Job 9
1 Then answered Job, and said,
Job replied,
2 Truly I know that it is so: and how could a mortal be righteous before God?
“Yes, I know all that! But how can anyone be right before God?
3 If he were desirous to enter into a contest with him, he could not give him one answer out of a thousand.
If you wanted to argue with God, God could ask a thousand questions that no-one could answer.
4 He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and escaped unscathed?
God is so wise and so powerful that no-one could challenge him and win.
5 [He it is] who removeth mountains, and they know it not, yea, when he overturneth them in his anger;
God moves the mountains suddenly; he overturns them in his anger.
6 Who shaketh the earth loose out of her place, that her pillars tremble;
He shakes the earth, making its foundations quake.
7 Who speaketh to the sun, and he shineth not, and around the stars he placeth a seal;
He is the one who can command the sun not to rise and the stars not to shine.
8 Who spread out the heavens by himself alone, and treadeth upon the hillocks of the sea;
He alone is the one who stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea.
9 Who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers the south;
He made the constellations of the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the southern sky.
10 Who doth great things which are quite unsearchable, and wonders which are quite without number.
He is the one who does incredible things that are beyond our understanding, marvelous things that are uncountable.
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.
But when he passes by me, I don't see him; when he moves on, he is invisible to me.
12 Behold, were he to snatch aught away, who could hold him back? who would say unto him, What dost thou?
If he takes away, who can prevent him? Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 God will not withdraw his anger: beneath him sink down the helpers of the proud.
God does not restrain his anger; he crushes Rahab's helpers underfoot.
14 How much less then could I answer him, and select my words [to contend] with him?
So how much less could I answer God, or choose my words to argue with him!
15 Whom, were I even righteous, I could not answer? to him that condemneth me I could [only] make supplication.
Even though I'm right, I can't answer him. I must plead for mercy from my judge.
16 Or were I to call, and he would answer me, I could yet not believe that he would give ear unto my voice—
Even if I called him to come and he responded, I don't believe he would listen to me.
17 He that bruiseth me with [his] tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without a cause.
He pounds me with the winds of a storm; he wounds me time and again, without giving a reason.
18 He suffereth me not to recover my breath; but feedeth me overmuch with bitter things.
He doesn't give me a chance even to catch my breath; instead he fills my life with bitter suffering.
19 If it regard strength, lo, he is the powerful; and if justice, who will cite him for me to appear?
If it's a question of strength, then God is the strongest. If it's a question of justice, then who will set a time for my case?
20 If I were righteous even, my own mouth would condemn me: were I innocent, it would still prove me perverse.
Even though I am right, my own mouth would condemn me; even though I am innocent, he would prove me wrong.
21 I am innocent; I will not have regard for myself: I will despise my life.
I am innocent! I don't care what happens to me. I hate my life!
22 One thing is [certain], therefore have I said it, The innocent and the wicked he bringeth to their end.
That's why I say, ‘It makes no difference to God. He destroys both the innocent and the wicked.’
23 If a scourge should slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the guiltless.
When disaster strikes suddenly he mocks the despair of the innocent.
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?
The earth has been handed over to the wicked; he blinds the eyes of the judges—if it's not him who does this, then who is it?
25 And my days pass swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no happiness,
The days of my life race by like a runner, rushing past without me seeing any happiness.
26 They hasten along like pirate ships: like the eagle that stoopeth down upon his food.
They pass by like fast sailing ships, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sorrowful countenance, and recover my cheerfulness:
If I said to myself, ‘I will forget my complaints; I will stop crying and be happy,’
28 O then would I be in dread of all my pains; I know that thou wilt not declare me innocent.
I would still be terrified at all my suffering because you, God, will not say I'm innocent.
29 I must ever be guilty: why then should I fatigue myself for nought?
Since I'm condemned, what's the point in arguing?
30 If I were to wash myself in snow-water, to cleanse myself in the purity of my hands:
Even if I wash myself with pure mountain water and clean my hands with soap,
31 Even then wouldst thou plunge me in the ditch, that my own clothes would render me abhorred.
you would toss me into a slime pit so that even my own clothes would hate me!
32 For he is not a man, like me, that I could answer him, that we should enter together into a contest.
For God is not a mortal being like me, I can't defend myself or take him to court.
33 There is no one who can decide between us, who could lay his hand upon us both.
If only there was an arbitrator who could bring us both together!
34 Let him but remove from me his rod, and let not his dread terrify me:
I wish God would stop beating me with his rod and terrifying me!
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; for the like I feel not within me.
Then I could speak up without being afraid—but since I am, I can't!”
