King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 Then Job answered and said,
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Yes, I've heard all that before.
2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
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But how can a human being win a case against God?
3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
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How can anyone argue with him? He can ask a thousand questions that no one could ever answer.
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
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God is so wise and powerful; no one can stand up against him.
5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
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Without warning he moves mountains and in anger he destroys them.
6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
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God sends earthquakes and shakes the ground; he rocks the pillars that support the earth.
7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
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He can keep the sun from rising, and the stars from shining at night.
8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
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No one helped God spread out the heavens or trample the sea monster's back.
9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
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God hung the stars in the sky - the Dipper, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the south.
10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
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We cannot understand the great things he does, and to his miracles there is no end.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
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God passes by, but I cannot see him.
12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
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He takes what he wants, and no one can stop him; no one dares ask him, "What are you doing?"
13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
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God's anger is constant. He crushed his enemies who helped Rahab, the sea monster, oppose him.
14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
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So how can I find words to answer God?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
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Though I am innocent, all I can do is beg for mercy from God my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
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Yet even then, if he lets me speak, I can't believe he would listen to me.
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
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He sends storms to batter and bruise me without any reason at all.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
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He won't let me catch my breath; he has filled my life with bitterness.
19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
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Should I try force? Try force on God? Should I take him to court? Could anyone make him go?
20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
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I am innocent and faithful, but my words sound guilty, and everything I say seems to condemn me.
21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
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I am innocent, but I no longer care. I am sick of living.
22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
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Nothing matters; innocent or guilty, God will destroy us.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
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When an innocent person suddenly dies, God laughs.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
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God gave the world to the wicked. He made all the judges blind. And if God didn't do it, who did?
25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
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My days race by, not one of them good.
26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
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My life passes like the swiftest boat, as fast as an eagle swooping down on a rabbit.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
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If I smile and try to forget my pain, all my suffering comes back to haunt me;
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
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I know that God does hold me guilty.
29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
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Since I am held guilty, why should I bother?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
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No soap can wash away my sins.
31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
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God throws me into a pit with filth, and even my clothes are ashamed of me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
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If God were human, I could answer him; we could go to court to decide our quarrel.
33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
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But there is no one to step between us - no one to judge both God and me.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
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Stop punishing me, God! Keep your terrors away!
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
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I am not afraid. I am going to talk because I know my own heart.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.