and it rises not; Who seals up the stars;

Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars.

8 W ho alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the waves and high places of the sea;

He alone extends the heavens and walks upon the waves of the sea.

9 W ho made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the spaces of the south;

He who made Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the secret places of the south.

10 W ho does great things past finding out, yes, marvelous things without number.

He who does great things past finding out, and wonders without number.

11 B ehold, He goes by me, and I see Him not; He passes on also, but I perceive Him not.

Behold, he shall pass before me, and I shall not see him; and he shall pass on, and I shall not understand him.

12 B ehold, He snatches away; who can hinder or turn Him back? Who will say to Him, What are You doing?

Behold, he shall take away, who can cause him to restore? Who shall say unto him, What doest thou?

13 G od will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab bow under Him.

God will not withdraw his anger, and under him those who help, unto pride are bent over.

14 H ow much less shall I answer Him, choosing out my words to reason with Him

¶ How much less shall I answer him and choose out my words to reason with him?

15 W hom, though I were righteous (upright and innocent) yet I could not answer? I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge.

Who even though I am righteous, yet I would not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

16 I f I called and He answered me, yet would I not believe that He listened to my voice.

Who if I were to invoke him, and he answered me; yet I would not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17 F or He overwhelms and breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.

For he has broken me with a tempest and has multiplied my wounds without cause.

18 H e will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

He will not suffer me to take my breath but has filled me with bitterness.

19 I f I speak of strength, behold, He is mighty! And if of justice, Who, says He, will summon Me?

If we were to speak of his strength, he is certainly strong; and if of his judgment, who shall cause us to meet?

20 T hough I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, He would prove me perverse.

If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, he shall prove me perverse.

21 T hough I am blameless, I regard not myself; I despise my life.

If I say I am imperfect, I know not my soul; I would condemn my life.

22 I t is all one; therefore I say, God destroys the blameless and the wicked.

¶ One thing remains, that I say, He consumes the perfect and the wicked.

23 W hen scourge slays suddenly, He mocks at the calamity and trial of the innocent.

If it is the scourge, it slays suddenly, and it does not laugh at the trial of the innocent.

24 T he earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not, who then is it ?

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges; if it is not he who does this then, who is it and where is he?

25 N ow my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.

¶ Now my days are swifter than a post; they fled away, they never saw good.

26 T hey are passed away like the swift rowboats made of reeds, or like the eagle that swoops down on the prey.

They are passed away as the ships of Ebeh as the eagle that throws himself on the prey.

27 I f I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer and brighten up,

If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness and comfort myself;

28 I become afraid of all my pains and sorrows, for I know You will not pronounce me innocent.

I am afraid of all my troubles; I know that thou wilt not hold me guiltless.

29 I shall be held guilty and be condemned; why then should I labor in vain ?

If I am wicked, why then shall I toil in vain?

30 I f I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,

If I wash myself with snow water and make my hands never so clean;

31 Y et You will plunge me into the ditch, and my own clothes will abhor me.

yet thou shalt plunge me into the pit, and my own clothes shall abhor me.

32 F or is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in court.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together unto judgment.

33 T here is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both,

Neither is there any arbiter between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34 T hat He might take His rod away from me, and that the fear of Him might not terrify me.

Let him take his tormentor away from me, and his terror will not perturb me.

35 w ould I speak and not fear Him, but I am not so in myself.

Then I would speak and not fear him, because in this state I am not myself.