Job 9
1 Then Job answered:
And Job made answer and said,
2 “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
3 If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.
4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?
5 He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
6 He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
7 He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
10 He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
11 Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
12 If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?
13 God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
14 How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
15 For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.
16 If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.
17 For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
18 He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
19 If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
If it is a question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?
20 Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.
21 Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
22 It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.
23 When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?
25 My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
26 They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
27 If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;
28 I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
29 Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
30 If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
31 then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
32 For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
For he is not a man as I am, that I might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.
33 Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
34 Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
35 Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
