1 T hen Job answered,

Then Job answered and said:

2 “ In truth I know that this is so; But how can a man be in the right before God?

“Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God?

3 “ If one wished to dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.

4 “ Wise in heart and mighty in strength, Who has defied Him without harm?

God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?

5 “ It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, When He overturns them in His anger;

He removes the mountains, and they do not know When He overturns them in His anger;

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

He shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;

7 W ho commands the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars;

He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars;

8 W ho alone stretches out the heavens And tramples down the waves of the sea;

He alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea;

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

He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;

10 W ho does great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number.

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

11 “ Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.

If He goes by me, I do not see Him; If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;

12 “ Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, ‘ What are You doing?’

If He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13 “ God will not turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab.

God will not withdraw His anger, The allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.

14 “ How then can I answer Him, And choose my words before Him?

“How then can I answer Him, And choose my words to reason with Him?

15 “ For though I were right, I could not answer; I would have to implore the mercy of my judge.

For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge.

16 “ If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.

If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.

17 “ For He bruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause.

For He crushes me with a tempest, And multiplies my wounds without cause.

18 “ He will not allow me to get my breath, But saturates me with bitterness.

He will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills me with bitterness.

19 “ If it is a matter of power, behold, He is the strong one! And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?

If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?

20 “ Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.

Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.

21 “ I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I despise my life.

“I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life.

22 “ It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys the guiltless and the wicked.’

It is all one thing; Therefore I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’

23 “ If the scourge kills suddenly, He mocks the despair of the innocent.

If the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent.

24 “ The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who 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 else could it be?

25 “ Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good.

“Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good.

26 “ They slip by like reed boats, Like an eagle that swoops on its prey.

They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.

27 “ Though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,’

If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’

28 I am afraid of all my pains, I know that You will not acquit me.

I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent.

29 “ I am accounted wicked, Why then should I toil in vain?

If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain?

30 “ If I should wash myself with snow And cleanse my hands with lye,

If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap,

31 Y et You would plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes would abhor me.

Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes will abhor me.

32 “ For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him, That we may go to court together.

“For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together.

33 “ There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.

Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.

34 “ Let Him remove His rod from me, And let not dread of Him terrify me.

Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me.

35 “ Then I would speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.

Then I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me.