² “Do you think this to be just?
    Do you say, ^(A)‘It is my right before God,’
³ that you ask, ^(B)‘What advantage have I?
    How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
⁴ I will answer you
    and ^(C)your friends with you.
^5 (D)Look at the heavens, and see;
    and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
⁶ If you have sinned, ^(E)what do you accomplish against him?
    And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
^7 (F)If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
    Or what does he receive from your hand?
⁸ Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
    and your righteousness ^(G)a son of man.

⁹ “Because of the multitude of ^(H)oppressions people ^(I)cry out;
    they call for help because of the arm of ^(J)the mighty.^[a]
10 But none says, ‘Where is God my ^(K)Maker,
    who gives ^(L)songs in the night,
¹¹ who teaches us ^(M)more than the beasts of the earth
    and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
¹² There they ^(N)cry out, but he does not answer,
    because of the pride of evil men.
¹³ Surely God does not hear an empty cry,
    nor does the Almighty regard it.
¹⁴ How much less when you say that you ^(O)do not see him,
    that the case is before him, and you are ^(P)waiting for him!
¹⁵ And now, because ^(Q)his anger does not punish,
    and he does not take much note of transgression,^[b]
16 Job opens his mouth in empty talk;
    he ^(R)multiplies words ^(S)without knowledge.”

² “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
    for I have yet something to say on God's behalf.
³ I will get my knowledge from ^(T)afar
    and ascribe ^(U)righteousness to my ^(V)Maker.
⁴ For truly my words are not false;
    one who is ^(W)perfect in knowledge is with you.

⁵ “Behold, God is mighty, and ^(X)does not despise any;
    he is ^(Y)mighty in strength of understanding.
⁶ He does not keep the wicked alive,
    but gives ^(Z)the afflicted their right.
⁷ He does not withdraw his ^(AA)eyes from the righteous,
    but with ^(AB)kings on the throne
    he sets them forever, and they are ^(AC)exalted.
⁸ And if they are ^(AD)bound in chains
    and caught in the cords of affliction,
⁹ then he declares to them their work
    and their transgressions, that they are ^(AE)behaving arrogantly.
¹⁰ He ^(AF)opens their ears to instruction
    and commands that they ^(AG)return from iniquity.
^11 (AH)If they listen and serve him,
    they ^(AI)complete their days in prosperity,
    and their years in pleasantness.
¹² But if they do not listen, they ^(AJ)perish by the sword
    and die ^(AK)without knowledge.

¹³ “The ^(AL)godless in heart cherish anger;
    they do not cry for help when he ^(AM)binds them.
¹⁴ They ^(AN)die in youth,
    and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
¹⁵ He delivers ^(AO)the afflicted by their affliction
    and ^(AP)opens their ear by adversity.
¹⁶ He also allured you out of distress
    into ^(AQ)a broad place where there was no cramping,
    and what was set on your ^(AR)table was full of ^(AS)fatness.

¹⁷ “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
    judgment and justice seize you.
¹⁸ Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,
    and let not the greatness of ^(AT)the ransom turn you aside.
¹⁹ Will your ^(AU)cry for help avail to keep you from distress,
    or all the force of your strength?
²⁰ Do not long for ^(AV)the night,
    when peoples vanish ^(AW)in their place.
²¹ Take care; ^(AX)do not turn to iniquity,
    for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
²² Behold, God is exalted in his power;
    who is ^(AY)a teacher like him?
²³ Who has ^(AZ)prescribed for him his way,
    or who can say, ^(BA)‘You have done wrong’?

²⁴ “Remember to ^(BB)extol his work,
    of which men have ^(BC)sung.
²⁵ All mankind has looked on it;
    man beholds it from afar.
²⁶ Behold, God is great, and we ^(BD)know him not;
    the number of his ^(BE)years is unsearchable.
²⁷ For he draws up the drops of water;
    they distill his ^(BF)mist in ^(BG)rain,
²⁸ which ^(BH)the skies pour down
    and drop on mankind abundantly.
²⁹ Can anyone understand ^(BI)the spreading of the clouds,
    the thunderings of his ^(BJ)pavilion?
³⁰ Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
    and covers the roots of the sea.
³¹ For by these he ^(BK)judges peoples;
    he gives ^(BL)food in abundance.
³² He covers his ^(BM)hands with the lightning
    and commands it to strike the mark.
³³ Its crashing declares his presence;^[c]
    the cattle also declare that he rises.

^3 (I)The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
    the floods have lifted up their voice;
    the floods lift up their roaring.
⁴ Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
    mightier than the waves of the sea,
    ^(J)the Lord ^(K)on high is mighty!

⁵ Your ^(L)decrees are very trustworthy;
    ^(M)holiness befits your house,
    O Lord, forevermore.