1Then Job answered:Then Job answered,Then Job answered and said,Then Job answered and said,2“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?“Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?3If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.If he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.If he be pleased to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand.4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him and prospered?He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?—5He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.He removes the mountains, and they don’t know it, when he overturns them in his anger.Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.Him that removeth the mountains, and they know it not, When he overturneth them in his anger;6He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.He shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble.Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.That shaketh the earth out of its place, And the pillars thereof tremble;7He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.He commands the sun and it doesn’t rise, and seals up the stars.Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.That commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And sealeth up the stars;8He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.That alone stretcheth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea;9He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.He makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the rooms of the south.Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.That maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;10He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.That doeth great things past finding out, Yea, marvellous things without number.11Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.Behold, he goes by me, and I don’t see him. He passes on also, but I don’t perceive him.Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: He passeth on also, but I perceive him not.12If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?Behold, he seizeth the prey, who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?13God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.“God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.14How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?How much less will I answer him, and choose my words to argue with him?How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?How much less shall I answer him, And choose out my words to reason with him?15For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.16If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I wouldn’t believe that he listened to my voice.If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.17For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.For he breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.For he breaketh me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause.18He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.He will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness.19If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?If we speak of strength, lo, he is mighty! And if of justice, Who, saith he, will summon me?20Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me. Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.21Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.I am blameless. I don’t respect myself. I despise my life.Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.22It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’“It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.23When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the trial 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?The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covereth the faces of the judges thereof: If it be not he, who then is it?25My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.“Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away. They see no good.Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.Now my days are swifter than a post: They flee away, they see no good.26They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.They have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.They are passed away as the swift ships; As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.27If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up,’If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer;28I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.I am afraid of all my sorrows. I know that you will not hold me innocent.I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.29Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?I will be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?I shall be condemned; Why then do I labor in vain?30If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean;31then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes will abhor me.Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.32For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, That we should come together in judgment.33Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.There is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.There is no umpire betwixt us, That might lay his hand upon us both.34Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:Let him take his rod away from me, And let not his terror make me afraid:35Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.Then would I speak, and not fear him; For I am not so in myself.
Berean Standard Bible (public domain).World English Bible (public domain).King James Version (public domain in the US).American Standard Version, 1901 (public domain).