English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1Then Job answered and said:

1This was Job's response:

2“Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

2"Indeed, I'm fully aware that this is so, but how can a person become right with God?

3If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times.

3If one were to seek to argue with him, he won't be able to answer him even once in a thousand times.

4He is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—

4He is wise in heart and strong in will— who can be stubborn against him and succeed?

5he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger,

5"He removes mountains without their knowledge, overthrowing them in his anger.

6who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;

6He shakes the earth from its orbit, so that its foundations shudder.

7who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars;

7He commands the sun so that it doesn't shine and seals up the stars.

8who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea;

8He alone spreads out the heavens, he walks on the waves of the sea.

9who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;

9He created Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the southern constellations.

10who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number.

10He does great things that cannot be explained, and awesome deeds that cannot be counted.

11Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him.

11"If he were to pass near me, I wouldn't notice; if he moves by, I wouldn't perceive him.

12Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

12Indeed, if he snatches someone away, who could restrain him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'

13“God will not turn back his anger; beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab.

13"God doesn't restrain his anger. Rahab's assistants are humiliated under him.

14How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him?

14So how am I to answer him, choosing what I am to say to him?

15Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.

15Even if I'm in the right, I cannot answer him. I can only appeal for mercy.

16If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.

16"Were I to be summoned, and he were to answer me, I wouldn't even believe that he was listening to what I have to say.

17For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause;

17For he crushes me with a storm, and keeps on wounding me for no reason.

18he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

18He won't let me catch my breath; instead, he fills me with bitterness.

19If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?

19"Is this a contest of strength? He is obviously stronger! Is this a matter of justice? Who can sue him?

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

20Though I'm in the right, my own mouth will condemn me; though I'm blameless, he'll pronounce me as guilty.

21I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life.

21"I'm blameless; I don't know myself; I despise my life.

22It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

22I say it's all the same— he destroys both the blameless and the guilty.

23When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity of the innocent.

23If a calamity causes sudden death, he'll mock at the despair of the innocent.

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it?

24A land is given into the hands of a wicked person; he covers the faces of its judges. If it is not God, then who is it?"

25“My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good.

25"My days pass faster than a runner; but they pass quickly without seeing anything good.

26They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.

26They pass by like a ship made of reeds, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.

27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’

27If I were to say, 'Let me forget my complaint,' change the expression on my face, and look cheerful,

28I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know you will not hold me innocent.

28then I still dread all of my suffering; I know you still won't acquit me.

29I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain?

29I will be condemned, so why should I wear myself out with this futility?

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

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

31yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me.

31you'll still drop me into the Pit, and my own clothes will despise me.

32For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together.

32He's not a man like me, so that I can answer him, or that we can enter into litigation with one another.

33There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both.

33There is not yet a mediator between us, who would set his hand on the two of us,

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me.

34removing his rod from me, and not letting terror of him overwhelm me.

35Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.

35Otherwise, I would speak without being terrified of him, because I'm not like that inside myself."

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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