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“Indeed, I know that this is true.
But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?
But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?
“Yes, I know all this is true in principle.
But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight?
But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight?
Though they wished to dispute with him,
they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.
Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
For God is so wise and so mighty.
Who has ever challenged him successfully?
Who has ever challenged him successfully?
He moves mountains without their knowing it
and overturns them in his anger.
and overturns them in his anger.
“Without warning, he moves the mountains,
overturning them in his anger.
overturning them in his anger.
He shakes the earth from its place
and makes its pillars tremble.
and makes its pillars tremble.
He shakes the earth from its place,
and its foundations tremble.
and its foundations tremble.
He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;
he seals off the light of the stars.
he seals off the light of the stars.
If he commands it, the sun won’t rise
and the stars won’t shine.
and the stars won’t shine.
He alone stretches out the heavens
and treads on the waves of the sea.
and treads on the waves of the sea.
He alone has spread out the heavens
and marches on the waves of the sea.
and marches on the waves of the sea.
He made all the stars — the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.
the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.
He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.
miracles that cannot be counted.
He does great things too marvelous to understand.
He performs countless miracles.
He performs countless miracles.
When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
“Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him.
When he moves by, I do not see him go.
When he moves by, I do not see him go.
If he snatches away, who can stop him?
Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
If he snatches someone in death, who can stop him?
Who dares to ask, ‘What are you doing?’
Who dares to ask, ‘What are you doing?’
God does not restrain his anger;
even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.
even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.
“How then can I dispute with him?
How can I find words to argue with him?
How can I find words to argue with him?
“So who am I, that I should try to answer God
or even reason with him?
or even reason with him?
Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;
I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
Even if I were right, I would have no defense.
I could only plead for mercy.
I could only plead for mercy.
Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
And even if I summoned him and he responded,
I’m not sure he would listen to me.
I’m not sure he would listen to me.
He would crush me with a storm
and multiply my wounds for no reason.
and multiply my wounds for no reason.
For he attacks me with a storm
and repeatedly wounds me without cause.
and repeatedly wounds me without cause.
He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.
but would overwhelm me with misery.
He will not let me catch my breath,
but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.
but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.
Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.
if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.
“Although I am blameless,
I have no concern for myself;
I despise my own life.
I have no concern for myself;
I despise my own life.
“I am innocent,
but it makes no difference to me —
I despise my life.
but it makes no difference to me —
I despise my life.
It is all the same; that is why I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God.
That’s why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
That’s why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
When a scourge brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent.
he mocks the despair of the innocent.
When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,
he blindfolds its judges.
If it is not he, then who is it?
he blindfolds its judges.
If it is not he, then who is it?
The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked,
and God blinds the eyes of the judges.
If he’s not the one who does it, who is?
and God blinds the eyes of the judges.
If he’s not the one who does it, who is?
“My days are swifter than a runner;
they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
“My life passes more swiftly than a runner.
It flees away without a glimpse of happiness.
It flees away without a glimpse of happiness.
They skim past like boats of papyrus,
like eagles swooping down on their prey.
like eagles swooping down on their prey.
It disappears like a swift papyrus boat,
like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will change my expression, and smile,’
I will change my expression, and smile,’
If I decided to forget my complaints,
to put away my sad face and be cheerful,
to put away my sad face and be cheerful,
I still dread all my sufferings,
for I know you will not hold me innocent.
for I know you will not hold me innocent.
I would still dread all the pain,
for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.
for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.
Since I am already found guilty,
why should I struggle in vain?
why should I struggle in vain?
Whatever happens, I will be found guilty.
So what’s the use of trying?
So what’s the use of trying?
Even if I washed myself with soap
and my hands with cleansing powder,
and my hands with cleansing powder,
Even if I were to wash myself with soap
and clean my hands with lye,
and clean my hands with lye,
you would plunge me into a slime pit
so that even my clothes would detest me.
so that even my clothes would detest me.
you would plunge me into a muddy ditch,
and my own filthy clothing would hate me.
and my own filthy clothing would hate me.
“He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,
that we might confront each other in court.
that we might confront each other in court.
“God is not a mortal like me,
so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.
so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.
If only there were someone to mediate between us,
someone to bring us together,
someone to bring us together,
If only there were a mediator between us,
someone who could bring us together.
someone who could bring us together.
someone to remove God’s rod from me,
so that his terror would frighten me no more.
so that his terror would frighten me no more.
The mediator could make God stop beating me,
and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.
and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.