Job 9
1 And Job, responding, said:
And Job answered and said,
2 Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?
3 If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.
If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
4 He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
5 He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.
Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.
Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
7 He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
8 He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
9 He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
10 He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.
Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.
11 If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
12 If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”
Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,
God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
14 what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?
How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
15 And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.
Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
16 And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.
If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, —
17 For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.
He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.
He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
19 If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.
Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
20 If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.
If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
21 And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.
Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.
It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent.
If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.
24 Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?
The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.
And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.
They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
27 If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
28 I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.
I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?
Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
30 If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,
If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
31 yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me.
Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.
32 For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.
There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
35 I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.
[Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
