1 T hen Job answered and said:

Then Job answered and said,

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

Yes, I know it is true. But how can mortal man be right before God?

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

If one should want to contend with Him, he cannot answer one in a thousand.

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

is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has hardened himself against Him and prospered or even been safe?

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

Who removes the mountains, and they know it not when He overturns them in His anger;

6 H e shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;

Who shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars of it tremble;

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

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

8 H e alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea;

Who alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the waves and high places of the sea;

9 H e made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;

Who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the spaces of the south;

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

Who does great things past finding out, yes, marvelous things without number.

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

Behold, He goes by me, and I see Him not; He passes on also, but I perceive Him not.

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

Behold, He snatches away; who can hinder or turn Him back? Who will say to Him, What are You doing?

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

God will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab bow under Him.

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

How much less shall I answer Him, choosing out 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.

Whom, though I were righteous (upright and innocent) yet I could not answer? I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge.

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

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

17 F or He crushes me with a tempest, And multiplies my wounds without cause.

For He overwhelms and breaks 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.

He 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?

If I speak of strength, behold, He is mighty! And if of justice, Who, says He, will summon Me?

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

Though I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, He would prove me perverse.

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

Though I am blameless, I regard not myself; I despise my life.

22 I t is all one thing; Therefore I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’

It is all one; therefore I say, God destroys the blameless and the wicked.

23 I f the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent.

When scourge slays suddenly, He mocks at the calamity and trial 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?

The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not, who then is it ?

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

They are passed away like the swift rowboats made of reeds, or like the eagle that swoops down on the prey.

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

If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer and brighten up,

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

I become afraid of all my pains and sorrows, for I know You will not pronounce me innocent.

29 I f I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain?

I shall be held guilty and be condemned; why then should I labor in vain ?

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

If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,

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

Yet You will plunge me into the ditch, 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.

For is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in court.

33 N or is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.

There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both,

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

That He might take His rod away from me, and that the fear of Him might not terrify me.

35 T hen I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me.

would I speak and not fear Him, but I am not so in myself.