| 1 | And Job answereth and saith: -- |
| 2 | Truly I have known that [it is] so, And what—is man righteous with God? |
| 3 | If he delight to strive with Him—He doth not answer him one of a thousand. |
| 4 | Wise in heart and strong in power—Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace? |
| 5 | Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger. |
| 6 | Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves. |
| 7 | Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up. |
| 8 | Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea, |
| 9 | Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south. |
| 10 | Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering. |
| 11 | Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it. |
| 12 | Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, 'What dost Thou?' |
| 13 | God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers. |
| 14 | How much less do I—I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him? |
| 15 | Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication. |
| 16 | Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear [to] my voice. |
| 17 | Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought. |
| 18 | He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things. |
| 19 | If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who doth convene me? |
| 20 | If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am!—it declareth me perverse. |
| 21 | Perfect I am!—I know not my soul, I despise my life. |
| 22 | It is the same thing, therefore I said, 'The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.' |
| 23 | If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth. |
| 24 | Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not—where, who [is] he? |
| 25 | My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good, |
| 26 | They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food. |
| 27 | Though I say, 'I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!' |
| 28 | I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me. |
| 29 | I—I am become wicked; why [is] this? [In] vain I labour. |
| 30 | If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands, |
| 31 | Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me. |
| 32 | But if a man like myself—I answer him, We come together into judgment. |
| 33 | If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both. |
| 34 | He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid, |
| 35 | I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself. |