Job 9
1 And Job answers and says:
Then Job answered:
2 “Truly I have known that [it is] so, But how is man righteous with God?
“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
3 If he delights to strive with Him—He does not answer him one of a thousand.
If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 Wise in heart and strong in power—Who has hardened toward Him and is at peace?
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
7 Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 Doing great things until there is no searching, And wonderful, until there is no numbering.
He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders 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.
Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
12 Behold, He snatches away, who brings it back? Who says to Him, What [are] You doing?
If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
14 How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I do not answer, For my judgment I make supplication.
For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
16 Though I had called and He answers me, I do not believe that He gives ear [to] my voice.
If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
17 Because He bruises me with a storm, And has multiplied my wounds for nothing.
For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
18 He does not permit me to refresh my spirit, But fills me with bitter things.
He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
19 If of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes me?
If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
20 If I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
21 I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, He is consuming the perfect and the wicked.
It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 If a scourge puts to death suddenly, He laughs at the trial of the innocent.
When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair 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 blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darts on food.
They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 Though I say, I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!
If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that You do not acquit me.
I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
29 I become wicked; why [is] this? I labor [in] vain.
Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested me.
then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
32 But if a man like myself—I answer Him, We come together into judgment.
For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
33 If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
Nor is there a mediator between us, to 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 remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
