If you [are] pure and upright, indeed, now he will rouse himself for you, and he will restore your righteous abode.

for we [are of] yesterday, and we do not know, for our days on earth [are] a shadow.

Will they themselves not teach you [and] {tell you} and {utter} words from their heart?

Can papyrus grow tall where [there is] not a marsh? Will reeds flourish without water?

So [are] the paths of all who forget God; and [the] hope of [the] godless will perish,

whose confidence is cut off and {whose trust} [is] a spider's house.

His roots twine over a stone heap; he sees a house of stone.

If he destroys him from his place, then it deceives him, [saying], 'I have never seen you.'

Look, this [is] the joy of his way, and from dust others will spring up.

Yet he will fill your mouth [with] laughter and your lips [with] a shout of joy.

[Those] who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked {will be no more}."

"Truly I know that [it is] so, but how can a human being be just before God?

If he wants to contend with him, he cannot answer him one [time] in a thousand.

[He is] wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and succeeded?

"[He is the one] who moves mountains, and they do not know [how], who overturns them in his anger.

[He is the one] who shakes [the] earth from its place, and its pillars tremble.

[He is the one] who commands the sun, and it does not rise, {and he seals up the stars}.

[He is the one] who alone stretches out [the] heavens and [who] tramples on [the] waves of [the] sea.

[He is the one] who made [the] Bear [and] Orion, [the] Pleiades and [the] constellations of [the] south.

[He is the one] who does great things {beyond understanding} and marvelous things {beyond number}.

"{If} he passes by me, {I would not see him}; and [if] he should move on, {I would not recognize him}.

{If} he would snatch away, who could turn him? Who could say to him, 'What are you doing?'

{How much less} can I myself answer him? [How] can I choose my words with him,

whom I cannot answer, even though I am righteous? From my judge I must implore grace.

If I summon [him], and he should answer me, I do not believe that he will listen to my voice--

who crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.

If {it is a matter of} strength, look, [he is] mighty. But if {it is a matter of} justice, who can summon me?

Even though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; [even though] I [am] blameless, yet it would pronounce me guilty.

"I [am] blameless; I do not care about myself; I loathe my life.

It [is all] one; therefore I say, 'He destroys [both the] blameless and [the] wicked.'

The earth is given into [the] hand of [the] wicked; he covers the face of its judge-- if [it is] not [he], then who [is] it?

"And my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they do not see good.

Though {I say}, 'I will forget my complaint; I will change my expression, and I will rejoice,'

I become afraid of all my sufferings; I know that you do not consider me innocent.

[If] I shall be [declared] guilty, why then should I labor in vain?

If I wash myself with soap, and I cleanse my hands with lye,

then you plunge me into the [slime] pit, and my clothes abhor me.

"For [he is] not a mortal like me [that] I can answer him, [that] {we can come to trial together}.

[then] I would speak and not fear him, for {in myself I am not fearful}.

"My inner self loathes my life; {I want to give vent to my complaint}; I want to speak out of [the] bitterness of my inner self.

I will say to God, 'You should not condemn me; let me know why you contend [against] me.

Is it good for you that you oppress, that you despise the labor of your hands, and you smile over the schemes of [the] wicked?

{Do you have eyes of flesh}? Or {do you see as human beings see}?

that you seek out my iniquity, and you search for my sin

because of your knowledge that I am not guilty, and there is no escaping from your hand?

Your hands fashioned me and made me {altogether}, then you destroyed me.

Please remember that you made me like clay, but you turn me into dust [again]?

Did you not pour me out like milk and {curdle me} like cheese?

You clothed me [with] skin and flesh, and you knit me together with bones and sinews.

You have granted me life and loyal love, and your care has preserved my spirit.

" 'Yet you hid these [things] in your heart; I know that this {was your purpose}.

If I had sinned, then you would be watching me, and you would not acquit me of my guilt.

If I am guilty, woe to me! But if I am righteous, I dare not lift my head; [I am] filled [with] shame, and [just] look [at] my misery!

And [if my head] grows bold, you would hunt me as the lion in its prime; {and you repeat your exploits against me}.

You renew your witnesses against me, and you increase your vexation against me; {relief forces} [are] against me.

So why did you bring me forth from the womb? I should have passed away, {and no eye should have seen me}.

I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been brought from [the] womb to the grave.

[Are] not my days few? Let him leave [me] alone; let him turn from me, and let me rejoice a little.

Before I go--and I will not return-- to [the] land of darkness and deep shadow,

to [the] land of darkness, like [the] darkness of a deep shadow and {chaos}, so that it shines forth like darkness.'"

"Should an abundance of words go unanswered, or {a man full of talk} be vindicated?

Should your loose talk put people to silence? {And when you mock, shall no one put you to shame}?

For you say, 'My teaching [is] pure, and I am clean in your sight.'

But, {O that} God might speak, and [that] he would open his lips to you,

and [that] he would tell you [the] secrets of wisdom, for {insight has many sides}. And know that God {on your behalf} has forgotten {some of} your guilt.

"Can you find [out] the essence of God, or can you find [out] {the ultimate limits} of Shaddai?

{It is higher than the heaven}; what can you do? [It is] deeper than Sheol; what can you know?

"If he passes through and imprisons someone {and summons the assembly}, then who can hinder him?

For he knows {those who are worthless}; {when he sees} iniquity, {he will not consider it}.

But {an empty-headed person} will get understanding when a wild donkey's colt is born [as] a human being.

"If you yourself direct your heart and stretch out your hands to him--

if iniquity [is] in your hand, put it far away, and you must not let wickedness reside in your tents--

surely then you will lift up your face without blemish, and you will be firmly established and will not fear.

For you yourself will forget your misery; you will remember [it] as water [that] has flowed past.

And you will have confidence because there is hope; and you will be well protected--{you will sleep in safety}.

And you will lie down, and {no one will make you afraid}; {and many will entreat your favor}.

"Truly indeed you [are the] people, and wisdom will die with you.

{I also have insight} like you; I am not more inferior than you. And {who does not know things like these}?

I am a laughingstock to my friends: '[He] calls on God, and he answers him.' A righteous, blameless man [is] a laughingstock.

[The] tents of [the] destroyers are at peace, and [there is] security for those who provoke God, [for those] whom God brings into his hand.

"But ask [the] animals, and they will teach you, and the birds of the heaven, and they will tell you;

or ask the earth, and it will teach you, and the fishes of the sea will declare to you.

Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this?

If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed.

He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges.

He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins.

He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}.

He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders.

He strips [away] the insight of the heads of the earth's people, and he makes them wander in {a pathless wasteland}.

They grope [in] the dark {without} light, and he makes them stagger like a drunkard.

"Look, my eye has seen everything; my ear has heard and has understood it.

{What you know}, I myself also know-- I [am] not more inferior than you.

But I would speak to Shaddai, and I desire to argue with God.

"But you {whitewash with lies}; all of you [are] {worthless healers}.

{O that} you would keep completely silent, and [that] it would become wisdom for you.

"Will you speak falsely for God? And will you speak deceitfully for him?

{Will you show partiality for him}? Or do you want to plead God's case?

[Will it be] well, if he examines you? Or can you deceive him like deceiving a human being?

"Surely he will rebuke you if {you show partiality} in secret.

Will not his majesty terrify you, and his dread fall upon you?