Job 9
1 And Job answers and says:
And 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 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 shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing 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 hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
7 Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
9 Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
Who maketh 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 doeth great things past finding 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.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
12 Behold, He snatches away, who brings it back? Who says to Him, What [are] You doing?
Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
14 How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I do not answer, For my judgment I make supplication.
Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I 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, 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.
He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He does not permit me to refresh my spirit, But fills me with bitter things.
He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
19 If of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes me?
Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
20 If I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
21 I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, He is consuming the perfect and the wicked.
It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If a scourge puts to death suddenly, He laughs at the trial of the innocent.
If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh 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 over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
And 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 pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon 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 leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
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 wilt not hold me innocent.
29 I become wicked; why [is] this? I labor [in] vain.
Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
31 Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested me.
Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would 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 not an umpire between us, who should 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 will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
