GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New King James Version NKJV
1 Then Job replied [to his friends],
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Then Job answered and said:
2 "Yes, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be declared righteous to God?
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"Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God?
3 If he wished to debate with God, he wouldn't be able to answer one question in a thousand.
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If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 "God is wise in heart and mighty in power. Who could oppose him and win?
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God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5 He moves mountains without their knowing it, and he topples them in his anger.
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He removes the mountains, and they do not know When He overturns them in His anger;
6 He shakes the earth from its place, and its pillars tremble.
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He shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;
7 He commands the sun not to rise. He doesn't let the stars come out.
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He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars;
8 He stretches out the heavens by himself and walks on the waves of the sea.
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He alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea;
9 He made [the constellations] Ursa Major, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the clusters of stars in the south.
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He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;
10 He does great things that are unsearchable and miracles that cannot be numbered.
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He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.
11 He passes alongside of me, and I don't even see him. He goes past me, and I don't even notice him.
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If He goes by me, I do not see Him; If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
12 He takes something away, [but] who can stop him? Who is going to ask him, 'What are you doing?'
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If He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, 'What are You doing?'
13 God does not hold back his anger. Even Rahab's helpers bow humbly in front of him.
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God will not withdraw His anger, The allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.
14 "How can I possibly answer God? How can I find the right words [to speak] with him?
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"How then can I answer Him, And choose my words to reason with Him?
15 Even if I were right, I could not answer [him]. I would have to plead for mercy from my judge.
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For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge.
16 If I cried out and he answered me, I do not believe that he would listen to me.
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If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 He would knock me down with a storm and bruise me without a reason.
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For He crushes me with a tempest, And multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He would not let me catch my breath. He fills me with bitterness.
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He will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, then he is the mighty one. If it is about justice, who will charge me with a crime?
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If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
20 If I am righteous, my own mouth would condemn me. It would declare that I am corrupt even if I am a man of integrity.
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Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.
21 If I am a man of integrity, I have no way of knowing it. I hate my life!
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"I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life.
22 It is all the same. That is why I say, 'He destroys [both] the man of integrity and the wicked.'
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It is all one thing; Therefore I say, 'He destroys the blameless and the wicked.'
23 When a sudden disaster brings death, he makes fun of the despair of innocent people.
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If the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
24 The earth is handed over to the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If he isn't the one [doing this], who is?
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The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, who else could it be?
25 "My days go by more quickly than a runner. They sprint away. They don't see anything good.
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"Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good.
26 They pass by quickly like boats made from reeds, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
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They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
27 [Even] if I say, 'I will forget my complaining; I will change my expression and smile,'
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If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,'
28 I [still] dread everything I must suffer. I know that you won't declare me innocent.
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I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent.
29 I've already been found guilty. Why should I work so hard for nothing?
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If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with lye soap and cleanse my hands with bleach,
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If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap,
31 then you would plunge me into a muddy pit, and my own clothes would find me disgusting.
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Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes will abhor me.
32 A human like me cannot answer God, 'Let's take our case to court.'
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"For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together.
33 There is no mediator between us to put his hand on both of us.
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Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.
34 God should take his rod away from me, and he should not terrify me.
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Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
35 Then I would speak and not be afraid of him. But I know that I am not like that.
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Then I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me.