1Job replied,

2“Yes, I know all that! But how can anyone be right before God?

3If you wanted to argue with God, God could ask a thousand questions that no one could answer.

4God is so wise and so powerful that no one could challenge him and win.

5God moves the mountains suddenly; he overturns them in his anger. ⁴⁶

6He shakes the earth, making its foundations quake.

7He is the one who can command the sun not to rise and the stars not to shine.

8He alone is the one who stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea.

9He made the constellations of the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the southern sky.

10He is the one who does incredible things that are beyond our understanding, marvelous things that are uncountable.

11But when he passes by me, I don't see him; when he moves on, he is invisible to me.

12If he takes away, ⁴⁷who can prevent him? Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’

13God does not restrain his anger; he crushes Rahab's helpers ⁴⁸underfoot.

14So how much less could I answer God, or choose my words to argue with him!

15Even though I'm right, ⁴⁹I can't answer him. I must plead for mercy from my judge.

16Even if I called him to come and he responded, I don't believe he would listen to me.

17He pounds me with the winds of a storm; he wounds me time and again, without giving a reason.

18He doesn't give me a chance even to catch my breath; instead he fills my life with bitter suffering.

19If it's a question of strength, then God is the strongest. If it's a question of justice, then who will set a time for my case? ⁵⁰

20Even though I am right, my own mouth would condemn me; even though I am innocent, he would prove me wrong.

21I am innocent! I don't care what happens to me. I hate my life!

22That's why I say, ‘It makes no difference to God. He destroys both the innocent and the wicked.’

23When disaster ⁵¹strikes suddenly he mocks the despair of the innocent.

24The earth has been handed over to the wicked; he blinds the eyes of the judges ⁵²—if it's not him who does this, then who is it?

25The days of my life race by like a runner, rushing past without me seeing any happiness.

26They pass by like fast sailing ships, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.

27If I said to myself, ‘I will forget my complaints; I will stop crying and be happy,’

28I would still be terrified at all my suffering because you, God, will not say I'm innocent.

29Since I'm condemned, what's the point in arguing?

30Even if I wash myself with pure mountain water and clean my hands with soap,

31you would toss me into a slime pit so that even my own clothes would hate me!

32For God is not a mortal being like me, I can't defend myself or take him to court.

33If only there was an arbitrator ⁵³who could bring us both together!

34I wish God would stop beating me with his rod and terrifying me!

35Then I could speak up without being afraid—but since I am, I can't!” ⁵⁴