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if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

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If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still shall not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.

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If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.

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You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me.

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“‘Why, then, have you brought me forth out of the womb? I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me.

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I should have been as though I had not been. I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

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Aren’t my days few? Cease then. Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,

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

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the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.’”

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Then Zophar, the Naamathite, answered,

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“Shouldn’t the multitude of words be answered? Should a man full of talk be justified?

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Should your boastings make men hold their peace? When you mock, shall no man make you ashamed?

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For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure. I am clean in your eyes.’

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

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that he would show you the secrets of wisdom! For true wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

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“Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

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They are high as heaven. What can you do? They are deeper than Sheol. What can you know?

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Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

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If he passes by, or confines, or convenes a court, then who can oppose him?

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For he knows false men. He sees iniquity also, even though he doesn’t consider it.

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An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey’s colt.

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“If you set your heart aright, stretch out your hands toward him.

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If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away. Don’t let unrighteousness dwell in your tents.

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Surely then you shall lift up your face without spot; Yes, you shall be steadfast, and shall not fear:

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for you shall forget your misery. You shall remember it as waters that are passed away.

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Life shall be clearer than the noonday. Though there is darkness, it shall be as the morning.

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You shall be secure, because there is hope. Yes, you shall search, and shall take your rest in safety.

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Also you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. Yes, many shall court your favor.

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But the eyes of the wicked shall fail. They shall have no way to flee. Their hope shall be the giving up of the spirit.”

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Then Job answered,

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

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But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?

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I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.

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In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

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The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their God in their hands.

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“But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.

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Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

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Who doesn’t know that in all these, the hand of Yahweh has done this,

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in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?

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Doesn’t the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

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With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.

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“With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

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Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

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Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

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

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He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

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He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

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He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

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He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

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He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

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He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.

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He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

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He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

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They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

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“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.

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What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.

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“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.

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But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.

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Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

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Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.

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Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?

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Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?

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Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?

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He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.

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Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you?

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Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.

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“Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.

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Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?

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Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.

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This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him.

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Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.

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See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.

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Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.

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“Only don’t do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face:

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withdraw your hand far from me; and don’t let your terror make me afraid.

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

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How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.

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Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy?

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Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?

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For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:

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You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,

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though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

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

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He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.

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Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?

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Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.

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Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass;

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Look away from him, that he may rest, until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

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“For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.

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Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,

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

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But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?

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As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up,

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so man lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.

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“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

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If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, until my release should come.

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You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands.

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But now you number my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?

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My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.

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“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place;