Job 9
1 And Job made answer and said,
And Job answers and says:
2 Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
“Truly I have known that [it is] so, But how is man righteous 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 delights to strive with Him—He does not answer him one 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?
Wise in heart and strong in power—Who has hardened toward Him and is at peace?
5 It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
6 Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
7 Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
8 By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
9 Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
10 Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
Doing great things until there is no searching, And wonderful, until there is no numbering.
11 See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
Behold, He goes over by me, and I do not see, And He passes on, and I do not attend to 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?
Behold, He snatches away, who brings it back? Who says to Him, What [are] You doing?
13 God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
14 How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my 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.
Whom, though I were righteous, I do not answer, For my judgment I make supplication.
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.
Though I had called and He answers me, I do not believe that He gives ear [to] my voice.
17 For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
Because He bruises me with a storm, And has multiplied my wounds for nothing.
18 He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
He does not permit me to refresh my spirit, But fills me with bitter things.
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 of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes 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 am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
21 I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise 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.
It is the same thing, therefore I said, He is consuming the perfect and the wicked.
23 If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
If a scourge puts to death suddenly, He laughs at the trial 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?
Earth has been given Into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of her judges, If not—where, who [is] he?
25 My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
26 They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darts on food.
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;
Though I say, I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!
28 I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that You do not acquit me.
29 You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
I become wicked; why [is] this? I labor [in] vain.
30 If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
31 Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested 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.
But if a man like myself—I answer Him, We come together into judgment.
33 There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
34 Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
He turns aside His rod from off me, And His terror does not make me afraid,
35 Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
