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- And Job answered and said,
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- Of a truth I know it is so;
but how can man be just with God?
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- If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
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- He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
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- Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
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- Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
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- Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
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- Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
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- Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
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- Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.
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- Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not;
and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
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- Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him?
Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
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- +God withdraweth not his anger;
the proud helpers stoop under him:
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- How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
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- Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer;
I would make supplication to my judge.
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- If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, —
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- He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
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- He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
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- Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong;
and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
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- If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me;
were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
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- Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
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- It is all one;
therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
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- If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.
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- The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man];
he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
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- And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
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- They pass by like skiffs of reed;
as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
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- If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
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- I am afraid of all my sorrows;
I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
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- Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
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- If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
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- Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.
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- For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him;
that we should come together in judgment.
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- There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
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- Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
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- [Then] I will speak, and not fear him;
but it is not so with me.
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