1 T hen Job answered and said:
2 “ Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God?
3 I f one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 G od is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5 H e removes the mountains, and they do not know When He overturns them in His anger;
6 H e shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;
7 H e commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars;
8 H e alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea;
9 H e made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;
10 H e does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.
11 I f He goes by me, I do not see Him; If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
12 I f He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 G od 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 to reason with Him?
15 F or though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge.
16 I f I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 F or He crushes me with a tempest, And multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 H e will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills me with bitterness.
19 I f it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
20 T hough I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.
21 “ I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life.
22 I t is all one thing; Therefore I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’
23 I f the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
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 else could it be?
25 “ Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good.
26 T hey pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
27 I f 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 sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent.
29 I f I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain?
30 I f I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap,
31 Y et 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, And that we should go to court together.
33 N or is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.
34 L et Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
35 T hen I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me.