1. Job said:
2. What you say is true.No human is innocentin the sight of God.
3. Not once in a thousand timescould we win our caseif we took him to court.
4. God is wise and powerful—who could possiblyoppose him and win?
5. When God becomes angry,he can move mountainsbefore they even know it.
6. God can shake the earth loosefrom its foundations
7. or command the sun and starsto hold back their light.
8. God alone stretched out the sky,stepped on the sea,
9. and set the stars in place—the Great Bear and Orion,the Pleiades and the starsin the southern sky.
10. Of all the miracles God works,we cannot understand a single one.
11. God walks right past me,without making a sound.
12. And if he grabs something,who can stop himor raise a question?
13. When God showed his anger,the servants of the sea monsterfell at his feet.
14. How, then, could I possiblyargue my case with God?
15. Even though I am innocent,I can only beg for mercy.
16. And if God came into courtwhen I called him,he would not hear my case.
17. He would strike me with a stormand increase my injuriesfor no reason at all.
18. Before I could get my breath,my miseries would multiply.
19. God is much stronger than I am,and who would call me into courtto give me justice?
20. Even if I were innocent,God would prove me wrong.
21. I am not guilty,but I no longer carewhat happens to me.
22. What difference does it make?God destroys the innocentalong with the guilty.
23. When a good person diesa sudden death,God sits back and laughs.
24. And who else but Godblindfolds the judges,then lets the wickedtake over the earth?
25. My life is speeding by,without a hope of happiness.
26. Each day passes swifterthan a sailing shipor an eagle swooping down.
27. Sometimes I try to be cheerfuland to stop complaining,
28. but my sufferings frighten me,because I know that Godstill considers me guilty.
29. So what's the use of tryingto prove my innocence?
30. Even if I washed myselfwith the strongest soap,
31. God would throw me into a pitof stinking slime, leaving medisgusting to my clothes.
32. God isn't a mere human like me.I can't put him on trial.
33. Who could possibly judgebetween the two of us?
34. Can someone snatch awaythe stick God carriesto frighten me?
35. Then I could speak upwithout fear of him,but for now, I cannot speak.