Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then Job answered:
2 Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?
“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
3 If he be pleased to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand.
If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 [He is] wise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?—
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
5 [Him] that removeth the mountains, and they know it not, When he overturneth them in his anger;
He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
6 That shaketh the earth out of its place, And the pillars thereof tremble;
He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
7 That commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And sealeth up the stars;
He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
8 That alone stretcheth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea;
He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 That maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;
He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 That doeth great things past finding out, Yea, marvellous things without number.
He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: He passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
12 Behold, he seizeth [the prey], who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.
God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose out my words [to reason] with him?
How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.
If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause.
For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness.
He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
19 If [we speak] of strength, lo, [he is] mighty! And if of justice, Who, [saith he], will summon me?
If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
20 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
21 I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.
Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
22 It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the trial of the innocent.
When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covereth the faces of the judges thereof: If [it be] not [he], who then is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
25 Now my days are swifter than a post: They flee away, they see no good.
My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
26 They are passed away as the swift ships; As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my [sad] countenance, and be of good cheer;
If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
29 I shall be condemned; Why then do I labor in vain?
Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean;
If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.
then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise 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 me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
33 There is no umpire betwixt us, That might lay his hand upon us both.
Nor is there a mediator between us, to 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 remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; For I am not so in myself.
Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
