1 T hen Job answered,

Then Job answered,

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

“Yes, I know this is true. But how can a man be right and good before God?

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

If one wished to argue with Him, he would not be able to answer one out of a thousand of His questions.

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

He is wise in heart and powerful in strength. Who has ever stood against Him without being hurt?

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

It is He Who takes away the mountains without their knowing it, when He destroys 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 shake.

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

He tells the sun not to shine, and He keeps the stars from shining.

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

He alone spreads out the heavens and walks upon the waves of the sea.

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

He makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades and the stars of the south.

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

He does things too great for us to understand, and more wonderful works than we can number.

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

When He passes by me, I do not see Him. When He goes by me, I do not know 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 stop Him? Who could 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 stop His anger. The helpers of Rahab bow under Him.

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

How then can I answer Him, and choose the right words to speak with Him?

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

Even if I am right, I cannot answer Him. I must beg Him who is against me to have pity.

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 could 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 storm, and hurts me more and more without a reason.

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

He will not let me get my breath, but fills me with much that is bitter.

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 question of power, see, He is the strong one! If it is a question of what is right and fair, who can call Him to a trial?

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

Even if I were right, my mouth would say that I am guilty. Even if I were without blame, He would say I am guilty.

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

Even though I am without blame, I do not care about myself. I hate my life.

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

It is all the same, so I say, ‘He destroys both those who are without blame and the sinful.’

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

If death comes fast by disease, He makes fun of the trouble of those who have done no wrong.

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 sinful. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?

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

“My days go faster than a runner. They fly away, and see no good.

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

They go by like fast boats, like an eagle coming down to catch its food.

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 complaining. I will put off my sad face and be happy,’

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

I am still afraid of all my pains for I know You will not take away my guilt.

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

Because I am already guilty, why should I try for nothing?

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

If I wash myself with snow and clean my hands using the best soap,

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

You would still throw me down into a deep hole. And my own clothes would hate 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, that we might go to trial together.

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

There is no one to decide between us, who might lay his hand upon us both.

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

Let Him stop punishing me. And do not let fear of Him make me so afraid.

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

Then I would speak and not be afraid of Him. But I am not like that in myself.