Job 9
1 And Job made answer and said,
And Job answered, and said:
2 Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 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.
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
5 It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
6 Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
Who commandeth tile sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
8 By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
9 Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
10 Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
11 See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
12 If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?
If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
13 God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
God, whose wrath no mall can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
14 How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
15 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.
I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
16 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.
And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
18 He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
19 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?
If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
20 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.
If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
21 I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
22 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.
One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
23 If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
24 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?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
25 My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
26 They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
27 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;
If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
28 I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
29 You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
30 If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:
31 Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me,
32 For he is not a man as I am, that I might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.
For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.
34 Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
35 Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
