1 Respondeu, porém, Jó, dizendo:

2 Ainda hoje a minha queixa está em amargura; a minha mão pesa sobre meu gemido.

3 Ah, se eu soubesse onde o poderia achar! Então me chegaria ao seu tribunal.

4 Exporia ante ele a minha causa, e a minha boca encheria de argumentos.

5 Saberia as palavras com que ele me responderia, e entenderia o que me dissesse.

6 Porventura segundo a grandeza de seu poder contenderia comigo? Não: ele antes me atenderia.

7 Ali o reto pleitearia com ele, e eu me livraria para sempre do meu Juiz.

8 Eis que se me adianto, ali não está; se torno para trás, não o percebo.

9 Se opera à esquerda, não o vejo; se se encobre à direita, não o diviso.

10 Porém ele sabe o meu caminho; provando-me ele, sairei como o ouro.

11 Nas suas pisadas os meus pés se afirmaram; guardei o seu caminho, e não me desviei dele.

12 Do preceito de seus lábios nunca me apartei, e as palavras da sua boca guardei mais do que a minha porção.

13 Mas, se ele resolveu alguma coisa, quem então o desviará? O que a sua alma quiser, isso fará.

14 Porque cumprirá o que está ordenado a meu respeito, e muitas coisas como estas ainda tem consigo.

15 Por isso me perturbo perante ele, e quando isto considero, temo-me dele.

16 Porque Deus macerou o meu coração, e o Todo-Poderoso me perturbou.

17 Porquanto não fui desarraigado por causa das trevas, e nem encobriu o meu rosto com a escuridão.

1 And Job made answer and said,

2 Even today my outcry is bitter; his hand is hard on my sorrow.

3 If only I had knowledge of where he might be seen, so that I might come even to his seat!

4 I would put my cause in order before him, and my mouth would be full of arguments.

5 I would see what his answers would be, and have knowledge of what he would say to me.

6 Would he make use of his great power to overcome me? No, but he would give attention to me.

7 There an upright man might put his cause before him; and I would be free for ever from my judge.

8 See, I go forward, but he is not there; and back, but I do not see him;

9 I am looking for him on the left hand, but there is no sign of him; and turning to the right, I am not able to see him.

10 For he has knowledge of the way I take; after I have been tested I will come out like gold.

11 My feet have gone in his steps; I have kept in his way, without turning to one side or to the other.

12 I have never gone against the orders of his lips; the words of his mouth have been stored up in my heart.

13 But his purpose is fixed and there is no changing it; and he gives effect to the desire of his soul.

14 For what has been ordered for me by him will be gone through to the end: and his mind is full of such designs.

15 For this cause I am in fear before him, my thoughts of him overcome me.

16 For God has made my heart feeble, and my mind is troubled before the Ruler of all.

17 For I am overcome by the dark, and by the black night which is covering my face.