New American Standard Bible 1995

English Standard Version

1Then Job answered,

1Then Job answered and said:

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

2“Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

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

3If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times.

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

4He is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—

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

5he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger,

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

6who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;

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

7who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars;

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

8who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea;

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

9who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;

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

10who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number.

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

11Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him.

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

12Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

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

13“God will not turn back his anger; beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab.

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

14How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him?

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

15Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.

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

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

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

17For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause;

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

18he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

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?

19If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?

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

20Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse.

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

21I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life.

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

22It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

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

23When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity of the innocent.

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?

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it?

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

25“My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good.

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

26They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.

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

27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’

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

28I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know you will not hold me innocent.

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

29I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain?

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

30If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,

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

31yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me.

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

32For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together.

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

33There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both.

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

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me.

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

35Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.

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