Job 9
1 And Job answers and says:
And Job made answer and said,
2 “Truly I have known that [it is] so, But how is man righteous with God?
Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
3 If he delights to strive with Him—He does not answer him one of a thousand.
If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.
4 Wise in heart and strong in power—Who has hardened toward Him and is at peace?
He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
7 Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
9 Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
10 Doing great things until there is no searching, And wonderful, until there is no numbering.
Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, 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.
See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
12 Behold, He snatches away, who brings it back? Who says to Him, What [are] You doing?
If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?
13 God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
14 How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I do not answer, For my judgment I make supplication.
Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.
16 Though I had called and He answers me, I do not believe that He gives ear [to] my voice.
If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.
17 Because He bruises me with a storm, And has multiplied my wounds for nothing.
For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
18 He does not permit me to refresh my spirit, But fills me with bitter things.
He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
19 If of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes me?
If it is a question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?
20 If I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.
21 I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, He is consuming the perfect and the wicked.
It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.
23 If a scourge puts to death suddenly, He laughs at the trial of the innocent.
If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
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 land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darts on food.
They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
27 Though I say, I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!
If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that You do not acquit me.
I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
29 I become wicked; why [is] this? I labor [in] vain.
You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
31 Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested me.
Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
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 might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.
33 If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
34 He turns aside His rod from off me, And His terror does not make me afraid,
Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
