Job 9

1 And Job made answer and said,

Then 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?

I know of a truth that it is so: for how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord?

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.

For if he would enter into judgment with him, [God] would not listen to him, so that he should answer to one of his charges of 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?

For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: who has hardened himself against him and endured?

5 It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:

Who wears out the mountains, and [men] know it not: who overturns them in anger.

6 Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:

Who shakes the [earth] under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter.

7 Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.

Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars.

8 By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:

Who alone has stretched out the heavens, and walks on the sea as on firm ground.

9 Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:

Who makes Pleias, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and the chambers of the south.

10 Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.

Who does great and unsearchable things; glorious also and excellent things, innumerable.

11 See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.

If ever he should go beyond me, I shall not see him: if he should pass by me, neither thus have I known [it].

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 would take away, who shall turn him back? or who shall say to him, What have you done?

13 God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.

For [if] he has turned away [his] anger, the whales under heaven have stooped under him.

14 How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?

Oh then that he would listen to me, or judge my cause.

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.

For though I be righteous, he will not listen to me: I will entreat his judgment.

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 I should call and he should not listen, I can’t believe that he has listened to my voice.

17 For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.

Let him not crush me with a dark storm: but he has made by bruises many without cause.

18 He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.

For he suffers me not to take breath, but he has filled 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?

For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgment?

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.

For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: and though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse.

21 I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.

For even if I have sinned, I know it not [in] my soul: but my life is taken away.

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.

Therefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man.

23 If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.

For the worthless die, but the righteous are laughed to scorn.

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?

For they are delivered into the hands of the unrighteous [man]: he covers the faces of the judges [of the earth]: but if it be not he, who is it?

25 My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.

But my life is swifter than a post: [my days] have fled away, and they knew it not.

26 They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.

Or again, is there a trace of [their] path [left] by ships? or is there one of the flying eagle as it seeks [its] 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;

And if I should say, I will forget to speak, I will bow down my face and groan;

28 I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.

I quake in all my limbs, for I know that you will not leave me alone [as] innocent.

29 You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?

But since I am ungodly, why have I not died?

30 If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;

For if I should wash myself with snow, and purge myself with pure hands,

31 Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.

you had thoroughly plunged me in filth, and my garment had abhorred 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 you are not man like me, with whom I could contend, that we might come together to judgment.

33 There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.

Would that [he] our mediator were [present], and a reprover, and one who should hear [the cause] between both.

34 Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:

Let him remove [his] rod 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.

so shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: for I am not thus conscious [of guilt].