Knowest thou not this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,

Suffer me, that, I, may speak, and, after I have spoken, thou canst mock!

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if thou art righteous? And is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect?

For thou hast taken a pledge of thy brother for nought, and stripped off the clothing of the naked.

Thou hast not given water to the fainting to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

Widows hast thou sent empty away, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

Therefore art thou compassed about with snares on every side, and suddenly vexed with fear.

Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and floods of waters cover thee.

Now because that God is higher than the heavens, and because thou seest the stars are so high,

And thou sayest, What doth God know? will he judge through the dark cloud?

Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up. If thou remove unrighteousness far from thy tents,

Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto +God:

Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;

And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.

When they are made low, then thou shalt say, Rise up! and he shall save him that is of downcast eyes.

He shall deliver the innocent, and thou shalt escape by the pureness of thy hands.

How hast thou helped the powerless; how saved the arm that is without strength!

How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom, and abundantly declared the thing as it is!

For whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?

I cry unto Thee, And Thou dost not answer me, I have stood, and Thou dost consider me.

Thou art turned to be fierce to me, With the strength of Thy hand, Thou oppressest me.

Thou dost lift me up, On the wind Thou dost cause me to ride, And Thou meltest -- Thou levellest me.

For I have known To death Thou dost bring me back, And to the house appointed for all living.

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;

But, in very deed, hear, I pray thee, Job, my discourse, and, to all my words, give thou ear.

If thou art able -- answer me, Set in array before me -- station thyself.

Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.

Therefore, thou needest not be afraid of me, neither needest thou to fear that my authority shall be too heavy for thee.

Surely -- thou hast said in mine ears, And the sounds of words I hear:

[Thou say,] Behold, he finds occasions against me. He counts me for his enemy.

Lo, in this thou hast not been righteous, I answer thee, that greater is God than man.

Wherefore against Him hast thou striven, When for all His matters He answereth not?

If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.

If there are not -- hearken thou to me, Keep silent, and I teach thee wisdom.

For thou should not say, There shall be no visitation to a man, [whereas] visitation [is] to him from LORD.

If now thou hast understanding, hear this: give ear to the voice of my words!

Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?

Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

Besides that which I see, shew Thou me, If iniquity I have done -- I do not add?'

By thee doth He recompense, That thou hast refused -- That thou dost choose, and not I? And what thou hast known, speak.

For else the men of understanding and wisdom, that have heard me, might say: 'What canst thou speak?'

But surely not. Learn thou Job not to still give an answer like the foolish,

This hast thou reckoned for judgment: Thou hast said -- 'My righteousness is more than God's?'

For thou sayest, 'What doth it profit Thee! What do I profit from my sin?'

Behold attentively the heavens -- and see, And behold the clouds, They have been higher than thou.

If thou hast sinned, what dost thou against Him? And thy transgressions have been multiplied, What dost thou to Him?

If thou hast been righteous, What dost thou give to Him? Or what from thy hand doth He receive?

Thy wickedness may affect a man as thou art, and thy righteousness a son of man.

Yea, though thou sayest thou dost not behold Him, Judgment is before Him, and stay for Him.

But, now, because it is not so, thou sayest - His anger hath punished, and yet hath he not at all known of transgression;

Even so shall he keep thee - if thou wilt be content - from the bottomless pit that is beneath: and if thou wilt hold the quiet, he shall fill thy table with plenteousness.

And the judgment of the wicked thou hast fulfilled, Judgment and justice are upheld -- because of fury,

Will thy cry avail, that thou be not in distress, Or all the forces of thy'strength?

Prolong not thou the time, till there come a night for thee, to set other people in thy stead.

Take heed -- do not turn unto iniquity, For on this thou hast fixed Rather than on affliction.

Who hath appointed unto Him his way? And who said, 'Thou hast done iniquity?'

Remember that thou magnify His work That men have beheld.

For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

Give thou ear unto this, O Job, Stay, and consider well the wonders of GOD: -

Dost thou know when God doth place them, And caused to shine the light of His cloud?

Dost thou know the balancings of a cloud? The wonders of the Perfect in knowledge?

Thou hast made an expanse with Him For the clouds -- strong as a hard mirror!

Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, And I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.

Where wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.

Who placed its measures -- if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched out upon it a line?

Where wast thou, when the morning stars praised me together, and all the children of God rejoiced triumphantly?

And say, 'Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'

Hast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou the dawn to know its place?

Their tokens and weapons hast thou turned like clay, and set them up again as the changing of a garment.

Yea, thou hast spoiled the ungodly of their light, and broken the arm of the proud.

Hast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?

Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?

Thou hast understanding, Even unto the broad places of earth! Declare -- if thou hast known it all.

That thou dost take it unto its boundary, And that thou dost understand The paths of its house.

Thou hast known -- for then thou art born And the number of thy days are many!

Hast thou come in unto the treasure of snow? Yea, the treasures of hail dost thou see?

Dost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?

Dost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?

Hast thou known the statutes of heaven? Or dost thou appoint Its dominion in the earth?

Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee?

Dost thou send out lightnings, and they go And say unto thee, 'Behold us?'

Dost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?

Hast thou known the time of The bearing of the wild goats of the rock? The bringing forth of hinds thou dost mark!

Thou dost number the months they fulfil? And thou hast known the time of their bringing forth!

Dost thou bind a Reem in a furrow with his thick band? Doth he harrow valleys after thee?

Dost thou trust in him because great is his power? And dost thou leave unto him thy labour?

Dost thou trust in him That he doth bring back thy seed? And to thy threshing-floor doth gather it?

Gavest thou the goodly wings to the peacocks? or wings and feathers to the ostrich!

Dost thou give to the horse might? Dost thou clothe his neck with a mane?

Dost thou cause him to rush as a locust? The majesty of his snorting is terrible.

Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.

Dost thou also make void My judgment? Dost thou condemn Me, That thou mayest be righteous?

And an arm like God hast thou? And with a voice like Him dost thou thunder?

Deck thyself, I pray thee, with majesty and grandeur, Yea, with dignity and splendour, thou shalt clothe thyself;

pour out thy indignation of thy wrath; see that thou cast down all the proud,

look well, that thou makest all such as be stubburn, to obey; tread all the ungodly under thy feet,

Hide them in the dust all together, Their faces, bind thou in darkness;