Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then responded Job, and said—
2 Of a truth I know that it is so. But how can man be just with God?
Of a truth, I know that so it is, But how can a mortal be just with GOD?
3 If he is pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
If he choose to contend with him, he cannot answer him, one of a thousand:
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?
Wise in heart, and alert in vigour, What man hath hardened himself against him, and prospered!
5 He who removes the mountains, and they do not know it when he overturns them in his anger,
Who removeth mountains, unawares, Who overturneth them in his anger;
6 who shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars of it tremble,
Who shaketh the earth, out of its place, and, the pillars thereof, shudder;
7 who commands the sun, and it does not rise, and seals up the stars,
Who commandeth the sun, and it breaketh not forth, and, about the stars, he putteth a seal;
8 who alone stretches out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea,
Who spreadeth out fire heavens, by himself alone! and marcheth along, on the heights of the sea;
9 who makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south,
Who made the Bear, the Giant and the Cluster, and the chambers of the south;
10 who does great things past finding out, yea, marvelous things without number.
Who doeth great things, past finding out, and marvels, beyond number.
11 Lo, he goes by me, and I do not see him. He also passes on, but I do not perceive him.
Lo! he cometh upon me, yet can I not see him, Yea he passeth on, yet can I not discern him.
12 Behold, he seizes; who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What are thou doing?
Lo! he snatcheth away, who can bring it back? Who shall say unto him, What wouldst thou do?
13 God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
As for GOD, if he withdraw not his anger, under him, will have submitted themselves—the proud helpers.
14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
How much less that, I, should answer him, should choose my words with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet I would not answer. I would make supplication to my judge.
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, to be absolved, I would make supplication.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice.
Though I had called, and he had answered me, I could not believe, that he would lend an ear to my voice.
17 For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
For, with a tempest, would he fall upon me, and would multiply my wounds without need;
18 He will not allow me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
He would not suffer me to recover my breath, for he would surfeit me with bitter things.
19 If of strength, lo, he is mighty! And if of justice, who will summon me?
If it regardeth vigour, bold is he! If justice, who could summon him?
20 Though I be righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me. Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
If I should justify myself, mine own mouth, would condemn me, —I blameless? then had it shewn me perverse.
21 Though I were perfect, I do not regard myself. I despise my life.
I blameless? I should not know my own soul, I should despise my own life!
22 It is all one thing. Therefore I say, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.
One thing, there is, for which cause, I have said it, The blameless and the lawless, he bringeth to an end.
23 If the scourge kills suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
If, a scourge, slay suddenly, at the despair of innocent ones, he mocketh.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of the judges of it. If not he, who then is it?
The earth, hath been given into the hand of a lawless one, The faces of her judges, he covereth, If not, then who is it?
25 Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away. They see no good,
My days, therefore, are swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have seen no good.
26 They are passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
They have passed away with boats of paper-reed, like a vulture [which] rusheth upon food.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint. I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer,
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will lay aside my sad countenance, and brighten up,
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows. I know that thou will not hold me innocent.
I am afraid of all my pains, I know, that thou wilt not pronounce me innocent.
29 I shall be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
I, shall be held guilty, —Wherefore then, in vain, should I toil?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands ever so clean,
Though I bathe myself in snow water, and cleanse, in cleanness itself, my hands,
31 yet thou will plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me.
Then, in a ditch, wouldst thou plunge me, and mine own clothes should abhor me:
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
For he is not a man like myself, whom I might answer, nor could we come together into judgment:
33 There is no umpire between us who might lay his hand upon us both.
There is not, between us, a mediator, who might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid.
Let him take from off me his rod, and, his terror, let it not startle me:
35 Then I would speak, and not be afraid of him, for I am not so in myself.
I could speak, and not be afraid of him, although, not so, am, I, in myself!
