9 Then Job answered and said,

² I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

³ If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

⁴ He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

⁵ Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

⁶ Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

⁷ Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

⁸ Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

⁹ Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

¹⁰ Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

¹¹ Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

¹² Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

¹³ If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

¹⁴ How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

¹⁵ Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

¹⁶ If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

¹⁷ For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

¹⁸ He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

¹⁹ If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

²⁰ If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

²¹ Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

²² This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

²³ If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

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?

²⁵ Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

²⁶ 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 leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

²⁸ I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

²⁹ If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

³⁰ If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

³¹ Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

³² For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

³³ Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

³⁴ Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

³⁵ Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

10 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

² I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

³ Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

⁴ Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

⁵ Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days,

⁶ That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?

⁷ Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

⁸ Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

⁹ Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

¹⁰ Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

¹¹ Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

¹² Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

¹³ And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

¹⁴ If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

¹⁵ If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;

¹⁶ For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

¹⁷ Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

¹⁸ Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

¹⁹ I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

²⁰ Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

²¹ Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

²² A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.