Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then Job answered and said:
2 I know of a truth that it is so: for how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord?
Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
3 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.
If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
4 For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: who has hardened himself against him and endured?
He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 Who wears out the mountains, and [men] know it not: who overturns them in anger.
He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
6 Who shakes the [earth] under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter.
He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars.
He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth up the stars.
8 Who alone has stretched out the heavens, and walks on the sea as on firm ground.
He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
9 Who makes Pleias, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and the chambers of the south.
He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
10 Who does great and unsearchable things; glorious also and excellent things, innumerable.
He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
11 If ever he should go beyond me, I shall not see him: if he should pass by me, neither thus have I known [it].
Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
12 If he would take away, who shall turn him back? or who shall say to him, What have you done?
Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
13 For [if] he has turned away [his] anger, the whales under heaven have stooped under him.
God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
14 Oh then that he would listen to me, or judge my cause.
How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
15 For though I be righteous, he will not listen to me: I will entreat his judgment.
Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
16 And if I should call and he should not listen, I can’t believe that he has listened to my voice.
Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
17 Let him not crush me with a dark storm: but he has made by bruises many without cause.
He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
18 For he suffers me not to take breath, but he has filled me with bitterness.
Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
19 For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgment?
If I look to strength, “Lo! here am I!” [[saith he, ]] If to justice, “Who shall summon me to trial?”
20 For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: and though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse.
Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
21 For even if I have sinned, I know it not [in] my soul: but my life is taken away.
Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
22 Therefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man.
It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
23 For the worthless die, but the righteous are laughed to scorn.
When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
24 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?
The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covereth the face of the judges thereof; If it be not He, who is it?
25 But my life is swifter than a post: [my days] have fled away, and they knew it not.
My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
26 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?
They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
27 And if I should say, I will forget to speak, I will bow down my face and groan;
If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
28 I quake in all my limbs, for I know that you will not leave me alone [as] innocent.
Still am I in dread of the multitude of my sorrows; For I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 But since I am ungodly, why have I not died?
I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
30 For if I should wash myself with snow, and purge myself with pure hands,
If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
31 you had thoroughly plunged me in filth, and my garment had abhorred me.
Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
32 For you are not man like me, with whom I could contend, that we might come together to judgment.
For He is not a man, as I am, that I may contend with him, And that we may go together into judgment;
33 Would that [he] our mediator were [present], and a reprover, and one who should hear [the cause] between both.
There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him remove [his] rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
35 so shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: for I am not thus conscious [of guilt].
Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
