27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

I will change my expression, and smile,’

28 I still dread all my sufferings,

for I know you will not hold me innocent.

29 Since I am already found guilty,

why should I struggle in vain?

30 Even if I washed myself with soap

and my hands with cleansing powder,

31 you would plunge me into a slime pit

so that even my clothes would detest me.

32 “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,

that we might confront each other in court.

33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,

someone to bring us together,

34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,

so that his terror would frighten me no more.

35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,

but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’

28 I become afraid of all my suffering,

for I know you will not hold me innocent.

29 I shall be condemned;

why then do I labor in vain?

30 If I wash myself with snow

and cleanse my hands with lye,

31 yet you will plunge me into a pit,

and my own clothes will abhor me.

32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him,

that we should come to trial together.

33 There is no arbiter between us,

who might lay his hand on us both.

34 Let him take his rod away from me,

and let not dread of him terrify me.

35 Then I would speak without fear of him,

for I am not so in myself.

27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself: 28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. 29 If I be wicked, Why then labour I in vain? 30 If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean; 31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me. 32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, And we should come together in judgment. 33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, That might lay his hand upon us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, And let not his fear terrify me: 35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; But it is not so with me.

27 If I decided to forget my complaints,

to put away my sad face and be cheerful,

28 I would still dread all the pain,

for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.

29 Whatever happens, I will be found guilty.

So what’s the use of trying?

30 Even if I were to wash myself with soap

and clean my hands with lye,

31 you would plunge me into a muddy ditch,

and my own filthy clothing would hate me.

32 “God is not a mortal like me,

so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.

33 If only there were a mediator between us,

someone who could bring us together.

34 The mediator could make God stop beating me,

and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.

35 Then I could speak to him without fear,

but I cannot do that in my own strength.

27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’

28 I am afraid of all my sufferings;

I know that You will not hold me innocent.

29 If I am condemned,

Why then do I labor in vain?

30 If I wash myself with snow water,

And cleanse my hands with soap,

31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit,

And my own clothes will abhor me.

32 “For He is not a man, as I am,

That I may answer Him,

And that we should go to court together.

33 Nor is there any mediator between us,

Who may lay his hand on us both.

34 Let Him take His rod away from me,

And do not let dread of Him terrify me.

35 Then I would speak and not fear Him,

But it is not so with me.

27 Even though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint;

I will change the look on my face and smile,’

28 I still dread all my suffering.

I know you will hold me guilty.

29 I have already been found guilty,

so why should I struggle for no reason?

30 I might wash myself with soap

and scrub my hands with strong soap,

31 but you would push me into a dirty pit,

and even my clothes would hate me.

32 “God is not human like me, so I cannot answer him.

We cannot meet each other in court.

33 I wish there were someone to make peace between us,

someone to decide our case.

34 Maybe he could remove God’s punishment

so his terror would no longer frighten me.

35 Then I could speak without being afraid,

but I am not able to do that.

27 If I say, I will forget my complaint,

I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer;

28 I am afraid of all my sorrows,

I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29 I shall be condemned;

Why then do I labor in vain?

30 If I wash myself with snow water,

And make my hands never so clean;

31 Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch,

And mine own clothes shall abhor me.

32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him,

That we should come together in judgment.

33 There is no umpire betwixt us,

That might lay his hand upon us both.

34 Let him take his rod away from me,

And let not his terror make me afraid:

35 Then would I speak, and not fear him;

For I am not so in myself.

27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance, and brighten up, 28 I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. 29 Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain? 30 If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity, 31 Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me. 32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment. 33 There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid, 35 Then I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

27 ⸤Even⸥ if I say, ‘I will forget my complaining; 

I will change my expression and smile,’ 

28 I ⸤still⸥ dread everything I must suffer. 

I know that you won’t declare me innocent. 

29 I’ve already been found guilty. 

Why should I work so hard for nothing? 

30 If I wash myself with lye soap

and cleanse my hands with bleach, 

31 then you would plunge me into a muddy pit, 

and my own clothes would find me disgusting. 

32 A human like me cannot answer God, 

‘Let’s take our case to court.’ 

33 There is no mediator between us 

to put his hand on both of us. 

34 God should take his rod away from me, 

and he should not terrify me.

35 Then I would speak and not be afraid of him. 

But I know that I am not like that. 

27 If I said, “I will forget my complaint,

change my expression, and smile,”

28 I would still live in terror of all my pains.

I know You will not acquit me.

29 Since I will be found guilty,

why should I labor in vain?

30 If I wash myself with snow,

and cleanse my hands with lye,

31 then You dip me in a pit of mud,

and my own clothes despise me!

32 For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him,

that we can take each other to court.

33 There is no one to judge between us,

to lay his hand on both of us.

34 Let Him take His rod away from me

so His terror will no longer frighten me.

35 Then I would speak and not fear Him.

But that is not the case; I am on my own.

27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint;

I will put off my sad countenance and be of good cheer,’

28 I become afraid of all my suffering,

for I know you will not hold me innocent.

29 I shall be condemned;

why then do I labor in vain?

30 If I wash myself with soap

and cleanse my hands with lye,

31 yet you will plunge me into filth,

and my own clothes will abhor me.

32 For he is not a mortal, as I am, that I might answer him,

that we should come to trial together.

33 There is no umpire between us,

who might lay his hand on us both.

34 If he would take his rod away from me,

and not let dread of him terrify me,

35 then I would speak without fear of him,

for I know I am not what I am thought to be.

27 Though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint;

I will change my expression, and I will rejoice,’

28 I become afraid of all my sufferings;

I know that you do not consider me innocent.

29 If I shall be declared guilty,

why then should I labor in vain?

30 If I wash myself with soap,

and I cleanse my hands with lye,

31 then you plunge me into the slime pit,

and my clothes abhor me.

32 “For he is not a mortal like me that I can answer him,

that we can come to trial together.

33 There is no arbiter between us

that he might lay his hand on both of us.

34 May he remove his rod from me,

and let his dread not terrify me;

35 then I would speak and not fear him,

for in myself I am not fearful.

27 Suppose I say, ‘I’ll forget about all of my problems.

I’ll change my frown into a smile.’

28 Then I’d still be afraid I’d go on suffering.

That’s because I know you would say

I had done something wrong.

29 In fact, you have already said I’m guilty.

So why should I struggle without any reason?

30 Suppose I clean myself with soap.

Suppose I wash my hands with cleanser.

31 Even then you would throw me into a muddy pit.

And even my clothes would hate me.

32 “God isn’t a man like me. I can’t answer him.

We can’t take each other to court.

33 I wish someone would settle matters between us.

I wish someone would force us to work things out.

34 I wish someone would keep God from punishing me.

Then his terror wouldn’t frighten me anymore.

35 I would speak up without being afraid of him.

But as things stand now, I can’t do that.