Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then Job answered and said:
2 I know of a truth that it is so: for how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord?
Of a truth I know that it is so; and how can man be just with God?
3 For if he would enter into judgement with him, [God] would not listen to him, so that he should answer to one of his charges of a thousand.
If one should desire to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one of a thousand.
4 For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: who has hardened himself against him and endured?
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardened himself against Him, and prospered?
5 Who wears out the mountains, and [men] know it not: who overturns them in anger.
Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when He overturneth them in His anger.
6 Who shakes the [earth] under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter.
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars.
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 Who alone has stretched out the heavens, and walks on the sea as on firm ground.
Who alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 Who makes Pleias, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and the chambers of the south.
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 Who does great and unsearchable things; glorious also and excellent things, innumerable.
Who doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvellous things without number.
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].
Lo, He goeth by me, and I see Him not. He passeth on also, but I perceive Him not.
12 If he would take away, who shall turn him back? or who shall say to him, What have you done?
Behold, He snatcheth away, who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him: 'What doest Thou?'
13 For [if] he has turned away [his] anger, the whales under heaven have stooped under him.
God will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab did stoop under Him.
14 Oh then that he would listen to me, or judge my cause.
How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments with Him?
15 For though I be righteous, he will not listen to me: I will entreat his judgement.
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contendeth with me.
16 And if I should call and he should not listen, I can’t believe that he has listened to my voice.
If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice —
17 Let him not crush me with a dark storm: but he has made by bruises many without cause.
He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause;
18 For he suffers me not to take breath, but he has filled me with bitterness.
That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill me with bitterness.
19 For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgement?
If it be a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! and if of justice, who will appoint me a time?
20 For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: and though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse.
Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse.
21 For even if I have sinned, I know it not [in] my soul: but my life is taken away.
I am innocent — I regard not myself, I despise my life.
22 Therefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man.
It is all one — therefore I say: He destroyeth the innocent and the wicked.
23 For the worthless die, but the righteous are laughed to scorn.
If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the calamity of the guiltless.
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 is given into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if it be not He, who then is it?
25 But my life is swifter than a post: [my days] have fled away, and they knew it not.
Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.
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 are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoopeth on the prey.
27 And if I should say, I will forget to speak, I will bow down my face and groan;
If I say: 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer',
28 I quake in all my limbs, for I know that you will not leave me alone [as] innocent.
I am afraid of all my pains, I know that Thou wilt not hold me guiltless.
29 But since I am ungodly, why have I not died?
I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
30 For if I should wash myself with snow, and purge myself with pure hands,
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 you had thoroughly plunged me in filth, and my garment had abhorred me.
Yet wilt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For you are not man like me, with whom I could contend, that we might come together to judgement.
For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in judgment.
33 Would that [he] our mediator were [present], and a reprover, and one who should hear [the cause] between both.
There is no arbiter betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him remove [his] rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not His terror make me afraid;
35 so shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: for I am not thus conscious [of guilt].
Then would I speak, and not fear Him; for I am not so with myself.
