1 A nd Job answereth and saith: --

Then Job answered,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“ It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, 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 its pillars tremble;

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

Who commands the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon 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 tramples down the waves of the sea;

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

Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;

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

Who does great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number.

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

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

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

“Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could 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 turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab.

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

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

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

“For though I were right, I could not answer; I would have to implore the mercy of my 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, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.

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

“For He bruises 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 get my breath, But saturates me with bitterness.

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

“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?

20 I f I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse.

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

21 P erfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life.

“I am guiltless; I do not take notice of 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, ‘He destroys the guiltless and the wicked.’

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

“If the scourge kills suddenly, He mocks the despair 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 hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who 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 slip by like reed boats, Like an eagle that swoops on its prey.

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

“Though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,’

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

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

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

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

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

“If I should 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 would plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes would abhor me.

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

“For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him, That we may go to court together.

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

“There is no umpire between us, Who may 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,

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

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

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