Job 9
1 And Job answered, and said:
Then Job answered and said,
2 Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
Of a truth I know that it is so. But how can man be just with God?
3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
If he is pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
He who removes the mountains, and they do not know it when he overturns them in his anger,
6 Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
who shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars of it tremble,
7 Who commandeth tile sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
who commands the sun, and it does not rise, and seals up the stars,
8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
who alone stretches out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea,
9 Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
who makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south,
10 Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
who does great things past finding out, yea, marvelous things without number.
11 If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
Lo, he goes by me, and I do not see him. He also passes on, but I do not perceive him.
12 If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
Behold, he seizes; who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What are thou doing?
13 God, whose wrath no mall can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
14 What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
15 I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
Whom, though I were righteous, yet I would not answer. I would make supplication to my judge.
16 And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice.
17 For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
He will not allow me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19 If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
If of strength, lo, he is mighty! And if of justice, who will summon me?
20 If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
Though I be righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me. Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
21 Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
Though I were perfect, I do not regard myself. I despise my life.
22 One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
It is all one thing. Therefore I say, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.
23 If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
If the scourge kills suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
24 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?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of the judges of it. If not he, who then is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away. They see no good,
26 They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
They are passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
27 If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
If I say, I will forget my complaint. I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer,
28 I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
I am afraid of all my sorrows. I know that thou will not hold me innocent.
29 But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
I shall be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands ever so clean,
31 Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me,
yet thou will plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may 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 none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.
There is no umpire between us who might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away 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 I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
Then I would speak, and not be afraid of him, for I am not so in myself.
