Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said:
And Job answered and said,
2 Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?
3 If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
4 He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
7 He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth up the stars.
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
10 He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
Who doeth great things past finding 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.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
15 Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
16 Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, —
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
19 If I look to strength, “Lo! here am I!” [[saith he, ]] If to justice, “Who shall summon me to trial?”
Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial 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 over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
28 Still am I in dread of the multitude of my sorrows; For I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
30 If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
31 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes 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 he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
[Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
