Surely God won't reject those who are blameless or hold hands with those who practice evil.

“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
And your lips with joyful shouting [if you are found blameless].

Your enemies will be clothed with shame;
the tent of the wicked will exist no longer.

If one were to seek to argue with him, he won't be able to answer him even once in a thousand times.

“God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;
Who has [ever] defied or challenged Him and remained unharmed?

Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:

He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not: he closeth up the stars, as it were under a signet.

By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:

He doth great things, such as are unsearchable, yea and wonders without number.

"If he were to pass near me, I wouldn't notice; if he moves by, I wouldn't perceive him.

“Behold, He snatches away; who can restrain or turn Him back?
Who will say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.

How then can I answer Him
or choose my arguments against Him?

Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear to my voice.

If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.

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

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

If I were to say, "Let me forget my complaint,' change the expression on my face, and look cheerful,

I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.

I will be condemned, so why should I wear myself out with this futility?

He's not a man like me, so that I can answer him, or that we can enter into litigation with one another.

If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.

“Then I would speak [my defense] and not fear Him;
But I am not like that in myself.

I'll say to God, "Don't condemn me! Let me know why you are fighting me.

‘Does it indeed seem right to You to oppress,
To despise and reject the work of Your hands,
And to look with favor on the schemes of the wicked?

Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,

‘Although You know that I am not guilty or wicked,
Yet there is no one who can rescue me from Your hand.

‘Your hands have formed and made me altogether.
Would You [turn around and] destroy me?

Hast thou not turned me, as it were milk: and turned me to cruddes like cheese?

‘You have granted me life and lovingkindness;
And Your providence (divine care, supervision) has preserved my spirit.

‘Yet these [present evils] You have hidden in Your heart [since my creation]:
I know that this was within You [in Your purpose and thought].

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; --

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

Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

“Shall a multitude of words not be answered?
And should a talkative man [making such a long-winded defense] be acquitted?

“Should your boasts and babble silence men?
And shall you scoff and no one put you to shame?

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

"But what if God were to speak? What if he were to talk with you,

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

“Can you discover the depths of God?
Can you [by searching] discover the limits of the Almighty [ascend to His heights, extend to His widths, and comprehend His infinite perfection]?

They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?
They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

They are longer than the earth's circumference, and broader than the ocean.

If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

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

“If you direct your heart [on the right path]
And stretch out your hands to Him,

If sin is in your hand, put it far away [from you],
And do not let wrongdoing dwell in your tents;

Then, indeed, you could lift up your face [to Him] without moral defect,
And you would be firmly established and secure and not fear.

For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away,

“And your life would be brighter than the noonday;
Darkness [then] would be like the morning.

“Then you would trust [with confidence], because there is hope;
You would look around you and rest securely.

“You would lie down with no one to frighten you,
And many would entreat and seek your favor.

And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope is a breathing out of soul!

No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

But I also have a mind;
I am not inferior to you.
Who doesn’t know the things you are talking about?

The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt
and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.

The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

“Who among all these does not recognize [in all these things that good and evil are randomly scattered throughout nature and human life]
That the hand of the Lord has done this,

Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

With Him are wisdom and might, To him are counsel and understanding.

Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.

With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

He carrieth away the wise men, as it were a spoil, and bringeth the judges out of their wits.

The fetters of kings, He looseth, or hath bound a slave's waistcloth about their loins:

“He deprives the trusted ones of speech
And takes away the discernment and discretion of the aged.

Who giveth greatness to nations, or destroyeth them, Who spreadeth out nations, or leadeth them into exile:

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

According to your knowledge I have known -- also I. I am not fallen more than you.

But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Give ear to the argument of my mouth, and take note of the words of my lips.

Would you testify unjustly on God’s behalf
or speak deceitfully for Him?

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

Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

He will, severely rebuke, you, if ye are secretly partial.

“Will not His majesty terrify you,
And will not the dread of Him fall upon you?

Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

Why shouldn't I bite my flesh or take my life in my hands?

Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.

"Only you must not do [these] two [things] to me; then I will not hide from your face:

Withdraw Your hand from me and remove this bodily suffering,
And let not the dread of You terrify me.

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

How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

“Why do You hide Your face [as if offended]
And consider me Your enemy?

A driven leaf, wilt thou cause to tremble? Or, dry stubble, wilt thou pursue?

“For You write bitter things against me [in Your indictment]
And make me inherit and suffer for the iniquities of my youth.

You've locked my feet in stocks; you watch all my steps; You've limited where I can walk.

Though a man comes to nothing like a bit of dead wood, or like a robe which has become food for the worm.

As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.