Job: How Can I Contend with God? 1 UEB Then Job answered and said, BSB BSB: Then Job answered:
2 UEB "I truly know that this is so. But how can a person be in the right with God? BSB BSB: “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
3 UEB If he wants to argue with God, he cannot answer him once in a thousand times. BSB BSB: If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 UEB God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has ever hardened himself against him and succeeded?— BSB BSB: God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
5 UEB he who removes the mountains without warning anyone when he overturns them in his anger— BSB BSB: He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
6 UEB he who shakes the earth out of its place and sets its supports trembling. BSB BSB: He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
7 UEB It is the same God who tells the sun not to rise, and it does not, and who covers up the stars, BSB BSB: He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
8 UEB who by himself stretches out the heavens and tramples down the waves of the sea, BSB BSB: He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 UEB who makes the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the south. BSB BSB: He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 UEB He does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things that cannot be counted. BSB BSB: He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
11 UEB See, he goes by me, and I do not see him; he passes on also, but I do not perceive him. BSB BSB: Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
12 UEB If he takes something away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?' BSB BSB: If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 UEB God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him. BSB BSB: God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
14 UEB How much less could I answer him, could I choose words to reason with him? BSB BSB: How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
15 UEB Even if I were righteous, I could not answer him; I could only plead for mercy with my judge. BSB BSB: For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
16 UEB Even if I called and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. BSB BSB: If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
17 UEB For he breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause. BSB BSB: For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
18 UEB He does not allow me to regain my breath; but he fills me with bitterness. BSB BSB: He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
19 UEB If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him? 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 UEB Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; and though I am blameless, my words would prove me to be guilty. BSB BSB: Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
21 UEB I am blameless, but I do not care any more about myself; I despise my own life. BSB BSB: Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
22 UEB It makes no difference, which is why I say that he destroys blameless people and wicked people together. BSB BSB: It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 UEB When a whip suddenly kills, he mocks the despair of the innocent. BSB BSB: When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 UEB The earth is given into the hand of wicked people; God covers the faces of its judges. If it is not he who does it, then who 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 UEB My days are swifter than a running messenger; my days flee away; they see no good anywhere. BSB BSB: My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
26 UEB They are as fast as papyrus reed boats, and as fast as the eagle that swoops down on its victim. BSB BSB: They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 UEB If I said that I would forget about my complaints, that I would take off my sad face and be happy, BSB BSB: If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
28 UEB I would be afraid of all my sorrows because I know that you will not consider me innocent. BSB BSB: I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
29 UEB I will be condemned; why, then, should I try in vain? BSB BSB: Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
30 UEB If I washed myself with snow water and made my hands ever so clean, BSB BSB: If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 UEB God would plunge me in a ditch, and my own clothes would be disgusted with me. BSB BSB: then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
32 UEB For God is not a man, as I am, that I could answer him, that we could come together in court. BSB BSB: For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
33 UEB There is no judge between us who might lay his hand upon us both. BSB BSB: Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
34 UEB There is no other judge who could take God's rod off me, who could keep his terror from frightening me. BSB BSB: Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
35 UEB Then would I speak up and not fear him. But as things are now, I cannot do that. BSB BSB: Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
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