Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?

Be it a question of strength, lo, he is strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?

If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance, and brighten up,

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

Then I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

My soul is weary of my life: I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say unto +God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou strivest with me.

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as clay, and wilt bring me into dust again.

If I were wicked, woe unto me! and righteous, I will not lift up my head, being so full of shame, and beholding mine affliction; --

It is as the heights of heaven; what wilt thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

Yet a senseless man will make bold, though man be born like the foal of a wild ass.

I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call upon +God, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright man.

But I will speak to the Almighty, and will find pleasure in reasoning with God;

Will ye speak unrighteously for God? and for him speak deceit?

Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one mocketh at a man, will ye mock at him?

He will certainly reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

Hold your peace from me, and I will speak, and let come on me what will!

Behold, if he slay me, yet would I trust in him; but I will defend mine own ways before him.

Only do not two things unto me; then will I not hide myself from thee.

Then call, and I will answer; or I will speak, and answer thou me.

Wilt thou terrify a driven leaf? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?

For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a young plant.

I will shew thee, listen to me; and what I have seen I will declare;

For thou hast hidden their heart from understanding; therefore thou wilt not exalt them.

How long will ye hunt for words? Be intelligent, and then we will speak.

The firstborn of death devoureth the members of his body; it will devour his members.

How long will ye vex my soul, and crush me with words?

If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and prove against me my reproach,

It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will cast his fierce anger upon him, and will rain it upon him into his flesh.

Suffer me and I will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on!

Will he reason with thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?

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

Then the Almighty will be thy precious ore, and silver heaped up unto thee;

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

But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, that will he do.

For he will perform what is appointed for me; and many such things are with him.

Lo, as wild asses in the desert, they go forth to their work, seeking early for the prey: the wilderness yieldeth them food for their children.

If it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?

Be it far from me that I should justify you; till I die I will not remove my blamelessness from me.

My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart reproacheth me not one of my days.

Will God hear his cry when distress cometh upon him?

Doth he delight himself in the Almighty? will he at all times call upon +God?

I will teach you concerning the hand of God; what is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

He lieth down rich, but will do so no more; he openeth his eyes, and he is not.

My root shall be spread out to the waters, and the dew will lie all night on my branch;

For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and into the house of assemblage for all living.

(Let me be weighed in an even balance, and +God will take knowledge of my blamelessness;)

Therefore I say, Hearken to me; I also will shew what I know.

That ye may not say, We have found out wisdom; God will make him yield, not man.

Now he hath not directed his words against me; and I will not answer him with your speeches. ...

I will answer, I also in my turn, I also will shew what I know:

I will speak, that I may find relief; I will open my lips and answer.

Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person; neither will I give flattery to man.

Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for +God is greater than man.

Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

He shall pray unto +God, and he will receive him with favour; and he shall see his face with shoutings, and he will render unto man his righteousness.

He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;

Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.

If not, hearken thou unto me; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.

For a man's work will he render to him, and cause every one to find according to his way.

Should he that hateth right indeed govern? and wilt thou condemn the All-just?

When he giveth quietness, who then will disturb? and when he hideth his face, who shall behold him? and this towards a nation, or towards a man alike;

For hath he said unto God, I bear chastisement, I will not offend;

What I see not, teach thou me; if I have done wrong, I will do so no more?

Men of understanding will say to me, and a wise man who heareth me:

I will reply to thee in words, and to thy companions with thee.

Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for +God.

I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.

Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!

And the wild beast goeth into its lair, and they remain in their dens.

Gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.

Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? dost thou mark the calving of the hinds?

Who hath sent out the wild ass free? and who hath loosed the bands of the onager,

Will the buffalo be willing to serve thee, or will he lodge by thy crib?

Canst thou bind the buffalo with his cord in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?

Wilt thou put confidence in him, because his strength is great? and wilt thou leave thy labour to him?

Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy threshing-floor?

Shall he that will contend with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth +God, let him answer it.

Behold, I am nought: what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; yea twice, but I will proceed no further.

Gird up now thy loins like a man: I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.

Wilt thou also annul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous?

Then will I also praise thee, because thy right hand saveth thee.

Shall he be taken in front? will they pierce through his nose in the trap?

Wilt thou draw out the leviathan with the hook, and press down his tongue with a cord?

Wilt thou put a rush-rope into his nose, and pierce his jaw with a spike?

Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak softly unto thee?

Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him as a bondman for ever?

Wilt thou play with him as with a bird, and wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

Shall partners make traffic of him, will they divide him among merchants?

Wilt thou fill his skin with darts, and his head with fish-spears?

None is so bold as to stir him up; and who is he that will stand before me?

I will not be silent as to his parts, the story of his power, and the beauty of his structure.

The arrow will not make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.

Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and inform me.

And now, take for yourselves seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, for ye have not spoken of me rightly, like my servant Job.

Then will he speak to them in his anger, and in his fierce displeasure will he terrify them: