New American Standard Bible 1995 | English Standard Version |
1Then Job answered, | 1Then Job answered and said: |
2"In truth I know that this is so; But how can a man be in the right before God? | 2“Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God? |
3"If one wished to dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times. | 3If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times. |
4"Wise in heart and mighty in strength, Who has defied Him without harm? | 4He is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?— |
5"It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, When He overturns them in His anger; | 5he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, |
6Who shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble; | 6who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; |
7Who commands the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars; | 7who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; |
8Who alone stretches out the heavens And tramples down the waves of the sea; | 8who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea; |
9Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south; | 9who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south; |
10Who does great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number. | 10who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number. |
11"Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him. | 11Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him. |
12"Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, 'What are You doing?' | 12Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ |
13"God will not turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab. | 13“God will not turn back his anger; beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab. |
14"How then can I answer Him, And choose my words before Him? | 14How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him? |
15"For though I were right, I could not answer; I would have to implore the mercy of my judge. | 15Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser. |
16"If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice. | 16If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. |
17"For He bruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause. | 17For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause; |
18"He will not allow me to get my breath, But saturates me with bitterness. | 18he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness. |
19"If it is a matter of power, behold, He is the strong one! And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him? | 19If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him? |
20"Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty. | 20Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse. |
21"I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I despise my life. | 21I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life. |
22"It is all one; therefore I say, 'He destroys the guiltless and the wicked.' | 22It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ |
23"If the scourge kills suddenly, He mocks the despair of the innocent. | 23When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity of the innocent. |
24"The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it? | 24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it? |
25"Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good. | 25“My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good. |
26"They slip by like reed boats, Like an eagle that swoops on its prey. | 26They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey. |
27"Though I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,' | 27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’ |
28I am afraid of all my pains, I know that You will not acquit me. | 28I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know you will not hold me innocent. |
29"I am accounted wicked, Why then should I toil in vain? | 29I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain? |
30"If I should wash myself with snow And cleanse my hands with lye, | 30If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, |
31Yet You would plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes would abhor me. | 31yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me. |
32"For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him, That we may go to court together. | 32For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. |
33"There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both. | 33There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. |
34"Let Him remove His rod from me, And let not dread of Him terrify me. | 34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. |
35"Then I would speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself. | 35Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself. |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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