Job 9
1 And Job answers and says:
Then Iob answered, and sayd,
2 “Truly I have known that [it is] so, But how is man righteous with God?
I knowe verily that it is so: for howe should man compared vnto God, be iustified?
3 If he delights to strive with Him—He does not answer him one of a thousand.
If I would dispute with him, hee could not answere 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 bene fierce against him and hath prospered?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
He remoueth the mountaines, and they feele not when he ouerthroweth them in his wrath.
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
Hee remooueth the earth out of her place, that the pillars thereof doe shake.
7 Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
He commandeth the sunne, and it riseth not: hee closeth vp the starres, as vnder a signet.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
Hee himselfe alone spreadeth out the heauens, and walketh vpon the height of the sea.
9 Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
He maketh the starres Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the climates of the South.
10 Doing great things until there is no searching, And wonderful, until there is no numbering.
He doeth great things, and vnsearcheable: yea, marueilous things without nomber.
11 Behold, He goes over by me, and I do not see, And He passes on, and I do not attend to it.
Lo, when he goeth by me, I see him not: and when he passeth by, I perceiue him not.
12 Behold, He snatches away, who brings it back? Who says to Him, What [are] You doing?
Behold, when he taketh a pray, who can make him to restore it? who shall say vnto him, What doest thou?
13 God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
God will not withdrawe his anger, and the most mightie helpes doe stoupe vnder him.
14 How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
Howe much lesse shall I answere him? or howe should I finde out my words with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I do not answer, For my judgment I make supplication.
For though I were iust, yet could I not answere, but I would make supplication to my Iudge.
16 Though I had called and He answers me, I do not believe that He gives ear [to] my voice.
If I cry, and he answere me, yet woulde I not beleeue, that he heard my voyce.
17 Because He bruises me with a storm, And has multiplied my wounds for nothing.
For he destroyeth mee with a tempest, and woundeth me without cause.
18 He does not permit me to refresh my spirit, But fills me with bitter things.
He wil not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitternesse.
19 If of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes me?
If we speake of strength, behold, he is strog: if we speake of iudgement, who shall bring me in to pleade?
20 If I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
If I woulde iustifie my selfe, mine owne mouth shall condemne mee: if I would be perfite, he shall iudge me wicked.
21 I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
Though I were perfite, yet I knowe not my soule: therefore abhorre I my life.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, He is consuming the perfect and the wicked.
This is one point: therefore I said, Hee destroyeth the perfite and the wicked.
23 If a scourge puts to death suddenly, He laughs at the trial of the innocent.
If the scourge should suddenly slay, should God 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?
The earth is giuen into the hand of ye wicked: he couereth the faces of the iudges therof: if not, where is he? or who is he?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
My dayes haue bene more swift then a post: they haue fled, and haue seene no good thing.
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darts on food.
They are passed as with the most swift ships, and as the eagle that flyeth to the pray.
27 Though I say, I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!
If I say, I wil forget my complaynt, I will cease from my wrath, and comfort mee,
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that You do not acquit me.
Then I am afrayd of all my sorowes, knowing that thou wilt not iudge me innocent.
29 I become wicked; why [is] this? I labor [in] vain.
If I be wicked, why labour I thus in vaine?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
If I wash my selfe with snowe water, and purge mine hands most cleane,
31 Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested me.
Yet shalt thou plunge mee in the pit, and mine owne clothes shall make me filthie.
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 shoulde answere him, if we come together to iudgement.
33 If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
Neyther is there any vmpire that might lay his hand vpon vs 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 feare astonish me:
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
Then will I speake, and feare him not: but because I am not so, I holde me still.
