Job: How Can I Contend with God?

1And Job answered and said,

2“Truly I know that it is so.

But how can a man be righteous with God?

3If one was delighted to contend with Him,†

he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.

4He is wise of heart and firm of strength;

who has hardened himself against Him and been whole?

5He moves the mountains, and they do not know when

He overturns them in His anger.

6He shakes the earth from its place,

and its pillars shudder.

7He speaks to the sun, and it does not rise,†

and He seals up the stars,

8stretching out the heavens by himself,

and treading upon the heights of the sea.

9Making the Bear and Orion,

and the Pleiades and the chambers of the south,

10doing great things until there is no searching out,

and wonders until there is no numbering.

11Behold, He passes by over me, and I do not see Him;

and He moves past, and I do not perceive Him.

12Behold, He snatches away,† and who will turn Him back?

Who shall say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13God will not turn aside His nose—

beneath Him bowed the helpers of Rahab!

14How then can I answer Him

and choose my words with Him,

15whom, if I were righteous, I could not answer;

to my Judge I would plead for mercy.

16If I called and He answered me,

I could not believe that He gives ear to my voice—

17He who crushes me with a tempest,

and multiplies my wounds without cause.

18He does not allow me to return my breath,

but He fills me with bitterness.

19If it is of power,

behold, He is mighty;

and if of justice,

who can summon Him?†

20If I were righteous, my own mouth would declare me wicked;

if I were blameless, then it would declare me perverse.†

21I am blameless; I do not know my soul;

I despise my life.

22It is one thing! And upon thus I say,

‘The blameless and the wicked He brings to an end.’

23If the whip kills suddenly,

He mocks the despair of the innocent.

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;

He covers the faces of its judges—

If not, then who is it?

25So my days are swifter than a runner;

they flee, not seeing good.

26They pass by with ships of papyrus,

like an eagle rushing upon its food.

27If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

let me change my face and smile,’

28I would fear all my sorrows,

and I know that You will not clear me.

29I am wicked;

why then should I labor in vain?

30If I wash myself with water of snow,†

and cleanse my hands with lye,

31yet into the pit You will plunge me,

and my own garments will abhor me.

32For He is not a man like I am, that I may answer Him,

that we would come together into judgment.

33There is not a mediator between us,

to lay his hand upon the two of us,

34tu turn away from me His rod,

and not let His terror frighten me.

35I would speak and not be afraid of Him;

but I am not thus with me.