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 truly know that this is so. But how can a person be in the right with 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 he wants to argue with God, he cannot answer him once in a thousand times.
4 He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and escaped unscathed?
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has ever hardened himself against him and succeeded?—
5 [He it is] who removeth mountains, and they know it not, yea, when he overturneth them in his anger;
he who removes the mountains without warning anyone when he overturns them in his anger—
6 Who shaketh the earth loose out of her place, that her pillars tremble;
he who shakes the earth out of its place and sets its supports trembling.
7 Who speaketh to the sun, and he shineth not, and around the stars he placeth a seal;
It is the same God who tells the sun not to rise, and it does not, and who covers up the stars,
8 Who spread out the heavens by himself alone, and treadeth upon the hillocks of the sea;
who by himself stretches out the heavens and tramples down the waves of the sea,
9 Who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers the south;
who makes the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the south.
10 Who doth great things which are quite unsearchable, and wonders which are quite without number.
He does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things that cannot be counted.
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.
See, he goes by me, and I do not see him; he passes on also, but I do not perceive him.
12 Behold, were he to snatch aught away, who could hold him back? who would say unto him, What dost thou?
If he takes something away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'
13 God will not withdraw his anger: beneath him sink down the helpers of the proud.
God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.
14 How much less then could I answer him, and select my words [to contend] with him?
How much less could I answer him, could I choose words to reason with him?
15 Whom, were I even righteous, I could not answer? to him that condemneth me I could [only] make supplication.
Even if I were righteous, I could not answer him; I could only plead for mercy with 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 and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.
17 He that bruiseth me with [his] tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without a cause.
For he breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He suffereth me not to recover my breath; but feedeth me overmuch with bitter things.
He does not allow me to regain my breath; but he fills me with bitterness.
19 If it regard strength, lo, he is the powerful; and if justice, who will cite him for me to appear?
If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?
20 If I were righteous even, my own mouth would condemn me: were I innocent, it would still prove me perverse.
Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; and though I am blameless, my words would prove me to be guilty.
21 I am innocent; I will not have regard for myself: I will despise my life.
I am blameless, but I do not care any more about myself; I despise my own life.
22 One thing is [certain], therefore have I said it, The innocent and the wicked he bringeth to their end.
It makes no difference, which is why I say that he destroys blameless people and wicked people together.
23 If a scourge should slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the guiltless.
When a whip suddenly kills, 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 is given into the hand of wicked people; God covers the faces of its judges. If it is not he who does it, then who is it?
25 And my days pass swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no happiness,
My days are swifter than a running messenger; my days flee away; they see no good anywhere.
26 They hasten along like pirate ships: like the eagle that stoopeth down upon his food.
They are as fast as papyrus reed boats, and as fast as the eagle that swoops down on its victim.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sorrowful countenance, and recover my cheerfulness:
If I said that I would forget about my complaints, that I would take off my sad face 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 be afraid of all my sorrows because I know that you will not consider me innocent.
29 I must ever be guilty: why then should I fatigue myself for nought?
I will be condemned; why, then, should I try in vain?
30 If I were to wash myself in snow-water, to cleanse myself in the purity of my hands:
If I washed myself with snow water and made my hands ever so clean,
31 Even then wouldst thou plunge me in the ditch, that my own clothes would render me abhorred.
God would plunge me in a ditch, and my own clothes would be disgusted with 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 man, as I am, that I could answer him, that we could come together in court.
33 There is no one who can decide between us, who could lay his hand upon us both.
There is no judge between us who might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him but remove from me his rod, and let not his dread terrify me:
There is no other judge who could take God's rod off me, who could keep his terror from frightening me.
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; for the like I feel not within me.
Then would I speak up and not fear him. But as things are now, I cannot do that.
