“The spirit stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence, and then I heard a voice, saying:

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

“What is man, that he should be pure and clean,
Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous and just?

“I also could speak like you,
If you were in my place;
I could compose and join words together against you
And shake my head at you.

“There the righteous and upright could reason with Him;
So I would be acquitted forever by my Judge.

“Indeed, how could the strength of their hands profit me?
Vigor had perished from them.

“I have made a covenant (agreement) with my eyes;
How then could I gaze [lustfully] at a virgin?

“For tragedy from God is a terror to me,
And because of His majesty and exaltation I can do nothing [nor endure facing Him].

“I even paid close attention to [what] you [said],
Indeed, not one of you convinced Job [nor could you refute him],
Not one of you supplied [satisfactory] answers to his words.