1 T hen Job answered,

¶ Then Job answered and said,

2 “ Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?

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

3 I f he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.

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

4 G od who is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?

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

5 H e removes the mountains, and they don’t know it, when he overturns them in his anger.

Who uproots the mountains in his anger, and they know not who overturned them.

6 H e shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble.

Who removes the earth out of her place and causes her pillars to tremble.

7 H e commands the sun, and it doesn’t rise, and seals up the stars.

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

8 H e alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.

He alone extends the heavens and walks upon the waves of the sea.

9 H e makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the rooms of the south.

He who made Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the secret places of the south.

10 H e does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.

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

11 B ehold, he goes by me, and I don’t see him. He passes on also, but I don’t perceive him.

Behold, he shall pass before me, and I shall not see him; and he shall pass on, and I shall not understand him.

12 B ehold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’

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

13 “ God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.

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

14 H ow much less shall I answer him, And choose my words to argue with him?

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

15 T hough I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.

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

16 I f I had called, and he had answered me, yet I wouldn’t believe that he listened to my voice.

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

17 F or he breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.

For he has broken me with a tempest and has multiplied my wounds without cause.

18 H e will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

He will not suffer me to take my breath but has filled me with bitterness.

19 I f it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’

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

20 T hough I am righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me. Though I am blameless, it shall prove me perverse.

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

21 I am blameless. I don’t respect myself. I despise my life.

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

22 “ It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.

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

23 I f the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.

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

24 T he earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If 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 does this then, who is it and where is he?

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

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

26 T hey have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.

They are passed away as the ships of Ebeh as the eagle that throws himself on the prey.

27 I f I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up;’

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

28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.

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

29 I shall be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?

If I am wicked, why then shall I toil in vain?

30 I f I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,

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

31 y et you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes shall abhor me.

yet thou shalt plunge me into the pit, and my own clothes shall abhor me.

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

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

33 T here is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.

Neither is there any arbiter between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34 L et him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;

Let him take his tormentor away from me, and his terror will not perturb me.

35 t hen I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.

Then I would speak and not fear him, because in this state I am not myself.