NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Job answered:

1Then Job answered,

2"Truly, I know that this is so. But how can a human be just before God?

2"In truth I know that this is so; But how can a man be in the right before God?

3If someone wishes to contend with him, he cannot answer him one time in a thousand.

3"If one wished to dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

4He is wise in heart and mighty in strength--who has resisted him and remained safe?

4"Wise in heart and mighty in strength, Who has defied Him without harm?

5He who removes mountains suddenly, who overturns them in his anger;

5"It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, When He overturns them in His anger;

6he who shakes the earth out of its place so that its pillars tremble;

6Who shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;

7he who commands the sun and it does not shine and seals up the stars;

7Who commands the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars;

8he alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea;

8Who alone stretches out the heavens And tramples down the waves of the sea;

9he makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the constellations of the southern sky;

9Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;

10he does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things without number.

10Who does great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number.

11If he passes by me, I cannot see him, if he goes by, I cannot perceive him.

11"Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.

12If he snatches away, who can turn him back? Who dares to say to him, 'What are you doing?'

12"Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, 'What are You doing?'

13God does not restrain his anger; under him the helpers of Rahab lie crushed.

13"God will not turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab.

14"How much less, then, can I answer him and choose my words to argue with him!

14"How then can I answer Him, And choose my words before Him?

15Although I am innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my judge for mercy.

15"For though I were right, I could not answer; I would have to implore the mercy of my judge.

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

16"If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.

17he who crushes me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds for no reason.

17"For He bruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause.

18He does not allow me to recover my breath, for he fills me with bitterness.

18"He will not allow me to get my breath, But saturates me with bitterness.

19If it is a matter of strength, most certainly he is the strong one! And if it is a matter of justice, he will say, 'Who will summon me?'

19"If it is a matter of power, behold, He is the strong one! And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?

20Although I am innocent, my mouth would condemn me; although I am blameless, it would declare me perverse.

20"Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.

21I am blameless. I do not know myself. I despise my life.

21"I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I despise my life.

22"It is all one! That is why I say, 'He destroys the blameless and the guilty.'

22"It is all one; therefore I say, 'He destroys the guiltless and the wicked.'

23If a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks at the despair of the innocent.

23"If the scourge kills suddenly, He mocks the despair of the innocent.

24If a land has been given into the hand of a wicked man, he covers the faces of its judges; if it is not he, then who is it?

24"The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?

25"My days are swifter than a runner, they speed by without seeing happiness.

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

26They glide by like reed boats, like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.

26"They slip by like reed boats, Like an eagle that swoops on its prey.

27If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression and be cheerful,'

27"Though I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,'

28I dread all my sufferings, for I know that you do not hold me blameless.

28I am afraid of all my pains, I know that You will not acquit me.

29If I am guilty, why then weary myself in vain?

29"I am accounted wicked, Why then should I toil in vain?

30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands clean with lye,

30"If I should wash myself with snow And cleanse my hands with lye,

31then you plunge me into a slimy pit and my own clothes abhor me.

31Yet You would plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes would abhor me.

32For he is not a human being like I am, that I might answer him, that we might come together in judgment.

32"For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him, That we may go to court together.

33Nor is there an arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both,

33"There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.

34who would take his rod away from me so that his terror would not make me afraid.

34"Let Him remove His rod from me, And let not dread of Him terrify me.

35Then would I speak and not fear him, but it is not so with me.

35"Then I would speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.

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