King James Bible | New Living Translation |
1Then Job answered and said, | 1Then Job spoke again: |
2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? | 2“Yes, I know all this is true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight? |
3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. | 3If someone wanted to take God to court, would it be possible to answer him even once in a thousand times? |
4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? | 4For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully? |
5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. | 5“Without warning, he moves the mountains, overturning them in his anger. |
6Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. | 6He shakes the earth from its place, and its foundations tremble. |
7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. | 7If he commands it, the sun won’t rise and the stars won’t shine. |
8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. | 8He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea. |
9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. | 9He made all the stars—the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky. |
10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. | 10He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles. |
11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. | 11“Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him. When he moves by, I do not see him go. |
12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? | 12If he snatches someone in death, who can stop him? Who dares to ask, ‘What are you doing?’ |
13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. | 13And God does not restrain his anger. Even the monsters of the sea are crushed beneath his feet. |
14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? | 14“So who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with him? |
15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. | 15Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy. |
16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. | 16And even if I summoned him and he responded, I’m not sure he would listen to me. |
17For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. | 17For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause. |
18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. | 18He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows. |
19If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? | 19If it’s a question of strength, he’s the strong one. If it’s a matter of justice, who dares to summon him to court? |
20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. | 20Though I am innocent, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty. Though I am blameless, it would prove me wicked. |
21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. | 21“I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me— I despise my life. |
22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. | 22Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God. That’s why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ |
23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. | 23When a plague sweeps through, he laughs at the death of the innocent. |
24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? | 24The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked, and God blinds the eyes of the judges. If he’s not the one who does it, who is? |
25Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. | 25“My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away without a glimpse of happiness. |
26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. | 26It disappears like a swift papyrus boat, like an eagle swooping down on its prey. |
27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself: | 27If I decided to forget my complaints, to put away my sad face and be cheerful, |
28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. | 28I would still dread all the pain, for I know you will not find me innocent, O God. |
29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? | 29Whatever happens, I will be found guilty. So what’s the use of trying? |
30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; | 30Even if I were to wash myself with soap and clean my hands with lye, |
31Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. | 31you would plunge me into a muddy ditch, and my own filthy clothing would hate me. |
32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. | 32“God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial. |
33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. | 33If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together. |
34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: | 34The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. |
35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me. | 35Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength. |
King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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