Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said:
And Job, responding, said:
2 Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.
4 He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.
7 He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth up the stars.
He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.
10 He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.
11 Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”
13 God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?
15 Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.
16 Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.
18 Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills 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 strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.
22 It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment 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?
Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.
27 If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.
28 Still am I in dread of the multitude of my sorrows; For I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.
29 I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?
30 If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,
31 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor 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 even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.
34 Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.
