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14 How much less will I answer him,
    And choose my words to argue with him?
15 Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him.
    I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me,
    yet I wouldn’t believe that he listened to my voice.
17 For he breaks me with a storm,
    and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath,
    but fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty!
    If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
20 Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me.
    Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.

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14 So how am I to answer him,
    choosing what I am to say to him?
15 Even if I’m in the right,
    I cannot answer him.
        I can only appeal for mercy.

16 “Were I to be summoned, and he were to answer me,
    I wouldn’t even believe
        that he was listening to what I have to say.[a]
17 For he crushes me with a storm,
    and keeps on wounding me for no reason.
18 He won’t let me catch my breath;
    instead, he fills me with bitterness.

19 “Is this a contest of strength? He is obviously stronger!
    Is this a matter of justice? Who can sue him?
20 Though I’m in the right, my own mouth will condemn me;
    though I’m blameless, he’ll pronounce me as guilty.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 9:16 Lit. to my voice

14 “How then can I dispute with him?
    How can I find words to argue with him?(A)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;(B)
    I could only plead(C) with my Judge(D) for mercy.(E)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
    I do not believe he would give me a hearing.(F)
17 He would crush me(G) with a storm(H)
    and multiply(I) my wounds for no reason.(J)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
    but would overwhelm me with misery.(K)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!(L)
    And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him[a]?(M)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
    if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 9:19 See Septuagint; Hebrew me.