And Job answered, and said:

Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified, compared with God.

If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?

Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.

Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars, as it were, under a seal:

Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea,

Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.

Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.

If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart, I shall not understand.

If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?

God, whose wrath no man can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.

What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?

I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.

And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.

For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.

He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.

If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.

If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.

Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.

One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.

If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?

My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.

They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.

If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.

I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.

But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?

If I be washed, as it were, with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:

Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me.

For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.

There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.

Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.

I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.

My soul is weary of my life, I will let go my speech against myself, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say to God: Do not condemn me: tell me why thou judgest me so?

Doth it seem good to thee that thou shouldst calumniate me, and oppress me, the work of thy own hands, and help the counsel of the wicked?

Hast thou eyes of flesh: or, shalt thou see as man seeth?

Are thy days as the days of man, and are thy years as the times of men:

That thou shouldst inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?

And shouldst know that I have done no wicked thing, whereas there is no man that can deliver out of thy hand?

Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me wholly round about, and dost thou thus cast me down headlong on a sudden?

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay, and thou wilt bring me into dust.

Hast thou not milked me as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh: thou hast put me together with bones and sinews:

Thou hast granted me life and mercy, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

Although thou conceal these things in thy heart, yet I know that thou rememberest all things.

If I have sinned, and thou hast spared me for an hour: why dost thou not suffer me to be clean from my iniquity?

And if I be wicked, woe unto me: and if just, I shall not lift up my head, being filled with affliction and misery.

And for pride thou wilt take me as a lioness, and returning, thou tormentest me wonderfully.

Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and multipliest thy wrath upon me, and pains war against me.

Why didst thou bring me forth out of the womb? O that I had been consumed, that eye might not see me!

I should have been as if I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave.

Shall not the fewness of my days be ended shortly? Suffer me, therefore, that I may lament my sorrow a little:

Before I go and return no more, to a land that is dark and covered with the mist of death:

A land of misery and darkness, where the shadow of death, and no order, but everlasting horror dwelleth.

Then Sophar the Naamathite answered, and said:

Shall not he that speaketh much, hear also? or shall a man full of talk be justified?

Shall men hold their peace to thee only? and when thou hast mocked others, shall no man confute thee?

For thou hast said: My word is pure, and I am clean in thy sight.

And I wish that God would speak with thee, and would open his lips to thee,

That he might shew thee the secrets of wisdom, and that his law is manifold, and thou mightest understand that he exacteth much less of thee, than thy iniquity deserveth.

Peradventure thou wilt comprehend the steps of God, and wilt find out the Almighty perfectly?

He is higher than heaven, and what wilt thou do? he is deeper than hell, and how wilt thou know?

The measure of him is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

If he shall overturn all things, or shall press them together, who shall contradict him?

For he knoweth the vanity of men, and when he seeth iniquity, doth he not consider it?

A vain man is lifted up into pride, and thinketh himself born free like a wild ass’s colt.

But thou hast hardened thy heart, and hast spread thy hands to him.

If thou wilt put away from thee the iniquity that is in thy hand, and let not injustice remain in thy tabernacle:

Then mayst thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear.

Thou shalt also forget misery, and remember it only as waters that are passed away.

And brightness like that of the noonday, shall arise to thee at evening: and when thou shalt think thyself consumed, thou shalt rise as the day star.

And thou shalt have confidence, hope being set before thee, and being buried thou shalt sleep secure.

Thou shalt rest, and there shall be none to make thee afraid: and many shall entreat thy face.

But the eyes of the wicked shall decay, and the way to escape shall fail them, and their hope the abomination of the soul.

Then Job answered, and said:

Are you then men alone, and shall wisdom die with you?

I also have a heart as well as you: for who is ignorant of these things, which you know?

He that is mocked by his friends as I, shall call upon God and he will hear him: for the simplicity of the just man is laughed to scorn.

The lamp despised in the thoughts of the rich, is ready for the time appointed.

The tabernacles of robbers abound, and they provoke God boldly; whereas it is he that hath given all into their hands:

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee: and the birds of the air, and they shall tell thee.

Speak to the earth, and it shall answer thee: and the fishes of the sea shall tell.

Who is ignorant that the hand of the Lord hath made all these things?

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man.

Doth not the ear discern words, and the palate of him that eateth, the taste?

In the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days prudence.

With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

If he pull down, there is no man that can build up: if he shut up a man, there is none that can open.

If he withhold the waters, all things shall be dried up: and if he send them out, they shall overturn the earth.

With him is strength and wisdom: he knoweth both the deceivers, and him that is deceived.

He bringeth counsellors to a foolish end, and judges to insensibility.

He looseth the belt of kings, and girdeth their loins with a cord.

He leadeth away priests without glory, and overthroweth nobles.

He changeth the speech of the true speakers, and taketh away the doctrine of the aged.

He poureth contempt upon princes, and relieveth them that were oppressed.

He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth up to light the shadow of death.

He multiplieth nations, and destroyeth them, and restoreth them again after they were overthrown.

He changeth the heart of the princes of the people of the earth, and deceiveth them that they walk in vain where there is no way.

They shall grope as in the dark, and not in the light, and he shall make them stagger like men that are drunk.