1 ¶ Then Job answered and said,

And Job answereth and saith: --

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

Truly I have known that so, And what -- is man righteous with God?

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

If he delight to strive with Him -- He doth not answer him one of a thousand.

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

Wise in heart and strong in power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?

5 W ho uproots the mountains in his anger, and they know not who overturned them.

Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.

6 W ho removes the earth out of her place and causes her pillars to tremble.

Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.

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

Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.

8 H e alone extends the heavens and walks upon the waves of the sea.

Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,

9 H e who made Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the secret places of the south.

Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.

10 H e who does great things past finding out, and wonders without number.

Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.

11 B ehold, he shall pass before me, and I shall not see him; and he shall pass on, and I shall not understand him.

Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.

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

Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, `What dost Thou?'

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

God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.

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

How much less do I -- I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?

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

Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.

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

Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear my voice.

17 F or he has broken me with a tempest and has multiplied my wounds without cause.

Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.

18 H e will not suffer me to take my breath but has filled me with bitterness.

He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.

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

If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment -- who doth convene me?

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

If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse.

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

Perfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life.

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

It is the same thing, therefore I said, `The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'

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

If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.

24 T he 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?

Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not -- where, who he?

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

My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,

26 T hey are passed away as the ships of Ebeh as the eagle that throws himself on the prey.

They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.

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

Though I say, `I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'

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

I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.

29 I f I am wicked, why then shall I toil in vain?

I -- I am become wicked; why this? vain I labour.

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

If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,

31 y et thou shalt plunge me into the pit, and my own clothes shall abhor me.

Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.

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

But if a man like myself -- I answer him, We come together into judgment.

33 N either is there any arbiter between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.

34 L et him take his tormentor away from me, and his terror will not perturb me.

He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,

35 T hen I would speak and not fear him, because in this state I am not myself.

I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.