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1. Then Job answered:
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1. Then Job H347 answered H6030 and said H559 ,
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2. "Of course, I know that this is true. But how can a human being win an argument with God?
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2. I know H3045 it is so H3588 H3651 of a truth H551 : but how H4100 should man H582 be just H6663 with H5973 God H410 ?
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3. Anyone who chose to argue with him could not answer one question in a thousand!
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3. If H518 he will H2654 contend H7378 with H5973 him , he cannot H3808 answer H6030 him one H259 of H4480 a thousand H505 .
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4. God is so wise and powerful that no one could oppose him and survive.
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4. He is wise H2450 in heart H3824 , and mighty H533 in strength H3581 : who H4310 hath hardened H7185 himself against H413 him , and hath prospered H7999 ?
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5. When God is angry, he moves mountains before they know what happened.
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5. Which removeth H6275 the mountains H2022 , and they know H3045 not H3808 : which H834 overturneth H2015 them in his anger H639 .
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6. He can shake the earth, and it will tremble down to its foundations.
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6. Which shaketh H7264 the earth H776 out of her place H4480 H4725 , and the pillars H5982 thereof tremble H6426 .
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7. With one command he can stop the sun from rising. He can lock up the stars and keep them from shining.
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7. Which commandeth H559 the sun H2775 , and it riseth H2224 not H3808 ; and sealeth up H2856 the stars H3556 .
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8. He alone made the skies, and he walks on the ocean waves.
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8. Which alone H905 spreadeth out H5186 the heavens H8064 , and treadeth H1869 upon H5921 the waves H1116 of the sea H3220 .
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9. "God made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades. He made the planets that cross the southern sky.
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9. Which maketh H6213 Arcturus H5906 , Orion H3685 , and Pleiades H3598 , and the chambers H2315 of the south H8486 .
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10. He does things too marvelous for people to understand. He does too many miracles to count!
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10. Which doeth H6213 great things H1419 past H5704 H369 finding out H2714 ; yea , and wonders H6381 without H5704 H369 number H4557 .
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11. When he passes by, I cannot see him. He goes right past me, and I don't notice.
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11. Lo H2005 , he goeth H5674 by H5921 me , and I see H7200 him not H3808 : he passeth on H2498 also , but I perceive H995 him not H3808 .
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12. If he takes something away, no one can stop him. No one can say to him, 'What are you doing?'
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12. Behold H2005 , he taketh away H2862 , who H4310 can hinder H7725 him? who H4310 will say H559 unto H413 him, What H4100 doest H6213 thou?
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13. God will not hold back his anger. Even Rahab's helpers are afraid of him.
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13. If God H433 will not H3808 withdraw H7725 his anger H639 , the proud H7295 helpers H5826 do stoop H7817 under H8478 him.
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14. So I cannot argue with God. I would not know what to say to him.
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14. How much less H637 H3588 shall I H595 answer H6030 him, and choose out H977 my words H1697 to reason with H5973 him?
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15. I am innocent, but I cannot give him an answer. All I can do is beg my Judge for mercy.
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15. Whom H834 , though H518 I were righteous H6663 , yet would I not H3808 answer H6030 , but I would make supplication H2603 to my judge H8199 .
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16. Even if I called and he answered, I cannot believe he would listen to me.
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16. If H518 I had called H7121 , and he had answered H6030 me; yet would I not H3808 believe H539 that H3588 he had hearkened H238 unto my voice H6963 .
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17. He would just send storms to crush me. He would give me more wounds for no reason.
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17. For H834 he breaketh H7779 me with a tempest H8183 , and multiplieth H7235 my wounds H6482 without cause H2600 .
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18. He would not let me catch my breath again. He would just give me more trouble.
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18. He will not H3808 suffer H5414 me to take H7725 my breath H7307 , but H3588 filleth H7646 me with bitterness H4472 .
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19. I cannot defeat God. He is too powerful! I cannot take him to court for justice. Who could force him to come?
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19. If H518 I speak of strength H3581 , lo H2009 , he is strong H533 : and if H518 of judgment H4941 , who H4310 shall set me a time H3259 to plead ?
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20. I am innocent, but anything I say makes me seem guilty. I am innocent, but if I speak, my mouth proves me wrong.
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20. If H518 I justify H6663 myself , mine own mouth H6310 shall condemn H7561 me: if I say , I H589 am perfect H8535 , it shall also prove me perverse H6140 .
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21. I am innocent, but I don't know what to think. I hate my own life.
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21. Though I H589 were perfect H8535 , yet would I not H3808 know H3045 my soul H5315 : I would despise H3988 my life H2416 .
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22. So I say, 'Does it make any difference? God destroys the innocent as well as the guilty.'
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22. This H1931 is one H259 thing , therefore H5921 H3651 I said H559 it , He H1931 destroyeth H3615 the perfect H8535 and the wicked H7563 .
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23. Does God just laugh when a disaster kills innocent people?
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23. If H518 the scourge H7752 slay H4191 suddenly H6597 , he will laugh H3932 at the trial H4531 of the innocent H5355 .
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24. Is it God who keeps the leaders from seeing when an evil person takes control? If it is not God, then who is it?
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24. The earth H776 is given H5414 into the hand H3027 of the wicked H7563 : he covereth H3680 the faces H6440 of the judges H8199 thereof; if H518 not H3808 , where H645 , and who H4310 is he H1931 ?
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25. "My days are passing faster than a runner. They are flying by without any joy.
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25. Now my days H3117 are swifter H7043 than H4480 a post H7323 : they flee away H1272 , they see H7200 no H3808 good H2896 .
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26. They go by as quickly as papyrus boats, as fast as an eagle swooping down on its prey.
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26. They are passed away H2498 as H5973 the swift H16 ships H591 : as the eagle H5404 that hasteth H2907 to H5921 the prey H400 .
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27. "I could say, 'I will not complain. I will forget my pain and put a smile on my face.'
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27. If H518 I say H559 , I will forget H7911 my complaint H7879 , I will leave off H5800 my heaviness H6440 , and comfort H1082 myself :
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28. But the suffering still frightens me. I know that God will not see me as innocent.
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28. I am afraid H3025 of all H3605 my sorrows H6094 , I know H3045 that H3588 thou wilt not H3808 hold me innocent H5352 .
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29. I will be found guilty, so why should I even think about it?
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29. If I H595 be wicked H7561 , why H4100 then H2088 labor H3021 I in vain H1892 ?
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30. Even if I scrubbed my hands with soap and washed myself whiter than snow,
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30. If H518 I wash myself H7364 with snow H7950 water H4325 , and make my hands H3709 never H1253 so clean H2141 ;
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31. God would still push me into the slime pit, and even my clothes would hate to touch me.
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31. Yet H227 shalt thou plunge H2881 me in the ditch H7845 , and mine own clothes H8008 shall abhor H8581 me.
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32. God is not a human like me, so I cannot argue with him. I cannot take him to court.
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32. For H3588 he is not H3808 a man H376 , as I H3644 am, that I should answer H6030 him, and we should come H935 together H3162 in judgment H4941 .
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33. I wish there were someone who could listen to both sides, someone to judge both of us in a fair way.
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33. Neither H3808 is there H3426 any daysman H3198 between H996 us, that might lay H7896 his hand H3027 upon H5921 us both H8147 .
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34. I wish someone could take away the threat of God's punishment. Then he would not frighten me anymore.
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34. Let him take his rod away H5493 H7626 from H4480 H5921 me , and let not H408 his fear H367 terrify H1204 me:
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35. Then I could say what I want without being afraid of him. But I cannot do that now.
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35. Then would I speak H1696 , and not H3808 fear H3372 him; but H3588 it is not H3808 so H3651 with H5978 me.
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