Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
Job replied,
2 I know of a truth that it is so: for how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord?
“Yes, I know all that! But how can anyone be right before God?
3 For if he would enter into judgment with him, [God] would not hearken to him, so that he should answer to one of his charges of a thousand.
If you wanted to argue with God, God could ask a thousand questions that no-one could answer.
4 For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: who has hardened himself against him and endured?
God is so wise and so powerful that no-one could challenge him and win.
5 Who wears out the mountains, and [men] know it not: who overturns them in anger.
God moves the mountains suddenly; he overturns them in his anger.
6 Who shakes the [earth] under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter.
He shakes the earth, making its foundations quake.
7 Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars.
He is the one who can command the sun not to rise and the stars not to shine.
8 Who alone has stretched out the heavens, and walks on the sea as on firm ground.
He alone is the one who stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea.
9 Who makes Pleias, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and the chambers of the south.
He made the constellations of the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the southern sky.
10 Who does great and unsearchable things; glorious also and excellent things, innumerable.
He is the one who does incredible things that are beyond our understanding, marvelous things that are uncountable.
11 If ever he should go beyond me, I shall not see him: if he should pass by me, neither thus have I known [it].
But when he passes by me, I don't see him; when he moves on, he is invisible to me.
12 If he would take away, who shall turn him back? or who shall say to him, What hast thou done?
If he takes away, who can prevent him? Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 For [if] he has turned away [his] anger, the whales under heaven have stooped under him.
God does not restrain his anger; he crushes Rahab's helpers underfoot.
14 Oh then that he would hearken to me, or judge my cause.
So how much less could I answer God, or choose my words to argue with him!
15 For though I be righteous, he will not hearken to me: I will intreat his judgment.
Even though I'm right, I can't answer him. I must plead for mercy from my judge.
16 And if I should call and he should not hearken, I cannot believe that he has listened to my voice.
Even if I called him to come and he responded, I don't believe he would listen to me.
17 Let him not crush me with a dark storm: but he has made by bruises many without cause.
He pounds me with the winds of a storm; he wounds me time and again, without giving a reason.
18 For he suffers me not to take breath, but he has filled me with bitterness.
He doesn't give me a chance even to catch my breath; instead he fills my life with bitter suffering.
19 For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgment?
If it's a question of strength, then God is the strongest. If it's a question of justice, then who will set a time for my case?
20 For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: and though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse.
Even though I am right, my own mouth would condemn me; even though I am innocent, he would prove me wrong.
21 For even if I have sinned, I know it not [in] my soul: but my life is taken away.
I am innocent! I don't care what happens to me. I hate my life!
22 Wherefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man.
That's why I say, ‘It makes no difference to God. He destroys both the innocent and the wicked.’
23 For the worthless die, but the righteous are laughed to scorn.
When disaster strikes suddenly he mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 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?
The earth has been handed over to the wicked; he blinds the eyes of the judges—if it's not him who does this, then who is it?
25 But my life is swifter than a post: [my days] have fled away, and they knew it not.
The days of my life race by like a runner, rushing past without me seeing any happiness.
26 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?
They pass by like fast sailing ships, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 And if I should say, I will forget to speak, I will bow down my face and groan;
If I said to myself, ‘I will forget my complaints; I will stop crying and be happy,’
28 I quake in all my limbs, for I know that thou wilt not leave me alone [as] innocent.
I would still be terrified at all my suffering because you, God, will not say I'm innocent.
29 But since I am ungodly, why have I not died?
Since I'm condemned, what's the point in arguing?
30 For if I should wash myself with snow, and purge myself with pure hands,
Even if I wash myself with pure mountain water and clean my hands with soap,
31 thou hadst thoroughly plunged me in filth, and my garment had abhorred me.
you would toss me into a slime pit so that even my own clothes would hate me!
32 For thou art not man like me, with whom I could contend, that we might come together to judgment.
For God is not a mortal being like me, I can't defend myself or take him to court.
33 Would that [he] our mediator were [present], and a reprover, and one who should hear [the cause] between both.
If only there was an arbitrator who could bring us both together!
34 Let him remove [his] rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
I wish God would stop beating me with his rod and terrifying me!
35 so shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: for I am not thus conscious [of guilt].
Then I could speak up without being afraid—but since I am, I can't!”
