Job 9
1 And Job answers and says:
Then Job answered and said,
2 “Truly I have known that [it is] so, But how is man righteous with God?
I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with El?
3 If he delights to strive with Him—He does not answer him one of a thousand.
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one 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 hath prospered?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 Doing great things until there is no searching, And wonderful, until there is no numbering.
Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, 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: he passeth on also, but 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 can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
Eloah will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
14 How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason 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, but 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; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
17 Because He bruises me with a storm, And has multiplied my wounds for nothing.
For he breaketh 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 will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
19 If of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes me?
If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20 If I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21 I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
Though I were 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.
This is one thing, therefore I said it, 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 slay suddenly, he will laugh 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 into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darts on food.
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to 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 heaviness, and comfort myself:
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.
If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested me.
Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall 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, and we should come together in judgment.
33 If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might 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 fear terrify me:
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
