⁸ “But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
    I would lay my cause before him.^(A)
9 He performs wonders^(B) that cannot be fathomed,^(C)
    miracles that cannot be counted.^(D)
10 He provides rain for the earth;^(E)
    he sends water on the countryside.^(F)
11 The lowly he sets on high,^(G)
    and those who mourn^(H) are lifted^(I) to safety.
¹² He thwarts the plans^(J) of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.^(K)
13 He catches the wise^(L) in their craftiness,^(M)
    and the schemes of the wily are swept away.^(N)
14 Darkness^(O) comes upon them in the daytime;
    at noon they grope as in the night.^(P)
15 He saves the needy^(Q) from the sword in their mouth;
    he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.^(R)
16 So the poor^(S) have hope,
    and injustice shuts its mouth.^(T)

¹⁷ “Blessed is the one whom God corrects;^(U)
    so do not despise the discipline^(V) of the Almighty.^[a](W)
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;^(X)
    he injures, but his hands also heal.^(Y)
19 From six calamities he will rescue^(Z) you;
    in seven no harm will touch you.^(AA)
20 In famine^(AB) he will deliver you from death,
    and in battle from the stroke of the sword.^(AC)

² “Indeed, I know that this is true.
    But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?^(A)
3 Though they wished to dispute with him,^(B)
    they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.^(C)
4 His wisdom^(D) is profound, his power is vast.^(E)
    Who has resisted^(F) him and come out unscathed?^(G)
5 He moves mountains^(H) without their knowing it
    and overturns them in his anger.^(I)
6 He shakes the earth^(J) from its place
    and makes its pillars tremble.^(K)
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;^(L)
    he seals off the light of the stars.^(M)
8 He alone stretches out the heavens^(N)
    and treads on the waves of the sea.^(O)
9 He is the Maker^(P) of the Bear^[a] and Orion,
    the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.^(Q)
10 He performs wonders^(R) that cannot be fathomed,
    miracles that cannot be counted.^(S)
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
    when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.^(T)
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?^(U)
    Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’^(V)
13 God does not restrain his anger;^(W)
    even the cohorts of Rahab^(X) cowered at his feet.

¹⁴ “How then can I dispute with him?
    How can I find words to argue with him?^(Y)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;^(Z)
    I could only plead^(AA) with my Judge^(AB) for mercy.^(AC)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
    I do not believe he would give me a hearing.^(AD)
17 He would crush me^(AE) with a storm^(AF)
    and multiply^(AG) my wounds for no reason.^(AH)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
    but would overwhelm me with misery.^(AI)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!^(AJ)
    And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him^[b]?^(AK)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
    if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.^(AL)

²¹ “Although I am blameless,^(AM)
    I have no concern for myself;^(AN)
    I despise my own life.^(AO)
22 It is all the same; that is why I say,
    ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’^(AP)
23 When a scourge^(AQ) brings sudden death,
    he mocks the despair of the innocent.^(AR)
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,^(AS)
    he blindfolds its judges.^(AT)
    If it is not he, then who is it?^(AU)

²⁵ “My days are swifter than a runner;^(AV)
    they fly away without a glimpse of joy.^(AW)
26 They skim past^(AX) like boats of papyrus,^(AY)
    like eagles swooping down on their prey.^(AZ)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,^(BA)
    I will change my expression, and smile,’
²⁸ I still dread^(BB) all my sufferings,
    for I know you will not hold me innocent.^(BC)
29 Since I am already found guilty,
    why should I struggle in vain?^(BD)
30 Even if I washed myself with soap^(BE)
    and my hands^(BF) with cleansing powder,^(BG)
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit^(BH)
    so that even my clothes would detest me.^(BI)

³² “He is not a mere mortal^(BJ) like me that I might answer him,^(BK)
    that we might confront each other in court.^(BL)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,^(BM)
    someone to bring us together,^(BN)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,^(BO)
    so that his terror would frighten me no more.^(BP)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,^(BQ)
    but as it now stands with me, I cannot.^(BR)

² I say to God:^(A) Do not declare me guilty,
    but tell me what charges^(B) you have against me.^(C)
3 Does it please you to oppress me,^(D)
    to spurn the work of your hands,^(E)
    while you smile on the plans of the wicked?^(F)
4 Do you have eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as a mortal sees?^(G)
5 Are your days like those of a mortal
    or your years like those of a strong man,^(H)
6 that you must search out my faults
    and probe after my sin^(I)—
⁷ though you know that I am not guilty^(J)
    and that no one can rescue me from your hand?^(K)

⁸ “Your hands shaped^(L) me and made me.
    Will you now turn and destroy me?^(M)
9 Remember that you molded me like clay.^(N)
    Will you now turn me to dust again?^(O)
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
    and curdle me like cheese,
¹¹ clothe me with skin and flesh
    and knit me together^(P) with bones and sinews?
¹² You gave me life^(Q) and showed me kindness,^(R)
    and in your providence^(S) watched over^(T) my spirit.

¹³ “But this is what you concealed in your heart,
    and I know that this was in your mind:^(U)
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me^(V)
    and would not let my offense go unpunished.^(W)
15 If I am guilty^(X)—woe to me!^(Y)
    Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,^(Z)
for I am full of shame
    and drowned in^[a] my affliction.^(AA)
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion^(AB)
    and again display your awesome power against me.^(AC)
17 You bring new witnesses against me^(AD)
    and increase your anger toward me;^(AE)
    your forces come against me wave upon wave.^(AF)

¹⁸ “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?^(AG)
    I wish I had died before any eye saw me.^(AH)

⁷ “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,^(A)
    or the birds in the sky,^(B) and they will tell you;^(C)
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
    or let the fish in the sea inform you.
⁹ Which of all these does not know^(D)
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?^(E)
10 In his hand is the life^(F) of every creature
    and the breath of all mankind.^(G)
11 Does not the ear test words
    as the tongue tastes food?^(H)
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?^(I)
    Does not long life bring understanding?^(J)

¹³ “To God belong wisdom^(K) and power;^(L)
    counsel and understanding are his.^(M)
14 What he tears down^(N) cannot be rebuilt;^(O)
    those he imprisons cannot be released.^(P)
15 If he holds back the waters,^(Q) there is drought;^(R)
    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.^(S)
16 To him belong strength and insight;^(T)
    both deceived and deceiver are his.^(U)
17 He leads rulers away stripped^(V)
    and makes fools of judges.^(W)
18 He takes off the shackles^(X) put on by kings
    and ties a loincloth^[a] around their waist.^(Y)
19 He leads priests away stripped^(Z)
    and overthrows officials long established.^(AA)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
    and takes away the discernment of elders.^(AB)

⁷ He spreads out the northern skies^(A) over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.^(B)
8 He wraps up the waters^(C) in his clouds,^(D)
    yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
⁹ He covers the face of the full moon,
    spreading his clouds^(E) over it.
¹⁰ He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters^(F)
    for a boundary between light and darkness.^(G)
11 The pillars of the heavens quake,^(H)
    aghast at his rebuke.
¹² By his power he churned up the sea;^(I)
    by his wisdom^(J) he cut Rahab^(K) to pieces.
¹³ By his breath the skies^(L) became fair;
    his hand pierced the gliding serpent.^(M)
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper^(N) we hear of him!^(O)
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”^(P)