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Then Job answered,
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"In truth I know that this is so; But how can a aman be in the right before God?
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"If one wished to adispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
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"aWise in heart and bmighty in strength, Who has cdefied Him without harm?
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"aIt is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, When He overturns them in His anger;
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Who ashakes the earth out of its place, And its bpillars tremble;
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Who commands the asun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars;
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Who alone astretches out the heavens And btramples down the waves of the sea;
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Who makes the aBear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the bchambers of the south;
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Who adoes great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number.
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"Were He to pass by me, aI would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
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"Were He to snatch away, who could arestrain Him? Who could say to Him, 'bWhat are You doing?'
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"God will not turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of aRahab.
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"How then can aI answer Him, And choose my words before Him?
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"For athough I were right, I could not answer; I would have to bimplore the mercy of my judge.
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"If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.
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"For He abruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause.
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"He will anot allow me to get my breath, But saturates me with bbitterness.
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"If it is a matter of power, abehold, He is the strong one! And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
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"aThough I am righteous, my mouth will bcondemn me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.
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"I am aguiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I bdespise my life.
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"It is all one; therefore I say, 'He adestroys the guiltless and the wicked.'
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"If the scourge kills suddenly, He amocks the despair of the innocent.
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"The earth ais given into the hand of the wicked; He bcovers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
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"Now amy days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, bthey see no good.
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"They slip by like areed boats, Like an beagle that swoops on its prey.
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"Though I say, 'I will forget amy complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,'
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I am aafraid of all my pains, I know that bYou will not acquit me.
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"I am accounted awicked, Why then should I toil in vain?
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"If I should awash myself with snow And cleanse bmy hands with lye,
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Yet You would plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes would abhor me.
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"For aHe is not a man as I am that bI may answer Him, That we may go to court together.
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"There is no aumpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
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"Let Him aremove His rod from me, And let not dread of Him terrify me.
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"Then I awould speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.