Job 9
1 And Job made answer and said,
Then responded Job, and said—
2 Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
Of a truth, I know that so it is, But how can a mortal be just 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 choose to contend with him, he cannot 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 alert in vigour, What man hath hardened himself against him, and prospered!
5 It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
Who removeth mountains, unawares, Who overturneth them in his anger;
6 Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
Who shaketh the earth, out of its place, and, the pillars thereof, shudder;
7 Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
Who commandeth the sun, and it breaketh not forth, and, about the stars, he putteth a seal;
8 By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
Who spreadeth out fire heavens, by himself alone! and marcheth along, on the heights of the sea;
9 Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
Who made the Bear, the Giant and the Cluster, and the chambers of the south;
10 Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
Who doeth great things, past finding out, and marvels, beyond number.
11 See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
Lo! he cometh upon me, yet can I not see him, Yea he passeth on, yet can I not discern him.
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?
Lo! he snatcheth away, who can bring it back? Who shall say unto him, What wouldst thou do?
13 God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
As for GOD, if he withdraw not his anger, under him, will have submitted themselves—the proud helpers.
14 How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
How much less that, I, should answer him, should choose 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, yet would I not answer, to be absolved, I would 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 had answered me, I could not believe, that he would lend an ear to my voice.
17 For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
For, with a tempest, would he fall upon me, and would multiply my wounds without need;
18 He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
He would not suffer me to recover my breath, for he would surfeit 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 it regardeth vigour, bold is he! If justice, who could summon him?
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 should justify myself, mine own mouth, would condemn me, —I blameless? then had it shewn me perverse.
21 I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
I blameless? I should not know my own soul, I should despise my own 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, for which cause, I have said it, The blameless and the lawless, he bringeth to an end.
23 If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
If, a scourge, slay suddenly, at the despair of innocent ones, he mocketh.
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, hath been given into the hand of a lawless one, The faces of her judges, he covereth, If not, then who is it?
25 My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
My days, therefore, are swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have seen no good.
26 They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
They have passed away with boats of paper-reed, like a vulture [which] rusheth upon 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;
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will lay aside my sad countenance, and 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 am afraid of all my pains, I know, that thou wilt not pronounce me innocent.
29 You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
I, shall be held guilty, —Wherefore then, in vain, should I toil?
30 If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
Though I bathe myself in snow water, and cleanse, in cleanness itself, my hands,
31 Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
Then, in a ditch, wouldst thou plunge me, and mine own clothes should 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 he is not a man like myself, whom I might answer, nor could we come together into judgment:
33 There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
There is not, between us, a mediator, who might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
Let him take from off me his rod, and, his terror, let it not startle 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 could speak, and not be afraid of him, although, not so, am, I, in myself!
