Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said:
Then responded Job, and said—
2 Of a truth I know that it is so; and how can man be just with God?
Of a truth, I know that so it is, But how can a mortal be just with GOD?
3 If one should desire to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one of a thousand.
If he choose to contend with him, he cannot answer him, one of a thousand:
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardened himself against Him, and prospered?
Wise in heart, and alert in vigour, What man hath hardened himself against him, and prospered!
5 Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when He overturneth them in His anger.
Who removeth mountains, unawares, Who overturneth them in his anger;
6 Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
Who shaketh the earth, out of its place, and, the pillars thereof, shudder;
7 Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
Who commandeth the sun, and it breaketh not forth, and, about the stars, he putteth a seal;
8 Who alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
Who spreadeth out fire heavens, by himself alone! and marcheth along, on the heights of the sea;
9 Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
Who made the Bear, the Giant and the Cluster, and the chambers of the south;
10 Who doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvellous things without number.
Who doeth great things, past finding out, and marvels, beyond number.
11 Lo, He goeth by me, and I see Him not. He passeth on also, but I perceive Him not.
Lo! he cometh upon me, yet can I not see him, Yea he passeth on, yet can I not discern him.
12 Behold, He snatcheth away, who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him: 'What doest Thou?'
Lo! he snatcheth away, who can bring it back? Who shall say unto him, What wouldst thou do?
13 God will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab did stoop under Him.
As for GOD, if he withdraw not his anger, under him, will have submitted themselves—the proud helpers.
14 How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments with Him?
How much less that, I, should answer him, should choose my words with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contendeth with me.
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, to be absolved, I would make supplication.
16 If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice —
Though I had called, and he had answered me, I could not believe, that he would lend an ear to my voice.
17 He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause;
For, with a tempest, would he fall upon me, and would multiply my wounds without need;
18 That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill me with bitterness.
He would not suffer me to recover my breath, for he would surfeit me with bitter things.
19 If it be a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! and if of justice, who will appoint me a time?
If it regardeth vigour, bold is he! If justice, who could summon him?
20 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse.
If I should justify myself, mine own mouth, would condemn me, —I blameless? then had it shewn me perverse.
21 I am innocent — I regard not myself, I despise my life.
I blameless? I should not know my own soul, I should despise my own life!
22 It is all one — therefore I say: He destroyeth the innocent and the wicked.
One thing, there is, for which cause, I have said it, The blameless and the lawless, he bringeth to an end.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the calamity of the guiltless.
If, a scourge, slay suddenly, at the despair of innocent ones, he mocketh.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if it be not He, who then is it?
The earth, hath been given into the hand of a lawless one, The faces of her judges, he covereth, If not, then who is it?
25 Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.
My days, therefore, are swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have seen no good.
26 They are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoopeth on the prey.
They have passed away with boats of paper-reed, like a vulture [which] rusheth upon food.
27 If I say: 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer',
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will lay aside my sad countenance, and brighten up,
28 I am afraid of all my pains, I know that Thou wilt not hold me guiltless.
I am afraid of all my pains, I know, that thou wilt not pronounce me innocent.
29 I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
I, shall be held guilty, —Wherefore then, in vain, should I toil?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
Though I bathe myself in snow water, and cleanse, in cleanness itself, my hands,
31 Yet wilt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
Then, in a ditch, wouldst thou plunge me, and mine own clothes should 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 he is not a man like myself, whom I might answer, nor could we come together into judgment:
33 There is no arbiter betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
There is not, between us, a mediator, who might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not His terror make me afraid;
Let him take from off me his rod, and, his terror, let it not startle me:
35 Then would I speak, and not fear Him; for I am not so with myself.
I could speak, and not be afraid of him, although, not so, am, I, in myself!
