Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said:
And Job made answer and said,
2 Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
3 If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.
4 He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
7 He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth up the stars.
Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
10 He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
11 Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?
13 God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
15 Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.
16 Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
18 Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
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 question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
22 It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
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 land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?
25 My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
27 If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;
28 Still am I in dread of the multitude of my sorrows; For I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
29 I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
30 If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
31 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
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 as I am, that I might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.
33 There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
34 Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
