Job 9
1 Then Iob answered, and sayd,
And Job answered, and said:
2 I knowe verily that it is so: for howe should man compared vnto God, be iustified?
Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If I would dispute with him, hee could not answere 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 bene fierce against him and hath prospered?
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
5 He remoueth the mountaines, and they feele not when he ouerthroweth them in his wrath.
Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
6 Hee remooueth the earth out of her place, that the pillars thereof doe shake.
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 He commandeth the sunne, and it riseth not: hee closeth vp the starres, as vnder a signet.
Who commandeth tile sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
8 Hee himselfe alone spreadeth out the heauens, and walketh vpon the height of the sea.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
9 He maketh the starres Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the climates of the South.
Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
10 He doeth great things, and vnsearcheable: yea, marueilous things without nomber.
Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
11 Lo, when he goeth by me, I see him not: and when he passeth by, I perceiue him not.
If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
12 Behold, when he taketh a pray, who can make him to restore it? who shall say vnto him, What doest thou?
If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
13 God will not withdrawe his anger, and the most mightie helpes doe stoupe vnder him.
God, whose wrath no mall can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
14 Howe much lesse shall I answere him? or howe should I finde out my words with him?
What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
15 For though I were iust, yet could I not answere, but I would make supplication to my Iudge.
I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I cry, and he answere me, yet woulde I not beleeue, that he heard my voyce.
And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 For he destroyeth mee with a tempest, and woundeth me without cause.
For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
18 He wil not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitternesse.
He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth 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?
If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
20 If I woulde iustifie my selfe, mine owne mouth shall condemne mee: if I would be perfite, he shall iudge me wicked.
If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
21 Though I were perfite, yet I knowe not my soule: therefore abhorre I my life.
Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
22 This is one point: therefore I said, Hee destroyeth the perfite and the wicked.
One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
23 If the scourge should suddenly slay, should God laugh at the punishment of the innocent?
If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
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?
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 My dayes haue bene more swift then a post: they haue fled, and haue seene no good thing.
My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
26 They are passed as with the most swift ships, and as the eagle that flyeth to the pray.
They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
27 If I say, I wil forget my complaynt, I will cease from my wrath, and comfort mee,
If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
28 Then I am afrayd of all my sorowes, knowing that thou wilt not iudge me innocent.
I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
29 If I be wicked, why labour I thus in vaine?
But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
30 If I wash my selfe with snowe water, and purge mine hands most cleane,
If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:
31 Yet shalt thou plunge mee in the pit, and mine owne clothes shall make me filthie.
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 shoulde answere him, if we come together to iudgement.
For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 Neyther is there any vmpire that might lay his hand vpon vs 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 feare astonish me:
Let him take his rod away 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.
I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
