² “Are all these words to go unanswered?^(B)
    Is this talker to be vindicated?^(C)
3 Will your idle talk^(D) reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?^(E)
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless^(F)
    and I am pure^(G) in your sight.’
⁵ Oh, how I wish that God would speak,^(H)
    that he would open his lips against you
⁶ and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,^(I)
    for true wisdom has two sides.
    Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.^(J)

⁷ “Can you fathom^(K) the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
⁸ They are higher^(L) than the heavens^(M) above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below^(N)—what can you know?^(O)
9 Their measure^(P) is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.^(Q)

¹⁰ “If he comes along and confines you in prison
    and convenes a court, who can oppose him?^(R)
11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;
    and when he sees evil, does he not take note?^(S)
12 But the witless can no more become wise
    than a wild donkey’s colt^(T) can be born human.^[a](U)

¹³ “Yet if you devote your heart^(V) to him
    and stretch out your hands^(W) to him,^(X)
14 if you put away^(Y) the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil^(Z) to dwell in your tent,^(AA)
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;^(AB)
    you will stand firm^(AC) and without fear.^(AD)
16 You will surely forget your trouble,^(AE)
    recalling it only as waters gone by.^(AF)
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,^(AG)
    and darkness will become like morning.^(AH)
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest^(AI) in safety.^(AJ)
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,^(AK)
    and many will court your favor.^(AL)
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,^(AM)
    and escape will elude them;^(AN)
    their hope will become a dying gasp.”^(AO)

² “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
    and wisdom will die with you!^(A)
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know all these things?^(B)

⁴ “I have become a laughingstock^(C) to my friends,^(D)
    though I called on God and he answered^(E)—
    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!^(F)
5 Those who are at ease have contempt^(G) for misfortune
    as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.^(H)
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,^(I)
    and those who provoke God are secure^(J)—
    those God has in his hand.^[a]

⁷ “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,^(K)
    or the birds in the sky,^(L) and they will tell you;^(M)
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
    or let the fish in the sea inform you.
⁹ Which of all these does not know^(N)
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?^(O)
10 In his hand is the life^(P) of every creature
    and the breath of all mankind.^(Q)
11 Does not the ear test words
    as the tongue tastes food?^(R)
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?^(S)
    Does not long life bring understanding?^(T)

¹³ “To God belong wisdom^(U) and power;^(V)
    counsel and understanding are his.^(W)
14 What he tears down^(X) cannot be rebuilt;^(Y)
    those he imprisons cannot be released.^(Z)
15 If he holds back the waters,^(AA) there is drought;^(AB)
    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.^(AC)
16 To him belong strength and insight;^(AD)
    both deceived and deceiver are his.^(AE)
17 He leads rulers away stripped^(AF)
    and makes fools of judges.^(AG)
18 He takes off the shackles^(AH) put on by kings
    and ties a loincloth^[b] around their waist.^(AI)
19 He leads priests away stripped^(AJ)
    and overthrows officials long established.^(AK)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
    and takes away the discernment of elders.^(AL)
21 He pours contempt on nobles^(AM)
    and disarms the mighty.^(AN)
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness^(AO)
    and brings utter darkness^(AP) into the light.^(AQ)
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;^(AR)
    he enlarges nations,^(AS) and disperses them.^(AT)
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;^(AU)
    he makes them wander in a trackless waste.^(AV)
25 They grope in darkness with no light;^(AW)
    he makes them stagger like drunkards.^(AX)

13 “My eyes have seen all this,^(A)
    my ears have heard and understood it.
² What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.^(B)
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty^(C)
    and to argue my case with God.^(D)
4 You, however, smear me with lies;^(E)
    you are worthless physicians,^(F) all of you!^(G)
5 If only you would be altogether silent!^(H)
    For you, that would be wisdom.^(I)
6 Hear now my argument;
    listen to the pleas of my lips.^(J)
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
    Will you speak deceitfully for him?^(K)
8 Will you show him partiality?^(L)
    Will you argue the case for God?
⁹ Would it turn out well if he examined you?^(M)
    Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?^(N)
10 He would surely call you to account
    if you secretly showed partiality.^(O)
11 Would not his splendor^(P) terrify you?
    Would not the dread of him fall on you?^(Q)
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
    your defenses are defenses of clay.^(R)

¹³ “Keep silent^(S) and let me speak;^(T)
    then let come to me what may.^(U)
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
    and take my life in my hands?^(V)
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope^(W) in him;^(X)
    I will surely^[a] defend my ways to his face.^(Y)
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,^(Z)
    for no godless^(AA) person would dare come before him!^(AB)
17 Listen carefully to what I say;^(AC)
    let my words ring in your ears.
¹⁸ Now that I have prepared my case,^(AD)
    I know I will be vindicated.^(AE)
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?^(AF)
    If so, I will be silent^(AG) and die.^(AH)

²⁰ “Only grant me these two things, God,
    and then I will not hide from you:
²¹ Withdraw your hand^(AI) far from me,
    and stop frightening me with your terrors.^(AJ)
22 Then summon me and I will answer,^(AK)
    or let me speak, and you reply to me.^(AL)
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?^(AM)
    Show me my offense and my sin.^(AN)
24 Why do you hide your face^(AO)
    and consider me your enemy?^(AP)
25 Will you torment^(AQ) a windblown leaf?^(AR)
    Will you chase^(AS) after dry chaff?^(AT)
26 For you write down bitter things against me
    and make me reap the sins of my youth.^(AU)
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;^(AV)
    you keep close watch on all my paths^(AW)
    by putting marks on the soles of my feet.

²⁸ “So man wastes away like something rotten,
    like a garment^(AX) eaten by moths.^(AY)

14 “Mortals, born of woman,^(A)
    are of few days^(B) and full of trouble.^(C)
2 They spring up like flowers^(D) and wither away;^(E)
    like fleeting shadows,^(F) they do not endure.^(G)
3 Do you fix your eye on them?^(H)
    Will you bring them^[a] before you for judgment?^(I)
4 Who can bring what is pure^(J) from the impure?^(K)
    No one!^(L)
5 A person’s days are determined;^(M)
    you have decreed the number of his months^(N)
    and have set limits he cannot exceed.^(O)
6 So look away from him and let him alone,^(P)
    till he has put in his time like a hired laborer.^(Q)

⁷ “At least there is hope for a tree:^(R)
    If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
    and its new shoots^(S) will not fail.^(T)
8 Its roots may grow old in the ground
    and its stump^(U) die in the soil,
⁹ yet at the scent of water^(V) it will bud
    and put forth shoots like a plant.^(W)
10 But a man dies and is laid low;^(X)
    he breathes his last and is no more.^(Y)
11 As the water of a lake dries up
    or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,^(Z)
12 so he lies down and does not rise;^(AA)
    till the heavens are no more,^(AB) people will not awake
    or be roused from their sleep.^(AC)

¹³ “If only you would hide me in the grave^(AD)
    and conceal me till your anger has passed!^(AE)
If only you would set me a time
    and then remember^(AF) me!^(AG)
14 If someone dies, will they live again?
    All the days of my hard service^(AH)
    I will wait for my renewal^[b](AI) to come.
¹⁵ You will call and I will answer you;^(AJ)
    you will long for the creature your hands have made.^(AK)
16 Surely then you will count my steps^(AL)
    but not keep track of my sin.^(AM)
17 My offenses will be sealed^(AN) up in a bag;^(AO)
    you will cover over my sin.^(AP)

¹⁸ “But as a mountain erodes and crumbles^(AQ)
    and as a rock is moved from its place,^(AR)
19 as water wears away stones
    and torrents^(AS) wash away the soil,^(AT)
    so you destroy a person’s hope.^(AU)
20 You overpower them once for all, and they are gone;^(AV)
    you change their countenance and send them away.^(AW)
21 If their children are honored, they do not know it;
    if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it.^(AX)
22 They feel but the pain of their own bodies^(AY)
    and mourn only for themselves.^(AZ)”