Job's Third Speech: A Response To Bildad
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
4 He is wise in heart and strong in will who can be stubborn against him and succeed?
4 “God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;Who has [ever] defied or challenged Him and remained unharmed?
9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
9 He makes the stars: the Bear,(c) Orion,the Pleiades,(H) and the constellations(d) of the southern sky.
9 He created Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the southern constellations.
9 Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,And the [vast starry] spaces of the south;
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
11 “Were He to pass by me, (O)I would not see Him;Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
11 "If he were to pass near me, I wouldn't notice; if he moves by, I wouldn't perceive him.
11 “Behold, He passes by me, and I do not see Him;He moves past me, but I do not perceive Him.
12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
12 “Were He to snatch away, who could (P)restrain Him?Who could say to Him, ‘(Q)What are You doing?’
12 Indeed, if he snatches someone away, who could restrain him? Who can say to him, "What are you doing?'
12 “Behold, He snatches away; who can restrain or turn Him back?Who will say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
Though I Am Innocent
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
15 “For (T)though I were right, I could not (j)answer;I would have to (U)implore the mercy of my judge.
15 Even if I'm in the right, I cannot answer him. I can only appeal for mercy.
15 For though I were righteous, I could not answer.I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
16 “If I called and He answered me,I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.
16 If I summoned Him and He answered me,I do not believe He would pay attention to what I said.
16 "Were I to be summoned, and he were to answer me, I wouldn't even believe that he was listening to what I have to say.
16 “If I called and He answered me,I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
18 He doesn’t let me catch my breathbut soaks me with bitter experiences.
18 He won't let me catch my breath; instead, he fills me with bitterness.
18 “He will not allow me to catch my breath,But fills and saturates 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?
19 “If it is a matter of power, (Y)behold, He is the strong one!And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon (k)Him?
19 If it is a matter of strength, look, He is the Mighty One!(O)If it is a matter of justice, who can summon(P) Him?(f)
19 "Is this a contest of strength? He is obviously stronger! Is this a matter of justice? Who can sue him?
19 “If it is a matter of strength and power, behold, He is mighty!And if of justice, who can summon and challenge Him?
20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
20 “(Z)Though I am righteous, my mouth will (AA)condemn me;Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.
20 Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me;(Q)if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty.
20 Though I'm in the right, my own mouth will condemn me; though I'm blameless, he'll pronounce me as guilty.
20 “Though I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty;Though I am blameless, He would denounce me as guilty.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
23 When disaster brings sudden death,He mocks the despair of the innocent.
23 If a calamity causes sudden death, he'll mock at the despair of the innocent.
23 “When [His] scourge kills suddenly,He mocks at the despair 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?
24 “The earth (AF)is given into the hand of the wicked;He (AG)covers the faces of its judges.If it is not He, then who is it?
24 The earth(g) is handed over to the wicked;He blindfolds(h) its judges.(T)If it isn’t He, then who is it?
24 A land is given into the hands of a wicked person; he covers the faces of its judges. If it is not God, then who is it?"
24 “The earth is given into the hands of the wicked;He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blind to justice].If it is not He, then who is it [that is responsible for all this injustice]?
My Life Is Speeding By
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
27 “Though I say, ‘I will forget (AL)my complaint,I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,’
27 If I said, “I will forget my complaint,change my expression, and smile,”
27 If I were to say, "Let me forget my complaint,' change the expression on my face, and look cheerful,
27 “If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,I will leave off my sad appearance, and be cheerful and brighten up,’
31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
31 Yet You would plunge me into the pit,And my own clothes would abhor me.
31 then You dip me in a pit of mud,and my own clothes despise me!
31 you'll still drop me into the Pit, and my own clothes will despise me.
31 You would still plunge me into the pit,And my own clothes would hate me [and refuse to cover my foul body].
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
32 He's not a man like me, so that I can answer him, or that we can enter into litigation with one another.
32 “For God is not a [mere] man, as I am, that I may answer Him,That we may go to court and judgment together.
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
35 Then I would speak and not fear Him.But that is not the case; I am on my own. >
35 Otherwise, I would speak without being terrified of him, because I'm not like that inside myself."
35 “Then I would speak [my defense] and not fear Him;But I am not like that in myself.