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)

10 “I loathe my very life;^(BS)
    therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
    and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.^(BT)
2 I say to God:^(BU) Do not declare me guilty,
    but tell me what charges^(BV) you have against me.^(BW)
3 Does it please you to oppress me,^(BX)
    to spurn the work of your hands,^(BY)
    while you smile on the plans of the wicked?^(BZ)
4 Do you have eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as a mortal sees?^(CA)
5 Are your days like those of a mortal
    or your years like those of a strong man,^(CB)
6 that you must search out my faults
    and probe after my sin^(CC)—
⁷ though you know that I am not guilty^(CD)
    and that no one can rescue me from your hand?^(CE)

⁸ “Your hands shaped^(CF) me and made me.
    Will you now turn and destroy me?^(CG)
9 Remember that you molded me like clay.^(CH)
    Will you now turn me to dust again?^(CI)
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^(CJ) with bones and sinews?
¹² You gave me life^(CK) and showed me kindness,^(CL)
    and in your providence^(CM) watched over^(CN) my spirit.

¹³ “But this is what you concealed in your heart,
    and I know that this was in your mind:^(CO)
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me^(CP)
    and would not let my offense go unpunished.^(CQ)
15 If I am guilty^(CR)—woe to me!^(CS)
    Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,^(CT)
for I am full of shame
    and drowned in^[c] my affliction.^(CU)
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion^(CV)
    and again display your awesome power against me.^(CW)
17 You bring new witnesses against me^(CX)
    and increase your anger toward me;^(CY)
    your forces come against me wave upon wave.^(CZ)

¹⁸ “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?^(DA)
    I wish I had died before any eye saw me.^(DB)
19 If only I had never come into being,
    or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!^(DC)
20 Are not my few days^(DD) almost over?^(DE)
    Turn away from me^(DF) so I can have a moment’s joy^(DG)
21 before I go to the place of no return,^(DH)
    to the land of gloom and utter darkness,^(DI)
22 to the land of deepest night,
    of utter darkness^(DJ) and disorder,
    where even the light is like darkness.”^(DK)

² “Are all these words to go unanswered?^(DM)
    Is this talker to be vindicated?^(DN)
3 Will your idle talk^(DO) reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?^(DP)
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless^(DQ)
    and I am pure^(DR) in your sight.’
⁵ Oh, how I wish that God would speak,^(DS)
    that he would open his lips against you
⁶ and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,^(DT)
    for true wisdom has two sides.
    Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.^(DU)

⁷ “Can you fathom^(DV) the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
⁸ They are higher^(DW) than the heavens^(DX) above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below^(DY)—what can you know?^(DZ)
9 Their measure^(EA) is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.^(EB)

¹⁰ “If he comes along and confines you in prison
    and convenes a court, who can oppose him?^(EC)
11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;
    and when he sees evil, does he not take note?^(ED)
12 But the witless can no more become wise
    than a wild donkey’s colt^(EE) can be born human.^[d](EF)

¹³ “Yet if you devote your heart^(EG) to him
    and stretch out your hands^(EH) to him,^(EI)
14 if you put away^(EJ) the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil^(EK) to dwell in your tent,^(EL)
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;^(EM)
    you will stand firm^(EN) and without fear.^(EO)
16 You will surely forget your trouble,^(EP)
    recalling it only as waters gone by.^(EQ)
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,^(ER)
    and darkness will become like morning.^(ES)
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest^(ET) in safety.^(EU)
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,^(EV)
    and many will court your favor.^(EW)
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,^(EX)
    and escape will elude them;^(EY)
    their hope will become a dying gasp.”^(EZ)

² “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
    and wisdom will die with you!^(FA)
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know all these things?^(FB)

⁴ “I have become a laughingstock^(FC) to my friends,^(FD)
    though I called on God and he answered^(FE)—
    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!^(FF)
5 Those who are at ease have contempt^(FG) for misfortune
    as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.^(FH)
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,^(FI)
    and those who provoke God are secure^(FJ)—
    those God has in his hand.^[e]

⁷ “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,^(FK)
    or the birds in the sky,^(FL) and they will tell you;^(FM)
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^(FN)
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?^(FO)
10 In his hand is the life^(FP) of every creature
    and the breath of all mankind.^(FQ)
11 Does not the ear test words
    as the tongue tastes food?^(FR)
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?^(FS)
    Does not long life bring understanding?^(FT)

¹³ “To God belong wisdom^(FU) and power;^(FV)
    counsel and understanding are his.^(FW)
14 What he tears down^(FX) cannot be rebuilt;^(FY)
    those he imprisons cannot be released.^(FZ)
15 If he holds back the waters,^(GA) there is drought;^(GB)
    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.^(GC)
16 To him belong strength and insight;^(GD)
    both deceived and deceiver are his.^(GE)
17 He leads rulers away stripped^(GF)
    and makes fools of judges.^(GG)
18 He takes off the shackles^(GH) put on by kings
    and ties a loincloth^[f] around their waist.^(GI)
19 He leads priests away stripped^(GJ)
    and overthrows officials long established.^(GK)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
    and takes away the discernment of elders.^(GL)
21 He pours contempt on nobles^(GM)
    and disarms the mighty.^(GN)
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness^(GO)
    and brings utter darkness^(GP) into the light.^(GQ)
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;^(GR)
    he enlarges nations,^(GS) and disperses them.^(GT)
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;^(GU)
    he makes them wander in a trackless waste.^(GV)
25 They grope in darkness with no light;^(GW)
    he makes them stagger like drunkards.^(GX)