Job 9

1 Then Iob answered, and sayd,

Then Job answered and said,

2 I knowe verily that it is so: for howe should man compared vnto God, be iustified?

I know of a truth that it is so: for how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord?

3 If I would dispute with him, hee could not answere him one thing of a thousand.

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.

4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath bene fierce against him and hath prospered?

For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: who has hardened himself against him and endured?

5 He remoueth the mountaines, and they feele not when he ouerthroweth them in his wrath.

Who wears out the mountains, and [men] know it not: who overturns them in anger.

6 Hee remooueth the earth out of her place, that the pillars thereof doe shake.

Who shakes the [earth] under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter.

7 He commandeth the sunne, and it riseth not: hee closeth vp the starres, as vnder a signet.

Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars.

8 Hee himselfe alone spreadeth out the heauens, and walketh vpon the height of the sea.

Who alone has stretched out the heavens, and walks on the sea as on firm ground.

9 He maketh the starres Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the climates of the South.

Who makes Pleias, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and the chambers of the south.

10 He doeth great things, and vnsearcheable: yea, marueilous things without nomber.

Who does great and unsearchable things; glorious also and excellent things, innumerable.

11 Lo, when he goeth by me, I see him not: and when he passeth by, I perceiue him not.

If ever he should go beyond me, I shall not see him: if he should pass by me, neither thus have I known [it].

12 Behold, when he taketh a pray, who can make him to restore it? who shall say vnto him, What doest thou?

If he would take away, who shall turn him back? or who shall say to him, What hast thou done?

13 God will not withdrawe his anger, and the most mightie helpes doe stoupe vnder him.

For [if] he has turned away [his] anger, the whales under heaven have stooped under him.

14 Howe much lesse shall I answere him? or howe should I finde out my words with him?

Oh then that he would hearken to me, or judge my cause.

15 For though I were iust, yet could I not answere, but I would make supplication to my Iudge.

For though I be righteous, he will not hearken to me: I will intreat his judgment.

16 If I cry, and he answere me, yet woulde I not beleeue, that he heard my voyce.

And if I should call and he should not hearken, I cannot believe that he has listened to my voice.

17 For he destroyeth mee with a tempest, and woundeth me without cause.

Let him not crush me with a dark storm: but he has made by bruises many without cause.

18 He wil not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitternesse.

For he suffers me not to take breath, but he has filled me with bitterness.

19 If we speake of strength, behold, he is strog: if we speake of iudgement, who shall bring me in to pleade?

For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgment?

20 If I woulde iustifie my selfe, mine owne mouth shall condemne mee: if I would be perfite, he shall iudge me wicked.

For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: and though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse.

21 Though I were perfite, yet I knowe not my soule: therefore abhorre I my life.

For even if I have sinned, I know it not [in] my soul: but my life is taken away.

22 This is one point: therefore I said, Hee destroyeth the perfite and the wicked.

Wherefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man.

23 If the scourge should suddenly slay, should God laugh at the punishment of the innocent?

For the worthless die, but the righteous are laughed to scorn.

24 The earth is giuen into the hand of ye wicked: he couereth the faces of the iudges therof: if not, where is he? or who is he?

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?

25 My dayes haue bene more swift then a post: they haue fled, and haue seene no good thing.

But my life is swifter than a post: [my days] have fled away, and they knew it not.

26 They are passed as with the most swift ships, and as the eagle that flyeth to the pray.

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?

27 If I say, I wil forget my complaynt, I will cease from my wrath, and comfort mee,

And if I should say, I will forget to speak, I will bow down my face and groan;

28 Then I am afrayd of all my sorowes, knowing that thou wilt not iudge me innocent.

I quake in all my limbs, for I know that thou wilt not leave me alone [as] innocent.

29 If I be wicked, why labour I thus in vaine?

But since I am ungodly, why have I not died?

30 If I wash my selfe with snowe water, and purge mine hands most cleane,

For if I should wash myself with snow, and purge myself with pure hands,

31 Yet shalt thou plunge mee in the pit, and mine owne clothes shall make me filthie.

thou hadst thoroughly plunged me in filth, and my garment had abhorred me.

32 For he is not a man as I am, that I shoulde answere him, if we come together to iudgement.

For thou art not man like me, with whom I could contend, that we might come together to judgment.

33 Neyther is there any vmpire that might lay his hand vpon vs both.

Would that [he] our mediator were [present], and a reprover, and one who should hear [the cause] between both.

34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his feare astonish me:

Let him remove [his] rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

35 Then will I speake, and feare him not: but because I am not so, I holde me still.

so shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: for I am not thus conscious [of guilt].