| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said, | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? | 2Yes, I know what you've said is true, but how can a person be justified before God? |
| 3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. | 3If one wanted to take Him to court, he could not answer God once in a thousand times. |
| 4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? | 4God is wise and all-powerful. Who has opposed Him and come out unharmed? |
| 5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. | 5He removes mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in His anger. |
| 6Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. | 6He shakes the earth from its place so that its pillars tremble. |
| 7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. | 7He commands the sun not to shine and seals off the stars. |
| 8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. | 8He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. |
| 9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. | 9He makes the stars: the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the southern sky. |
| 10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. | 10He does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number. |
| 11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. | 11If He passes by me, I wouldn't see Him; if He goes right by, I wouldn't recognize Him. |
| 12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? | 12If He snatches something, who can stop Him? Who can ask Him, "What are You doing?" |
| 13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. | 13God does not hold back His anger; Rahab's assistants cringe in fear beneath Him! |
| 14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? | 14How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him? |
| 15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. | 15Even if I were in the right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy. |
| 16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. | 16If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would pay attention to what I said. |
| 17For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. | 17He batters me with a whirlwind and multiplies my wounds without cause. |
| 18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. | 18He doesn't let me catch my breath but soaks me with bitter experiences. |
| 19If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? | 19If it is a matter of strength, look, He is the Mighty One! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him? |
| 20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. | 20Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty. |
| 21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. | 21Though I am blameless, I no longer care about myself; I renounce my life. |
| 22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. | 22It is all the same. Therefore I say, "He destroys both the blameless and the wicked." |
| 23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. | 23When disaster brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent. |
| 24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? | 24The earth is handed over to the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it isn't He, then who is it? |
| 25Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. | 25My days fly by faster than a runner; they flee without seeing any good. |
| 26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. | 26They sweep by like boats made of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey. |
| 27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself: | 27If I said, "I will forget my complaint, change my expression, and smile," |
| 28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. | 28I would still live in terror of all my pains. I know You will not acquit me. |
| 29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? | 29Since I will be found guilty, why should I labor in vain? |
| 30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; | 30If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye, |
| 31Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. | 31then You dip me in a pit of mud, and my own clothes despise me! |
| 32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. | 32For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court. |
| 33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. | 33There is no one to judge between us, to lay his hand on both of us. |
| 34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: | 34Let Him take His rod away from me so His terror will no longer frighten me. |
| 35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me. | 35Then I would speak and not fear Him. But that is not the case; I am on my own. |
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