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?

“Yes, I know this is true. But how can a man be right and good before God?

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

If one wished to argue with Him, he would not be able to answer one out of a thousand of His questions.

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

He is wise in heart and powerful in strength. Who has ever stood against Him without being hurt?

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

It is He Who takes away the mountains without their knowing it, when He destroys them in His anger.

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

He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars shake.

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

He tells the sun not to shine, and He keeps the stars from shining.

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

He alone spreads out the heavens and walks upon the waves of the sea.

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

He makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades and the stars of the south.

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

He does things too great for us to understand, and more wonderful works than we can number.

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

When He passes by me, I do not see Him. When He goes by me, I do not know Him.

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

If He takes away, who can stop 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 stop 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 then can I answer Him, and choose the right words to speak with Him?

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

Even if I am right, I cannot answer Him. I must beg Him who is against me to have pity.

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 crushes me with a storm, and hurts me more and more without a reason.

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

He will not let me get my breath, but fills me with much that is bitter.

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

If it is a question of power, see, He is the strong one! If it is a question of what is right and fair, who can call Him to a trial?

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

Even if I were right, my mouth would say that I am guilty. Even if I were without blame, He would say I am guilty.

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

Even though I am without blame, I do not care about myself. I hate my life.

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

It is all the same, so I say, ‘He destroys both those who are without blame and the sinful.’

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

If death comes fast by disease, He makes fun of the trouble of those who have done no wrong.

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 sinful. 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,

“My days go faster than a runner. They fly away, and see no good.

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

They go by like fast boats, like an eagle coming down to catch its food.

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

If I say, ‘I will forget my complaining. I will put off my sad face and be happy,’

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

I am still afraid of all my pains for I know You will not take away my guilt.

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

Because I am already guilty, why should I try for nothing?

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

If I wash myself with snow and clean my hands using the best soap,

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

You would still throw me down into a deep hole. And my own clothes would hate 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 might go to trial together.

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

There is no one to decide 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,

Let Him stop punishing me. And do not let fear of Him make me so afraid.

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

Then I would speak and not be afraid of Him. But I am not like that in myself.