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Job Talks

¹ Then Job answered, ² "Yes, I know this is true. But how can a man be right and good before God? ³ If one wished to argue with Him, he would not be able to answer one out of a thousand of His questions. ⁴ He is wise in heart and powerful in strength. Who has ever stood against Him without being hurt? ⁵ It is He Who takes away the mountains without their knowing it, when He destroys them in His anger. ⁶ He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars shake. ⁷ He tells the sun not to shine, and He keeps the stars from shining. ⁸ He alone spreads out the heavens and walks upon the waves of the sea. ⁹ He makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades and the stars of the south. ¹⁰ He does things too great for us to understand, and more wonderful works than we can number. ¹¹ When He passes by me, I do not see Him. When He goes by me, I do not know Him. ¹² If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?'

¹³ "God will not stop His anger. The helpers of Rahab bow under Him. ¹⁴ How then can I answer Him, and choose the right words to speak with Him? ¹⁵ Even if I am right, I cannot answer Him. I must beg Him who is against me to have pity. ¹⁶ If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice. ¹⁷ For He crushes me with a storm, and hurts me more and more without a reason. ¹⁸ He will not let me get my breath, but fills me with much that is bitter. ¹⁹ If it is a question of power, see, He is the strong one! If it is a question of what is right and fair, who can call Him to a trial? ²⁰ Even if I were right, my mouth would say that I am guilty. Even if I were without blame, He would say I am guilty. ²¹ Even though I am without blame, I do not care about myself. I hate my life. ²² It is all the same, so I say, ‘He destroys both those who are without blame and the sinful.' ²³ If death comes fast by disease, He makes fun of the trouble of those who have done no wrong. ²⁴ The earth is given into the hand of the sinful. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?

²⁵ "My days go faster than a runner. They fly away, and see no good. ²⁶ They go by like fast boats, like an eagle coming down to catch its food. ²⁷ If I say, ‘I will forget my complaining. I will put off my sad face and be happy,' ²⁸ I am still afraid of all my pains for I know You will not take away my guilt. ²⁹ Because I am already guilty, why should I try for nothing? ³⁰ If I wash myself with snow and clean my hands using the best soap, ³¹ You would still throw me down into a deep hole. And my own clothes would hate me. ³² For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, that we might go to trial together. ³³ There is no one to decide between us, who might lay his hand upon us both. ³⁴ Let Him stop punishing me. And do not let fear of Him make me so afraid. ³⁵ Then I would speak and not be afraid of Him. But I am not like that in myself.