Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered:
2 Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
3 If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
7 He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth up the stars.
He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
11 Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
15 Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
16 Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
18 Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
19 If I look to strength, “Lo! here am I!” [[saith he, ]] If to justice, “Who shall summon me to trial?”
If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
22 It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covereth the face of the judges thereof; If it be not He, who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
28 Still am I in dread of the multitude of my sorrows; For I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
29 I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
32 For He is not a man, as I am, that I may contend with him, And that we may go together into judgment;
For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
33 There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
