Job 9
1 Then Job answered,
And Job answered, and said:
2 "Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?
Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If he is pleased to contend with him, he can't answer him one time in a thousand.
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
4 For he is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
5 He removes the mountains, and they do not know it, when he overturns them in his anger.
Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
6 He shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble.
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 He commands the sun, and it doesn't rise, and seals up the stars.
Who commandeth tile sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
8 He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
9 He makes Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, and the chambers of the south.
Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
10 He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.
Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
11 Look, he goes by me, and I do not see him. He passes on also, but I do not perceive him.
If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
12 Look, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, 'What are you doing?'
If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
13 "God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
God, whose wrath no mall can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose my words to argue with him?
What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
15 Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn't answer him. I would make petition to my judge.
I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I wouldn't believe that he listened to my voice.
And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 For he bruises me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, look, he is mighty. And if of justice, who will summon him?
If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
20 Though I am righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me. Though I am blameless, it shall prove me perverse.
If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
21 I am blameless. I do not regard myself. I despise my life.
Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
22 "It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.
One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
23 If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.
If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
25 "Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away, they see no good,
My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
26 They have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
27 If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up;'
If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.
I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
29 I shall be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, and cleanse my hands with lye,
If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:
31 yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes shall abhor me.
Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me,
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.
There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
35 then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.
I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
