If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

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

I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in trial.

Neither is there any mediator between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

Is it good unto you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile upon the counsel of the wicked?

That you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?

You know that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of your hand.

Remember, I beseech you, that you have made me as the clay; and will you bring me into dust again?

And these things have you hid in your heart: I know that this is with you.

Why then have you brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had died, and no eye had seen me!

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

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you;

And that he would show you the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

Because you shall forget your misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

He that is ready to slip with his feet is like a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

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

Who knows not among all these that the hand of the LORD has done this?

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

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

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

Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be justified.

Who is he that will contend with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall die.

And he, like a rotten thing, consumes, as a garment that is moth-eaten.

Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with you, you have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender shoots thereof will not cease.

O that you would hide me in the grave, that you would conceal me, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

Are you the first man that was born? or were you made before the hills?

What know you, that we know not? what understand you, which is not in us?

Are the consolations of God too small for you? on the word that deals gently with you?

That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?

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

I will show you, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

He believes not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for by the sword.

He wanders abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for futility shall be his reward.

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldens you that you answer?

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor!

Lay down a surety for me with you; who is he that will give surety for me?

He that speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.

The righteous also shall hold to his way, and he that has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

They that come after him shall be astounded at his day, as they that went before were frightened.

Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knows not God.

These ten times have you reproached me: you are not ashamed that you have wronged me.

Know now that God has overthrown me, and has compassed me with his net.

He has fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my paths.

They that dwell in my house, and my maidservants, count me as a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!

That they were engraved with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever!

For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Be yourselves afraid of the sword: for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: from the proceeds of business he shall not rejoice.

Surely he shall not feel quietness in his heart, he shall not save of that which he desired.

Bear with me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carries away.

Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judges those that are on high.

Have you not asked them that go by the way? and do you not know their evidences,

That the wicked are reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? or is it gain to him, that you make your ways blameless?

Or darkness, that you can not see; and abundance of waters cover you.

Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he sees not; and he walks in the circle of heaven.

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

On the left hand, where he does work, but I cannot behold him: he hides himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

But he knows the way that I take: when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

But he is of one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desires, even that he does.

For he performs the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?

They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.

They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.

He evil treats the barren that bears not: and does not good to the widow.

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, who is a worm?

How have you helped him that is without power? how save you the arm that has no strength?

How have you counseled him that has no wisdom? and how have you plentifully declared the thing as it is?

God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove my integrity from me.

Let my enemy be as the wicked, and he that rises up against me as the unrighteous.

I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.

He builds his house like a moth, and like a booth that the keeper makes.

He binds the streams from overflowing; and the thing that is hid brings he forth to light.

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt like a king in the army, as one that comforts the mourners.

But now they that are younger than I hold me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

For I know that you will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.

Did I not weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

My harp also is turned to mourning, and my flute into the voice of them that weep.

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity.

For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

This also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

If the men of my tent have not, Oh that we had of his meat! we cannot be satisfied.