Job 9
1 And Job answered and said,
And Job answered, and said:
2 Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?
Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
5 Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
6 Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
Who commandeth tile sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
9 Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
10 Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.
Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
12 Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
13 God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
God, whose wrath no mall can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
14 How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, —
And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
18 He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
19 Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
20 If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
21 Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
23 If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.
If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
24 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?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
25 And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
26 They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
29 Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
30 If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:
31 Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.
Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me,
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.
For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
35 [Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
