Job 9
1 Then Iob answered, and sayd,
And Job answers and says:
2 I knowe verily that it is so: for howe should man compared vnto God, be iustified?
“Truly I have known that [it is] so, But how is man righteous with God?
3 If I would dispute with him, hee could not answere him one thing of a thousand.
If he delights to strive with Him—He does not answer him one of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath bene fierce against him and hath prospered?
Wise in heart and strong in power—Who has hardened toward Him and is at peace?
5 He remoueth the mountaines, and they feele not when he ouerthroweth them in his wrath.
Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
6 Hee remooueth the earth out of her place, that the pillars thereof doe shake.
Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
7 He commandeth the sunne, and it riseth not: hee closeth vp the starres, as vnder a signet.
Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
8 Hee himselfe alone spreadeth out the heauens, and walketh vpon the height of the sea.
Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
9 He maketh the starres Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the climates of the South.
Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
10 He doeth great things, and vnsearcheable: yea, marueilous things without nomber.
Doing great things until there is no searching, And wonderful, until there is no numbering.
11 Lo, when he goeth by me, I see him not: and when he passeth by, I perceiue him not.
Behold, He goes over by me, and I do not see, And He passes on, and I do not attend to it.
12 Behold, when he taketh a pray, who can make him to restore it? who shall say vnto him, What doest thou?
Behold, He snatches away, who brings it back? Who says to Him, What [are] You doing?
13 God will not withdrawe his anger, and the most mightie helpes doe stoupe vnder him.
God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
14 Howe much lesse shall I answere him? or howe should I finde out my words with him?
How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
15 For though I were iust, yet could I not answere, but I would make supplication to my Iudge.
Whom, though I were righteous, I do not answer, For my judgment I make supplication.
16 If I cry, and he answere me, yet woulde I not beleeue, that he heard my voyce.
Though I had called and He answers me, I do not believe that He gives ear [to] my voice.
17 For he destroyeth mee with a tempest, and woundeth me without cause.
Because He bruises me with a storm, And has multiplied my wounds for nothing.
18 He wil not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitternesse.
He does not permit me to refresh my spirit, But fills me with bitter things.
19 If we speake of strength, behold, he is strog: if we speake of iudgement, who shall bring me in to pleade?
If of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes 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 am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
21 Though I were perfite, yet I knowe not my soule: therefore abhorre I my life.
I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
22 This is one point: therefore I said, Hee destroyeth the perfite and the wicked.
It is the same thing, therefore I said, He is consuming the perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge should suddenly slay, should God laugh at the punishment of the innocent?
If a scourge puts to death suddenly, He laughs at the trial 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?
Earth has been given Into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of her judges, If not—where, who [is] he?
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 runner, They have fled, they 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 on with ships of reed, As an eagle darts on food.
27 If I say, I wil forget my complaynt, I will cease from my wrath, and comfort mee,
Though I say, I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!
28 Then I am afrayd of all my sorowes, knowing that thou wilt not iudge me innocent.
I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that You do not acquit me.
29 If I be wicked, why labour I thus in vaine?
I become wicked; why [is] this? I labor [in] vain.
30 If I wash my selfe with snowe water, and purge mine hands most cleane,
If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
31 Yet shalt thou plunge mee in the pit, and mine owne clothes shall make me filthie.
Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested me.
32 For he is not a man as I am, that I shoulde answere him, if we come together to iudgement.
But if a man like myself—I answer Him, We come together into judgment.
33 Neyther is there any vmpire that might lay his hand vpon vs both.
If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his feare astonish me:
He turns aside His rod from off me, And His terror does not make me afraid,
35 Then will I speake, and feare him not: but because I am not so, I holde me still.
I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
