Job Replies: There Is No Arbiter

Then Job answered and said:

“Truly I know that it is so:
    But how can a man be (A)in the right before God?
If one wished to (B)contend with him,
    one could not answer him once in a thousand times.
He is (C)wise in heart and mighty in strength
    —who has (D)hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—
he who removes mountains, and they know it not,
    when he overturns them in his anger,
who (E)shakes the earth out of its place,
    and (F)its pillars tremble;
who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
    who seals up the stars;
who alone (G)stretched out the heavens
    and trampled the waves of the sea;
who (H)made (I)the Bear and (J)Orion,
    the Pleiades (K)and the chambers of the south;
10 who does (L)great things beyond searching out,
    and marvelous things beyond number.
11 Behold, he passes by me, and I (M)see him not;
    he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
12 Behold, he snatches away; (N)who can turn him back?
    (O)Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

13 “God will not turn back his anger;
    beneath him bowed the helpers of (P)Rahab.

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Job Replies: There Is No Mediator

Then Job answered:

“Indeed, I know that this is so,
    but how can a mortal be just before God?(A)
If one wished to contend with him,
    one could not answer him once in a thousand.(B)
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength;
    who has resisted him and succeeded?(C)
He removes mountains, and they do not know it
    when he overturns them in his anger;
he shakes the earth out of its place,
    and its pillars tremble;(D)
he commands the sun, and it does not rise;
    he seals up the stars;
he alone stretched out the heavens
    and trampled the waves of the Sea;[a](E)
he made the Bear and Orion,
    the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;(F)
10 he does great things beyond understanding
    and marvelous things without number.(G)
11 Look, he passes by me, and I do not see him;
    he moves on, but I do not perceive him.(H)
12 He snatches away; who can stop him?
    Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’(I)

13 “God will not turn back his anger;
    the helpers of Rahab bowed beneath him.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.8 Or trampled the back of the sea dragon