New International Version NIV
King James Version KJV
1 Then Job replied:
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Then Job answered and said,
2 “Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?
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I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
3 Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
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If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
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He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
5 He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.
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Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
6 He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.
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Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.
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Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
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Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
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Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
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Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
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Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
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Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.
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If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
14 “How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him?
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How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
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Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
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If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
17 He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason.
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For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.
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He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him ?
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If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.
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If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21 “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
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Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
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This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.
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If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?
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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?
25 “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
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Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.
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They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’
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If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
28 I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent.
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I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?
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If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
30 Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with cleansing powder,
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If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me.
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Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court.
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For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together,
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Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.
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Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.
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Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The King James Version is in the public domain.