1 And Job, responding, said
2 Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God
3 If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times
4 He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace
5 He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it
6 He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble
7 He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal
8 He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea
9 He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south
10 He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered
11 If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand
12 If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, "Why did you do so?
13 God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world
14 what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him
15 And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge
16 And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice
17 For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause
18 He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness
19 If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me
20 If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved
21 And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me
22 There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes
23 If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent
24 Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it
25 My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness
26 They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food
27 If I say: "By no means will I speak this way." I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow
28 I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender
29 Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain
30 If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing
31 yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me
32 For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment
33 There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two
34 Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me
35 I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond