New Living Translation

English Standard Version

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

18he will not let me get my breath, but fills 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 it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?

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

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

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

21I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe 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.’

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

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

23When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity 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 covers the faces of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it?

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

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

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

26They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on 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 put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

31yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will 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 might answer him, that we should come to trial together.

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

33There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on 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 dread of him terrify me.

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

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

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.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.