The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Then Iyov responded:
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And Job made answer and said,
2 "Indeed, I know that this is so; but how can a human win a case against God?
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Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
3 Whoever might want to argue with him could not answer him one [question] in a thousand.
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If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.
4 His heart is so wise, his strength so great -who can resist him and succeed?
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He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?
5 "He moves the mountains, although they don't know it, when he overturns them in his anger.
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It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
6 He shakes the earth from its place; its supporting pillars tremble.
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Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
7 He commands the sun, and it fails to rise; he shuts up the stars under his seal.
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Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
8 He alone spreads out the sky and walks on the waves in the sea.
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By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
9 He made the Great Bear, Orion, the Pleiades and the hidden constellations of the south.
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Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
10 He does great, unsearchable things, wonders beyond counting.
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Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
11 He can go right by me, and I don't see him; he moves past without my being aware of him.
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See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
12 If he kills [people], who will ask why? Who will say to him, 'What are you doing?'
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If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?
13 God will not withdraw his anger -even Rahav's supporters submit to him.
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God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
14 "How much less can I answer him and select my arguments against him!
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How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
15 Even if I were right, I wouldn't answer; I could only ask for mercy from my judge.
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Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.
16 If I summoned him, and he answered me, I still can't believe he would listen to my plea.
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If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.
17 He could break me with a storm; he could multiply my wounds for no reason,
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For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
18 to the point where I couldn't even breathe -with such bitterness he could fill me!
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He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
19 If it's a matter of force, look how mighty he is; if justice, who can summon him to court?
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If it is a question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?
20 Even if I'm right, my own mouth will condemn me; if I'm innocent, it would pronounce me guilty.
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Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.
21 "I am innocent. Don't I know myself? But I've had enough of this life of mine!
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I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
22 So I say it's all the same -he destroys innocent and wicked alike.
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It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.
23 When disaster brings sudden death, he laughs at the plight of the innocent.
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If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
24 The earth has been given to the power of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges -if it isn't he, then who is it?
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The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?
25 My days pass on more swiftly than a runner; they flee without seeing anything good.
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My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
26 They skim by like skiffs built of reeds, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
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They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
27 "If I say, 'I'll forget my complaining, I'll put off my sad face and be cheerful,'
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If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;
28 then I'm still afraid of all my pain, and I know you will not hold me innocent.
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I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
29 I will be condemned, so why waste my efforts?
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You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
30 Even if I washed myself in melted snow and cleansed my hands with lye,
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If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
31 you would plunge me into the muddy pit, till my own clothes would detest me.
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Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
32 "For he is not merely human like me; there is no answer that I could give him if we were to come together in court.
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For he is not a man as I am, that I might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.
33 There is no arbitrator between us who could lay his hand on us both.
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There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
34 If he would remove his rod from me and not let his terrors frighten me,
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Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
35 then I would speak without fear of him; for when I'm alone, I'm not afraid.
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Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.