| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then Job answered: | 1Then Job replied: |
| 2“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God? | 2"Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God? |
| 3If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. | 3Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand. |
| 4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered? | 4His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? |
| 5He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger. | 5He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger. |
| 6He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble. | 6He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble. |
| 7He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars. | 7He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars. |
| 8He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. | 8He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. |
| 9He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. | 9He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. |
| 10He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number. | 10He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. |
| 11Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him. | 11When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him. |
| 12If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’ | 12If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?' |
| 13God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him. | 13God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet. |
| 14How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him? | 14"How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? |
| 15For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy. | 15Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. |
| 16If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice. | 16Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. |
| 17For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause. | 17He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason. |
| 18He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness. | 18He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery. |
| 19If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him? | 19If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him? |
| 20Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty. | 20Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty. |
| 21Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. | 21"Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. |
| 22It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ | 22It is all the same; that is why I say, 'He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.' |
| 23When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent. | 23When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent. |
| 24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it? | 24When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it? |
| 25My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good. | 25"My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy. |
| 26They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey. | 26They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey. |
| 27If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’ | 27If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,' |
| 28I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me. | 28I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent. |
| 29Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain? | 29Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain? |
| 30If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, | 30Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with cleansing powder, |
| 31then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me. | 31you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me. |
| 32For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court. | 32"He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. |
| 33Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both. | 33If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, |
| 34Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me. | 34someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. |
| 35Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own. | 35Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot. |
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