For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.

Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.

Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.

Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.

I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why You prosecute me.

Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me. Would You now turn and destroy me?

Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?

If He comes along to imprison you, or convenes a court, who can stop Him?

For you will forget your misery, recalling it only as waters gone by.

Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.

You will be secure, because there is hope, and you will look around and lie down in safety.

You will lie down without fear, and many will court your favor.

The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.

If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.

True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.

He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.

He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.

He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.

He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.

He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.

He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.

He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.

They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.