New Living Translation

King James Bible

1Then Job spoke again:

1Then Job answered and said,

2“Yes, I know all this is true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight?

2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

3If someone wanted to take God to court, would it be possible to answer him even once in a thousand times?

3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

4For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?

4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

5“Without warning, he moves the mountains, overturning them in his anger.

5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

6He shakes the earth from its place, and its foundations tremble.

6Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

7If he commands it, the sun won’t rise and the stars won’t shine.

7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

8He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea.

8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

9He made all the stars—the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.

9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

10He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.

10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

11“Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him. When he moves by, I do not see him go.

11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

12If he snatches someone in death, who can stop him? Who dares to ask, ‘What are you doing?’

12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13And God does not restrain his anger. Even the monsters of the sea are crushed beneath his feet.

13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

14“So who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with him?

14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

15Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy.

15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

16And even if I summoned him and he responded, I’m not sure he would listen to me.

16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause.

17For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

18He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.

18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

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?

19If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

20Though I am innocent, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty. Though I am blameless, it would prove me wicked.

20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

21“I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me— I despise my life.

21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

22Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God. That’s why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23When a plague sweeps through, he laughs at the death of the innocent.

23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

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?

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?

25“My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away without a glimpse of happiness.

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

26It disappears like a swift papyrus boat, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.

26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

27If I decided to forget my complaints, to put away my sad face and be cheerful,

27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

28I would still dread all the pain, for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.

28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29Whatever happens, I will be found guilty. So what’s the use of trying?

29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

30Even if I were to wash myself with soap and clean my hands with lye,

30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

31you would plunge me into a muddy ditch, and my own filthy clothing would hate me.

31Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

32“God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.

32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

33If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together.

33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

35Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength.

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

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.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.