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¹ THEN Job answered and said,² Truly, I know that it is so; but how can a man be declared innocent before God?³ If he should contend with him, he cannot answer him one out of a thousand.⁴ He is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has hardened himself against him, and had peace?⁵ He who removes mountains and overthrows them with his anger, does he not know?⁶ He shakes the earth out of its foundations, and its inhabitants tremble.⁷ He commands the sun, and it does not rise; and seals up the stars.⁸ He alone stretched out the heavens, and treads upon the mighty waves of the sea.⁹ He made the Pleiades, Aldebaran, and Orion, and the chambers of the south.¹⁰ He has done great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.¹¹ Lo, if he will pass by me, I will see him not; and if he will circle around me, I will not perceive him.¹² Behold, if he will destroy, who can resist him? Who can say to him, What doest thou?¹³ God will not turn away his anger, the mighty shall be humiliated under him.

¹⁴ I will answer him also, and choose out my words in his presence.¹⁵ If I am not justified I would not resist, but I would make supplication to my judge.¹⁶ If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I would not believe that he had hearkened to my voice.¹⁷ For he has crushed me with a tempest, and multiplied my wounds without cause.¹⁸ He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.¹⁹ If it is a matter of strength, lo, he is mighty; and if of judgment, who can summon him?²⁰ If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me; though I say I am pure, he shall also prove me perverse.²¹ Though I am pure, yet I would not know my soul; I would despise my life.

²² It is all the same; therefore I say, He destroys both the righteous and the wicked.²³ If his rod slays suddenly, he will laugh at the foolishness of the innocent.²⁴ The earth is handed over to the wicked; and the faces of the judges are covered; if not, who can endure their wrath?

²⁵ Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.²⁶ They are passed away like ships of the enemy; like the eagle that swoops on the prey.²⁷ I have forgotten my bitterness; if my mind or my thought would leave me alone, then I would find rest.²⁸ Though I am at rest, I am afraid of every torment, because I know that thou wilt not declare me innocent.²⁹ Behold, if I am declared guilty, why then dost thou consume me in vain?³⁰ If I wash myself with snow why then dost thou consume me in my hands;³¹ Yet thou shalt plunge me into the pit, and my own clothes shall be abhorrent to me.³² For God is not a man as I am, that I might answer him. and that we should come together for trial.³³ O that there were a judge between us, that he might silence us both!³⁴ Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me;³⁵ Then I would speak, and I will not be afraid of him, for I have never been against him.