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?
Of a truth I know that 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 be pleased to 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 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 it not, when he 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 stretcheth 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 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.
Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvelous things 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 seizeth [the prey], 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.
God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab 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; I would make supplication to mine adversary.
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 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 [we speak] of the strength of the mighty, lo, [he is there]! and if of judgment, who will appoint me a time?
20 If I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
21 I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
I am perfect; I regard not myself; I 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 say, 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 mock 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 [it be] not [he], who then is it?
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 swoopeth on 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 put off my [sad] countenance, and be of good cheer:
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.
I shall be condemned; why then do I labour 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 wilt 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, that we should come together in judgment.
33 If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
There is no 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 terror make me afraid:
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
Then would I speak, and not fear him; for I am not so in myself.
