| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said, | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? | 2"Truly, I know that this is so. But how can a human be just before God? |
| 3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. | 3If someone wishes to contend with him, he cannot answer him one time in a thousand. |
| 4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? | 4He is wise in heart and mighty in strength--who has resisted him and remained safe? |
| 5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. | 5He who removes mountains suddenly, who overturns them in his anger; |
| 6Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. | 6he who shakes the earth out of its place so that its pillars tremble; |
| 7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. | 7he who commands the sun and it does not shine and seals up the stars; |
| 8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. | 8he alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea; |
| 9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. | 9he makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the constellations of the southern sky; |
| 10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. | 10he does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things without number. |
| 11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. | 11If he passes by me, I cannot see him, if he goes by, I cannot perceive him. |
| 12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? | 12If he snatches away, who can turn him back? Who dares to say to him, 'What are you doing?' |
| 13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. | 13God does not restrain his anger; under him the helpers of Rahab lie crushed. |
| 14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? | 14"How much less, then, can I answer him and choose my words to argue with him! |
| 15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. | 15Although I am innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my judge for mercy. |
| 16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. | 16If I summoned him, and he answered me, I would not believe that he would be listening to my voice-- |
| 17For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. | 17he who crushes me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds for no reason. |
| 18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. | 18He does not allow me to recover my breath, for he fills me with bitterness. |
| 19If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? | 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?' |
| 20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. | 20Although I am innocent, my mouth would condemn me; although I am blameless, it would declare me perverse. |
| 21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. | 21I am blameless. I do not know myself. I despise my life. |
| 22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. | 22"It is all one! That is why I say, 'He destroys the blameless and the guilty.' |
| 23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. | 23If a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks at the despair 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? | 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? |
| 25Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. | 25"My days are swifter than a runner, they speed by without seeing happiness. |
| 26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. | 26They glide by like reed boats, like an eagle that swoops down on its prey. |
| 27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself: | 27If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression and be cheerful,' |
| 28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. | 28I dread all my sufferings, for I know that you do not hold me blameless. |
| 29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? | 29If I am guilty, why then weary myself in vain? |
| 30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; | 30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands clean with lye, |
| 31Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. | 31then you plunge me into a slimy pit and my own clothes abhor me. |
| 32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. | 32For he is not a human being like I am, that I might answer him, that we might come together in judgment. |
| 33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. | 33Nor is there an arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both, |
| 34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: | 34who would take his rod away from me so that his terror would not make me afraid. |
| 35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me. | 35Then would I speak and not fear him, but it is not so with me. |
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