| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then Job answered and said, | 1Then Job replied: |
| 2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? | 2"Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God? |
| 3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. | 3Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand. |
| 4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? | 4His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? |
| 5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. | 5He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns 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 makes its pillars tremble. |
| 7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. | 7He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars. |
| 8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. | 8He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. |
| 9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. | 9He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. |
| 10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. | 10He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. |
| 11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. | 11When he passes me, I cannot see him; when 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 stop him? Who can 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; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet. |
| 14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? | 14"How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? |
| 15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. | 15Though I were 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. | 16Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. |
| 17For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. | 17He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason. |
| 18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. | 18He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery. |
| 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, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him? |
| 20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. | 20Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty. |
| 21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. | 21"Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. |
| 22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. | 22It is all the same; that is 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 scourge brings sudden death, he mocks 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? | 24When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds 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 fly away without a glimpse of joy. |
| 26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. | 26They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their 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 smile,' |
| 28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. | 28I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent. |
| 29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? | 29Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain? |
| 30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; | 30Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with cleansing powder, |
| 31Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. | 31you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me. |
| 32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. | 32"He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. |
| 33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. | 33If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, |
| 34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: | 34someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. |
| 35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me. | 35Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot. |
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