Job: How Can I Contend with God? 1 DBY And Job answered and said, BSB BSB: Then Job answered:
2 DBY Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God? BSB BSB: “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
3 DBY If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand. BSB BSB: If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 DBY He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace? BSB BSB: God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
5 DBY Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger; BSB BSB: He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
6 DBY Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble; BSB BSB: He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
7 DBY Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars; BSB BSB: He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
8 DBY Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea; BSB BSB: He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 DBY Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south; BSB BSB: He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 DBY Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number. BSB BSB: He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
11 DBY Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not. BSB BSB: Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
12 DBY Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou? BSB BSB: If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 DBY God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him: BSB BSB: God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
14 DBY How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words to strive with him? BSB BSB: How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
15 DBY Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge. BSB BSB: For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
16 DBY If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, — BSB BSB: If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
17 DBY He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. BSB BSB: For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
18 DBY He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses. BSB BSB: He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
19 DBY Be it a question of strength, lo, he is strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time? BSB BSB: If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
20 DBY If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse. BSB BSB: Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
21 DBY Were I perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. BSB BSB: Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
22 DBY It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. BSB BSB: It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 DBY If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent. BSB BSB: When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 DBY The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked man ; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it? BSB BSB: The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
25 DBY And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good. BSB BSB: My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
26 DBY They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey. BSB BSB: They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 DBY If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance, and brighten up, BSB BSB: If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
28 DBY I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. BSB BSB: I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
29 DBY Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain? BSB BSB: Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
30 DBY If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity, BSB BSB: If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 DBY Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me. BSB BSB: then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
32 DBY For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment. BSB BSB: For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
33 DBY There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both. BSB BSB: Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
34 DBY Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid, BSB BSB: Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
35 DBY Then I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.BSB BSB: Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.