Job 9

1 Then Job answered and said,

Then Job answered and said,

2 I know it is so truthfully: but how should man be just with God?

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

3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

For if he would enter into judgment with him, [God] would not listen 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 has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?

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

5 Which removes the mountains, and they know not: which overturns them in his anger.

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

6 Which shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

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

7 Which commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars.

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

8 Which alone spreads out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea.

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

9 Which makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

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

10 Which does great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

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

11 Lo, he goes by me, and I see him not: he passes on also, but I perceive 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, he takes away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What do you?

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

13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

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

14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

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

15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

For though I be righteous, he will not listen to me: I will entreat his judgment.

16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

And if I should call and he should not listen, I can’t believe that he has listened to my voice.

17 For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.

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

18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

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

19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

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

20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

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 perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise 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 thing, therefore I said it, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.

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

23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

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

24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and 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 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

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

26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hastes to the prey.

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 will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

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

28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.

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

29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

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

30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

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

31 Yet shall you plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall detest me.

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

32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

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

33 Neither is there any arbitrator between us, that might lay his hand upon us 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 fear terrify me:

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

35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

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