1. Then Job answered and said,
2. I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
3. If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one in a thousand times.
4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?
5. Who removes the mountains, and they know it not: who overturns them in his anger,
6. Who shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble,
7. Who commands the sun, and it does not rise; and shuts up the stars,
8. Who alone spreads out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea,
9. Who makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south,
10. Who does great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
11. Lo, he goes by me, and I see him not: he passes on also, but I perceive him not.
12. Behold, he takes away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What are you doing?
13. If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers are brought low under him.
14. How much less shall I answer him, and choose words to reason with him?
15. Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
16. If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had listened to my voice.
17. For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18. He will not allow me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20. If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22. This is all one thing, therefore I said that He destroys the perfect and the wicked.
23. If the scourge should slay suddenly, he will laugh at the ordeal of the innocent.
24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
25. Now my days are swifter than a messenger: they flee away, they see no good.
26. They have passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that speeds to the prey.
27. If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
28. I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.
29. If I be wicked, why then do I labor in vain?
30. If I wash myself with melted snow, and make my hands ever so clean;
31. Yet shall you plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me.
32. For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
33. Neither is there anyone to judge between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34. Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
35. Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
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