1 A nd Job answereth and saith: --

Then Job answered and said,

2 T ruly I have known that so, And what -- is man righteous with God?

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

3 I f he delight to strive with Him -- He doth not answer him one of a thousand.

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

4 W ise in heart and strong in power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?

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

5 W ho is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.

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

6 W ho is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.

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

7 W ho is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.

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

8 S tretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,

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

9 M aking Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.

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

10 D oing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.

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

11 L o, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.

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

12 L o, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, `What dost Thou?'

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

13 G od doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.

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

14 H ow much less do I -- I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?

How much less shall I answer Him, choosing out my words to reason with Him

15 W hom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.

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

16 T hough I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear my voice.

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

17 B ecause with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.

For He overwhelms and breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.

18 H e permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.

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

19 I f of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment -- who doth convene me?

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

20 I f I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth 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 P erfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life.

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

22 I t is the same thing, therefore I said, `The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'

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

23 I f a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.

When scourge slays suddenly, He mocks at the calamity and trial of the innocent.

24 E arth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not -- where, who he?

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 M y days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,

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

26 T hey have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.

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

27 T hough I say, `I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'

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 have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.

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

29 I -- I am become wicked; why this? vain I labour.

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

30 I f I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,

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

31 T hen in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.

Yet You will plunge me into the ditch, and my own clothes will abhor me.

32 B ut if a man like myself -- I answer him, We come together into judgment.

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

33 I f there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.

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

34 H e doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,

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

35 I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.

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