Job 9
1 And Job answers and says:
And Job, responding, said:
2 “Truly I have known that [it is] so, But how is man righteous with God?
Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If he delights to strive with Him—He does not answer him one of a thousand.
If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.
4 Wise in heart and strong in power—Who has hardened toward Him and is at peace?
He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.
7 Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.
9 Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.
10 Doing great things until there is no searching, And wonderful, until there is no numbering.
He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.
11 Behold, He goes over by me, and I do not see, And He passes on, and I do not attend to it.
If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.
12 Behold, He snatches away, who brings it back? Who says to Him, What [are] You doing?
If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”
13 God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,
14 How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I do not answer, For my judgment I make supplication.
And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.
16 Though I had called and He answers me, I do not believe that He gives ear [to] my voice.
And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 Because He bruises me with a storm, And has multiplied my wounds for nothing.
For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.
18 He does not permit me to refresh my spirit, But fills me with bitter things.
He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.
19 If of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes me?
If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.
20 If I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.
21 I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, He is consuming the perfect and the wicked.
There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.
23 If a scourge puts to death suddenly, He laughs at the trial of the innocent.
If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment 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?
Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darts on food.
They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.
27 Though I say, I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!
If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that You do not acquit me.
I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.
29 I become wicked; why [is] this? I labor [in] vain.
Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,
31 Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested me.
yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me.
32 But if a man like myself—I answer Him, We come together into judgment.
For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.
34 He turns aside His rod from off me, And His terror does not make me afraid,
Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.
