For now I should have lain still and been quiet; I should have slept. Then I would have been at rest

or as a hidden untimely birth I would not have been, like infants who did not see light.

Truly, I would seek to God, and to God I would put my plea,

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash.

Does the wild ass bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder?

Oh that I might have my desire, and that God would grant the thing that I long for!

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that He would loose His hand and cut me off!

And it is yet my comfort; yea, I would rejoice in pain, though He did not spare me; for I have not hidden the words of the Holy One.

if you would seek earnestly to God and make your prayer to the Almighty;

if you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, and make the dwelling-place of your righteousness blessed.

And if your beginning was small, yet your end would greatly increase.

Whom, though I were righteous, yet I would not answer; I seek mercy for my judgment.

If I had called and He had answered me, yet would I not believe that He had listened to my voice;

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

then would I speak and not fear Him; for it is not so with me.

I should have been as though I had not been; I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.

But who will grant that God would speak, and open His lips against you,

and would tell you the secrets of His wisdom, that sound wisdom is manifold? Know therefore that God forgets for you some of your iniquity.

For foolish man would be wise, and man is born a wild ass's colt.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case before God.

Oh that you would stop speaking entirely! And it would be your wisdom.

Would you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for Him?

Who is he that will plead for me, for now, I would be quiet and expire.

Though its root becomes old in the earth, and its stump dies in the dust,

Who will grant that You would hide me in the grave, that You would keep me secret, until Your wrath is past, that You would set me a fixed time and remember me?

I might make you strong with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would spare you.

Behold, I cry out, Violence! And I am not answered. I cry aloud, but there is no justice.

Do you know this from days of old, from the setting of man on earth,

Why do the wicked live? They grow old and become mighty in power.

Do you keep to the old way which wicked men have walked?

I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say to me.

Will He plead against me with His great power? No, surely He would give heed to me.

There the righteous might reason with Him; and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

Behold, like wild asses in the desert, they go forth to their work, rising early for a prey. The wilderness yields food for them and for their children.

But now those younger laugh at me, whose fathers I would have refused to set with the dogs of my flock.

For that would be an evil purpose; yea, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

For it is a fire that devours to the Place of Ruin, and it would root out all my gain.

this also would be an iniquity for the judges; for I would have denied the God above.

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and bind it like crowns to me.

I would declare to Him the number of my steps; like a prince I would go near Him.

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and you are very old; therefore I was afraid, and dared not show you my opinion.

For I do not know how to eulogize; else after a little my Maker would take me away.

Would that Job may be tried to the end because his answers are like men of iniquity.

And He also would have lured you from the mouth of distress to a wide place not cramped; and the setting of your table would be full of fatness.

Shall it be told Him that I would speak? If a man speaks, surely he shall be swallowed up.

Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Can you observe the calving of deer?

Who has sent out the wild ass free? Or who has loosed the bands of the wild ass,

Will the wild ox be willing to serve you, or spend the night by your feed-trough?

Can you tie the wild ox in the furrow with his rope? Or will he harrow the valleys for you?

For the mountains yield food for him, and all the beasts of the field play there.

He makes a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be gray-headed.

And Job died, being old and full of days.