Job: No Arbiter Between God and Man

1And Job answered and said,

2Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?

3If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.

4He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?

5Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;

6Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;

7Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;

8Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;

9Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;

10Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.

11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.

12Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13+God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:

14How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?

15Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.

16If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, --

17He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

18He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.

19Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?

20If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.

21Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

22It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.

24The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?

25And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.

26They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.

27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,

28I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?

30If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,

31Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.

32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.

33There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,

35[Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.