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Then Job answered and said,

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

If one should want to contend with Him, he cannot answer one [of His questions] in a thousand.

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

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

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

Who commands the sun, and it rises not; Who seals up the stars [from view];

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

Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the [loose cluster] Pleiades, and the [vast starry] spaces of the south;

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

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

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

13 God will not withdraw His anger; the [proud] helpers of Rahab [arrogant monster of the sea] bow under Him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22 It is all one; therefore I say, God [does not discriminate, but] destroys the blameless and the wicked.

23 When [His] scourge slays suddenly, He mocks at the calamity and trial of the innocent.

24 The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blinded to justice]. If it is not [God], who then is it [responsible for all this inequality]?

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

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

27 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 become afraid of all my pains and sorrows [yet to come], for I know You will not pronounce me innocent [by removing them].

29 I shall be held guilty and be condemned; why then should I labor in vain [to appear innocent]?

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

31 Yet You will plunge me into the ditch, and my own clothes will abhor me [and refuse to cover so foul a body].

32 For [God] is not a [mere] man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in court.

33 There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both, [would that there were!](A)

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

35 [Then] would I speak and not fear Him, but I am not so in myself [to make me afraid, were only a fair trial given me].

Job

Then Job replied:

“Indeed, I know that this is true.
    But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?(A)
Though they wished to dispute with him,(B)
    they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.(C)
His wisdom(D) is profound, his power is vast.(E)
    Who has resisted(F) him and come out unscathed?(G)
He moves mountains(H) without their knowing it
    and overturns them in his anger.(I)
He shakes the earth(J) from its place
    and makes its pillars tremble.(K)
He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;(L)
    he seals off the light of the stars.(M)
He alone stretches out the heavens(N)
    and treads on the waves of the sea.(O)
He is the Maker(P) of the Bear[a] and Orion,
    the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.(Q)
10 He performs wonders(R) that cannot be fathomed,
    miracles that cannot be counted.(S)
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
    when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.(T)
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?(U)
    Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’(V)
13 God does not restrain his anger;(W)
    even the cohorts of Rahab(X) cowered at his feet.

14 “How then can I dispute with him?
    How can I find words to argue with him?(Y)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;(Z)
    I could only plead(AA) with my Judge(AB) for mercy.(AC)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
    I do not believe he would give me a hearing.(AD)
17 He would crush me(AE) with a storm(AF)
    and multiply(AG) my wounds for no reason.(AH)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
    but would overwhelm me with misery.(AI)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!(AJ)
    And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him[b]?(AK)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
    if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.(AL)

21 “Although I am blameless,(AM)
    I have no concern for myself;(AN)
    I despise my own life.(AO)
22 It is all the same; that is why I say,
    ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’(AP)
23 When a scourge(AQ) brings sudden death,
    he mocks the despair of the innocent.(AR)
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,(AS)
    he blindfolds its judges.(AT)
    If it is not he, then who is it?(AU)

25 “My days are swifter than a runner;(AV)
    they fly away without a glimpse of joy.(AW)
26 They skim past(AX) like boats of papyrus,(AY)
    like eagles swooping down on their prey.(AZ)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,(BA)
    I will change my expression, and smile,’
28 I still dread(BB) all my sufferings,
    for I know you will not hold me innocent.(BC)
29 Since I am already found guilty,
    why should I struggle in vain?(BD)
30 Even if I washed myself with soap(BE)
    and my hands(BF) with cleansing powder,(BG)
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit(BH)
    so that even my clothes would detest me.(BI)

32 “He is not a mere mortal(BJ) like me that I might answer him,(BK)
    that we might confront each other in court.(BL)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,(BM)
    someone to bring us together,(BN)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,(BO)
    so that his terror would frighten me no more.(BP)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,(BQ)
    but as it now stands with me, I cannot.(BR)

Footnotes

  1. Job 9:9 Or of Leo
  2. Job 9:19 See Septuagint; Hebrew me.