Job's Third Speech: A Response To Bildad

1 This was Job's response:

1 Then Job (a)answered,

1 Then Job answered and said,

1 Then Job answered:

1 Then Job answered and said,

2 "Indeed, I'm fully aware that this is so, but how can a person become right with God?

2 “In truth I know that this is so;But how can a (A)man be in the right (b)before God?

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

2 Yes, I know what you’ve said is true,but how can a person be justified before God?(A)

2 “Yes, I know it is true.But how can a mortal man be right before God?

3 If one were to seek to argue with him, he won't be able to answer him even once in a thousand times.

3 “If one wished to (B)dispute with Him,He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

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

3 If one wanted to take(B) Him to court,he could not answer God(a) once in a thousand times.(C)

3 “If one should want to contend or dispute with Him,He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

4 He is wise in heart and strong in will who can be stubborn against him and succeed?

4 (C)Wise in heart and (D)mighty in strength,Who has (c)(E)defied Him (d)without harm?

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

4 God is wise(D) and all-powerful.Who has opposed Him and come out unharmed?

4 “God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;Who has [ever] defied or challenged Him and remained unharmed?

5 "He removes mountains without their knowledge, overthrowing them in his anger.

5 (F)It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how,When He overturns them in His anger;

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

5 He removes mountains without their knowledge,overturning them in His anger.(E)

5 “It is God who removes the mountains, and they do not know it,When He overturns them in His anger;

6 He shakes the earth from its orbit, so that its foundations shudder.

6 Who (G)shakes the earth out of its place,And its (H)pillars tremble;

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

6 He shakes the earth from its placeso that its pillars tremble.

6 Who shakes the earth out of its place,And its pillars tremble;

7 He commands the sun so that it doesn't shine and seals up the stars.

7 Who commands the (I)sun (e)not to shine,And sets a seal upon the stars;

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

7 He commands the sun not to shineand seals off the stars.(F)

7 Who commands the sun, and it does not shine;Who seals up the stars [from view];

8 He alone spreads out the heavens, he walks on the waves of the sea.

8 Who alone (J)stretches out the heavensAnd (f)(K)tramples down the waves of the sea;

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

8 He alone stretches out the heavens(G)and treads on the waves of the sea.(b)

8 Who alone stretches out the heavensAnd tramples down the (a)waves of the sea;

9 He created Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the southern constellations.

9 Who makes the (L)Bear, Orion and the Pleiades,And the (M)chambers of the south;

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 Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,And the [vast starry] spaces of the south;

10 He does great things that cannot be explained, and awesome deeds that cannot be counted.

10 Who (N)does great things, (g)unfathomable,And wondrous works without number.

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

10 He does great and unsearchable things,wonders without number.(I)

10 Who does great things, [beyond understanding,] unfathomable,Yes, marvelous and wondrous things without number.

11 "If he were to pass near me, I wouldn't notice; if he moves by, I wouldn't perceive him.

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

11 If He passes by me, I wouldn’t see Him;(J)if He goes right by, I wouldn’t recognize Him.

11 “Behold, He passes by me, and I do not see Him;He moves past me, but I do not perceive Him.

12 Indeed, if he snatches someone away, who could restrain him? Who can say to him, "What are you doing?'

12 “Were He to snatch away, who could (P)restrain Him?Who could say to Him, ‘(Q)What are You doing?’

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

12 If He snatches something, who can stop(e) Him?Who can ask Him, “What are You doing?”(K)

12 “Behold, He snatches away; who can restrain or turn Him back?Who will say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13 "God doesn't restrain his anger. Rahab's assistants are humiliated under him.

13 “God will not turn back His anger;Beneath Him crouch the helpers of (R)Rahab.

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

13 God does not hold back His anger;Rahab’s(L) assistants cringe in fear beneath Him!

13 “God will not turn back His anger;The [proud] helpers of Rahab [the arrogant monster of the sea] bow under Him.

14 So how am I to answer him, choosing what I am to say to him?

14 “How then can (S)I (h)answer Him,And choose my words (i)before Him?

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

14 How then can I answer Himor choose my arguments against Him?

14 “How can I answer Him [and plead my case],Choosing my words [to reason] with Him?

Though I Am Innocent

15 Even if I'm in the right, I cannot answer him. I can only appeal for mercy.

15 “For (T)though I were right, I could not (j)answer;I would have to (U)implore the mercy of my judge.

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

15 Even if I were in the right, I could not answer.I could only beg my Judge for mercy.(M)

15 For though I were righteous, I could not answer.I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge.

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.

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 summoned Him and He answered me,I do not believe He would pay attention to what I said.

16 “If I called and He answered me,I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.

17 For he crushes me with a storm, and keeps on wounding me for no reason.

17 “For He (V)bruises me with a tempestAnd multiplies my wounds without cause.

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

17 He batters me with a whirlwind(N)and multiplies my wounds without cause.

17 “For He bruises me with a tempestAnd multiplies my wounds without cause.

18 He won't let me catch my breath; instead, he fills me with bitterness.

18 “He will (W)not allow me to get my breath,But saturates me with (X)bitterness.

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 will not allow me to catch my breath,But fills and saturates me with bitterness.

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 power, (Y)behold, He is the strong one!And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon (k)Him?

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 strength, look, He is the Mighty One!(O)If it is a matter of justice, who can summon(P) Him?(f)

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 Though I'm in the right, my own mouth will condemn me; though I'm blameless, he'll pronounce me as guilty.

20 (Z)Though I am righteous, my mouth will (AA)condemn me;Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.

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

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 am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty;Though I am blameless, He would denounce me as guilty.

21 "I'm blameless; I don't know myself; I despise my life.

21 “I am (AB)guiltless;I do not take notice of myself;I (AC)despise my life.

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

21 Though I am blameless,I no longer care about myself;I renounce my life.(R)

21 “[Though] I am blameless,I do not care about myself;I despise my life.

22 I say it's all the same he destroys both the blameless and the guilty.

22 “It is all one; therefore I say,‘He (AD)destroys the guiltless and the wicked.’

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

22 It is all the same. Therefore I say,“He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.”(S)

22 “It is all one; therefore I say,‘He destroys [both] the blameless and the wicked.’

23 If a calamity causes sudden death, he'll mock at the despair of the innocent.

23 “If the scourge kills suddenly,He (AE)mocks the despair of the innocent.

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 “When [His] scourge kills suddenly,He mocks at the despair of the innocent.

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 (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 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(g) is handed over to the wicked;He blindfolds(h) its judges.(T)If it isn’t He, 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

25 "My days pass faster than a runner; but they pass quickly without seeing anything good.

25 “Now (AH)my days are swifter than a runner;They flee away, (AI)they see no good.

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

25 My days fly by faster than a runner;(i)(U)they flee without seeing any good.(V)

25 “Now my days are swifter than a runner;They vanish, they see no good.

26 They pass by like a ship made of reeds, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.

26 “They slip by like (AJ)reed boats,Like an (AK)eagle that swoops on (l)its prey.

26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

26 They sweep by like boats made of papyrus,like an eagle swooping down on its prey.(W)

26 “They pass by like the [swift] boats made of reeds,Like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.

27 If I were to say, "Let me forget my complaint,' change the expression on my face, and look cheerful,

27 “Though I say, ‘I will forget (AL)my complaint,I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,’

27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

27 If I said, “I will forget my complaint,change my expression, and smile,”

27 “If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,I will leave off my sad appearance, and be cheerful and brighten up,’

28 then I still dread all of my suffering; I know you still won't acquit me.

28 I am (AM)afraid of all my pains,I know that (AN)You will not acquit me.

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

28 I would still live in terror of all my pains.(X)I know You will not acquit me.(Y)

28 I am afraid of all my pains and worries [yet to come];I know that You will not acquit me and leave me unpunished.

29 I will be condemned, so why should I wear myself out with this futility?

29 “I am accounted (AO)wicked,Why then should I toil in vain?

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

29 Since I will be found guilty,(Z)why should I labor in vain?

29 “I am accounted wicked and held guilty;Why then should I labor in vain [to appear innocent]?

30 "If I wash myself with water from snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,

30 “If I should (AP)wash myself with snowAnd cleanse (AQ)my hands with lye,

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

30 If I wash myself with snow,and cleanse my hands with lye,

30 “If I were to wash myself with snowAnd cleanse my hands with lye,

31 you'll still drop me into the Pit, and my own clothes will despise me.

31 Yet You would plunge me into the pit,And my own clothes would abhor me.

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

31 then You dip me in a pit of mud,and my own clothes 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 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 (AR)He is not a man as I am that (AS)I may answer Him,That we may go to (m)court together.

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

32 For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him,(AA)that we can take each other to court.

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.

33 There is not yet a mediator between us, who would set his hand on the two of us,

33 “There is no (AT)umpire between us,Who may lay his hand upon us both.

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

33 There is no one to judge between us,to lay his hand on both of us.

33 “There is no arbitrator between us,Who could lay his hand upon us both [would that there were].(A)

34 removing his rod from me, and not letting terror of him overwhelm me.

34 “Let Him (AU)remove His rod from me,And let not dread of Him terrify me.

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

34 Let Him take His rod away from meso His terror will no longer frighten me.(AB)

34 “Let Him take His rod away from me,And let not the dread and fear of Him terrify me.

35 Otherwise, I would speak without being terrified of him, because I'm not like that inside myself."

35 “Then I (AV)would speak and not fear Him;But I am not like that in myself.

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 “Then I would speak [my defense] and not fear Him;But I am not like that in myself.

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