Job 9
1 Then Job answered,
And Job answered and said,
2 “Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?
Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?
3 If he is pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one time in a thousand.
If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
4 God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him and prospered?
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
5 He removes the mountains, and they do not know it, when he overturns them in his anger.
Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 He shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble.
Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
7 He commands the sun and it does not rise, and seals up the stars.
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
8 He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
9 He makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the rooms of the south.
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
10 He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.
Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.
11 Behold, he goes by me, and I do not see him. He passes on also, but I do not perceive him.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
12 Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 “God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
14 How much less will I answer him, and choose my words to argue with him?
How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
15 Though I were righteous, yet I would not answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.
Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I would not believe that he listened to my voice.
If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, —
17 For he breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
19 If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
20 Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me. Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.
If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
21 I am blameless. I do not respect myself. I despise my life.
Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 “It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.
It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.
If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?
The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
25 “Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away. They see no good.
And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up,’
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 you will not hold me innocent.
I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 I will be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
31 yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes will abhor me.
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.
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 between us, that might lay his hand on us both.
There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
35 then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.
[Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
