1 A nd Job answered and said,

¶ Then Job answered and said,

2 O f a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?

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

3 I f he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.

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

4 H e is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?

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

5 W ho removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;

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

6 W ho shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;

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

7 W ho commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;

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

8 W ho alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;

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

9 W ho maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;

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

10 W ho doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.

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

11 L o, he goeth by me, and I see not; and he passeth along, and 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 taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?

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

13 + God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop 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, choose out my words 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, would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.

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

16 I f I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened 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 H e, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

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

18 H e suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.

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

19 B e it a question of strength, lo, strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?

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

20 I f I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, 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 W ere I perfect, would I not know my soul: I would 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 said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

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

23 I f the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the 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 over into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of its judges. If 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 A nd 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 pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon 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 leave off my countenance, and brighten up,

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

28 I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

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

29 B e it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?

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

30 I f I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,

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

31 T hen wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.

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

32 F or he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.

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 not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.

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

34 L et him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,

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

35 I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

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