Job: No Arbiter Between God and Man

1Then Job answered and said,

2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?

5Which removes the mountains, and they know not: which overturns them in his anger.

6Which shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

7Which commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars.

8Which alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.

9Which makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

10Which does great things past finding out; yes, and wonders without number.

11See, he goes by me, and I see him not: he passes on also, but I perceive him not.

12Behold, he takes away, who can hinder him? who will say to him, What do you?

13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

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

16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had listened to my voice.

17For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.

18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

19If I speak of strength, see, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

20If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.

23If the whip slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

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

26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hastens to the prey.

27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.

29If I be wicked, why then labor I in vain?

30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

31Yet shall you plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me.

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

33Neither is there any judge between us, that might lay his hand on us both.

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

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