9 Then Job answered and said,

² Yes, I know it is true. But how can mortal man be right before God?

³ If one should want to contend with Him, he cannot answer one [of His questions] in a thousand.

⁴ [God] is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has [ever] hardened himself against Him and prospered or even been safe?

⁵ [God] Who removes the mountains, and they know it not when He overturns them in His anger;

⁶ Who shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars of it tremble;

⁷ Who commands the sun, and it rises not; Who seals up the stars [from view];

⁸ Who alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the waves and high places of the sea;

⁹ Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the [loose cluster] Pleiades, and the [vast starry] spaces of the south;

¹⁰ Who does great things past finding out, yes, marvelous things without number.

¹¹ Behold, He goes by me, and I see Him not; He passes on also, but I perceive Him not.

¹² Behold, He snatches away; who can hinder or turn Him back? Who will say to Him, What are You doing?

¹³ God will not withdraw His anger; the [proud] helpers of Rahab [arrogant monster of the sea] bow under Him.

¹⁴ How much less shall I answer Him, choosing out my words to reason with Him

¹⁵ Whom, though I were righteous (upright and innocent) yet I could not answer? I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge [for my right].

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

¹⁷ For He overwhelms and breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.

¹⁸ He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

¹⁹ If I speak of strength, behold, He is mighty! And if of justice, Who, says He, will summon Me?

²⁰ Though I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, He would prove me perverse.

²¹ Though I am blameless, I regard not myself; I despise my life.

²² It is all one; therefore I say, God [does not discriminate, but] destroys the blameless and the wicked.

²³ When [His] scourge slays suddenly, He mocks at the calamity and trial of the innocent.

²⁴ The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blinded to justice]. If it is not [God], who then is it [responsible for all this inequality]?

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

²⁶ They are passed away like the swift rowboats made of reeds, or like the eagle that swoops down on the prey.

²⁷ If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer and brighten up,

²⁸ I become afraid of all my pains and sorrows [yet to come], for I know You will not pronounce me innocent [by removing them].

²⁹ I shall be held guilty and be condemned; why then should I labor in vain [to appear innocent]?

³⁰ If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,

³¹ Yet You will plunge me into the ditch, and my own clothes will abhor me [and refuse to cover so foul a body].

³² For [God] is not a [mere] man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in court.

³³ There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both, [would that there were!]^(A)

³⁴ That He might take His rod away from [threatening] me, and that the fear of Him might not terrify me.

³⁵ [Then] would I speak and not fear Him, but I am not so in myself [to make me afraid, were only a fair trial given me].