Job 9
1 Then Job answered:
Then Job answered and said:
2 “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
3 If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
6 He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
7 He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
He 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.
He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
10 He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
11 Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
12 If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
13 God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
14 How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
15 For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
16 If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
17 For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
18 He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
19 If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
If I look to strength, “Lo! here am I!” [[saith he, ]] If to justice, “Who shall summon me to trial?”
20 Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
21 Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
22 It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
23 When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
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 earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covereth the face of the judges thereof; If it be not He, who is it?
25 My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
26 They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
27 If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
28 I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
Still am I in dread of the multitude of my sorrows; For I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
30 If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
31 then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
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 may contend with him, And that we may go together into judgment;
33 Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
35 Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
