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?
Indeed I know 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 will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for 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 resisted him, and hath had peace?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth 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 spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
10 He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
11 Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
13 God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before 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 out words to contend with him?
What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
15 Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but 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, —
And if he should hear me when I call, I should 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 shall 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 alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth 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 be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness 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 would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would 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 one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings 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 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 covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
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 post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented 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 feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
29 I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
30 If I wash myself in snow, 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 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will 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 may contend with him, And that we may go together into 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, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between 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 fear terrify me.
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
