Job 9

1 Then answered Job, and said,

Then Job answered and said,

2 Truly I know that it is so: and how could a mortal be righteous before God?

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

3 If he were desirous to enter into a contest with him, he could not give him one answer out of a thousand.

For if he would enter into judgement 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 of heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and escaped unscathed?

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

5 [He it is] who removeth mountains, and they know it not, yea, when he overturneth them in his anger;

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

6 Who shaketh the earth loose out of her place, that her pillars tremble;

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

7 Who speaketh to the sun, and he shineth not, and around the stars he placeth a seal;

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

8 Who spread out the heavens by himself alone, and treadeth upon the hillocks of the sea;

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

9 Who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers the south;

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

10 Who doth great things which are quite unsearchable, and wonders which are quite without number.

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

11 Lo, were he to go past by me, I should not see him; and were he to pass along, I should not perceive him.

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, were he to snatch aught away, who could hold him back? who would say unto him, What dost thou?

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

13 God will not withdraw his anger: beneath him sink down the helpers of the proud.

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

14 How much less then could I answer him, and select my words [to contend] with him?

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

15 Whom, were I even righteous, I could not answer? to him that condemneth me I could [only] make supplication.

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

16 Or were I to call, and he would answer me, I could yet not believe that he would give ear 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 He that bruiseth me with [his] tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without a cause.

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

18 He suffereth me not to recover my breath; but feedeth me overmuch with bitter things.

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

19 If it regard strength, lo, he is the powerful; and if justice, who will cite him for me to appear?

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

20 If I were righteous even, my own mouth would condemn me: were I innocent, it would still 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 I am innocent; I will not have regard for myself: I will despise my life.

For even if I have sinned, I know it not [in] my soul: but my life is taken away.

22 One thing is [certain], therefore have I said it, The innocent and the wicked he bringeth to their end.

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

23 If a scourge should slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the guiltless.

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

24 Is a land given up into the hand of the wicked? he covereth the faces of its judges: if this be not the truth, who is it then?

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 And my days pass swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no happiness,

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

26 They hasten along like pirate ships: like the eagle that stoopeth down upon his food.

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 sorrowful countenance, and recover my cheerfulness:

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

28 O then would I be in dread of all my pains; I know that thou wilt not declare me innocent.

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

29 I must ever be guilty: why then should I fatigue myself for nought?

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

30 If I were to wash myself in snow-water, to cleanse myself in the purity of my hands:

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

31 Even then wouldst thou plunge me in the ditch, that my own clothes would render me abhorred.

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

32 For he is not a man, like me, that I could answer him, that we should enter together into a contest.

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

33 There is no one who can decide between us, who could 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 but remove from me his rod, and let not his dread 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; for the like I feel not within me.

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