Job 9
1 And Job answers and says:
Then Job answered and said,
2 “Truly I have known that [it is] so, But how is man righteous with God?
Of a truth I know that it is so. But how can man be just with God?
3 If he delights to strive with Him—He does not answer him one of a thousand.
If he is pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4 Wise in heart and strong in power—Who has hardened toward Him and is at peace?
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
He who removes the mountains, and they do not know it when he overturns them in his anger,
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
who shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars of it tremble,
7 Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
who commands the sun, and it does not rise, and seals up the stars,
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
who alone stretches out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea,
9 Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
who makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south,
10 Doing great things until there is no searching, And wonderful, until there is no numbering.
who does great things past finding out, yea, marvelous things without number.
11 Behold, He goes over by me, and I do not see, And He passes on, and I do not attend to it.
Lo, he goes by me, and I do not see him. He also passes on, but I do not perceive him.
12 Behold, He snatches away, who brings it back? Who says to Him, What [are] You doing?
Behold, he seizes; who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What are thou doing?
13 God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
14 How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I do not answer, For my judgment I make supplication.
Whom, though I were righteous, yet I would not answer. I would make supplication to my judge.
16 Though I had called and He answers me, I do not believe that He gives ear [to] my voice.
If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice.
17 Because He bruises me with a storm, And has multiplied my wounds for nothing.
For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He does not permit me to refresh my spirit, But fills me with bitter things.
He will not allow me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19 If of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes me?
If of strength, lo, he is mighty! And if of justice, who will summon me?
20 If I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
Though I be righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me. Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
21 I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
Though I were perfect, I do not regard myself. I despise my life.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, He is consuming the perfect and the wicked.
It is all one thing. Therefore I say, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.
23 If a scourge puts to death suddenly, He laughs at the trial of the innocent.
If the scourge kills suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
24 Earth has been given Into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of her judges, If not—where, who [is] he?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of the judges of it. If not he, who then is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away. They see no good,
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darts on food.
They are passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
27 Though I say, I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!
If I say, I will forget my complaint. I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer,
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that You do not acquit me.
I am afraid of all my sorrows. I know that thou will not hold me innocent.
29 I become wicked; why [is] this? I labor [in] vain.
I shall be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands ever so clean,
31 Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested me.
yet thou will plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me.
32 But if a man like myself—I answer Him, We come together into judgment.
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
33 If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
There is no umpire between us who might lay his hand upon us both.
34 He turns aside His rod from off me, And His terror does not make me afraid,
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid.
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
Then I would speak, and not be afraid of him, for I am not so in myself.
