Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said:
Job replied,
2 Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
“Yes, I know all that! But how can anyone be right before God?
3 If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
If you wanted to argue with God, God could ask a thousand questions that no-one could answer.
4 He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
God is so wise and so powerful that no-one could challenge him and win.
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
God moves the mountains suddenly; he overturns them in his anger.
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
He shakes the earth, making its foundations quake.
7 He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth up the stars.
He is the one who can command the sun not to rise and the stars not to shine.
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
He alone is the one who stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea.
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
He made the constellations of the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the southern sky.
10 He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
He is the one who does incredible things that are beyond our understanding, marvelous things that are uncountable.
11 Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
But when he passes by me, I don't see him; when he moves on, he is invisible to me.
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
If he takes away, who can prevent him? Who is going 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; he crushes Rahab's helpers underfoot.
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
So how much less could I answer God, or choose my words to argue with him!
15 Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
Even though I'm right, I can't answer him. I must plead for mercy from my judge.
16 Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
Even if I called him to come and he responded, I don't believe he would listen to me.
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
He pounds me with the winds of a storm; he wounds me time and again, without giving a reason.
18 Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
He doesn't give me a chance even to catch my breath; instead he fills my life with bitter suffering.
19 If I look to strength, “Lo! here am I!” [[saith he, ]] If to justice, “Who shall summon me to trial?”
If it's a question of strength, then God is the strongest. If it's a question of justice, then who will set a time for my case?
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
Even though I am right, my own mouth would condemn me; even though I am innocent, he would prove me wrong.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
I am innocent! I don't care what happens to me. I hate my life!
22 It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
That's why I say, ‘It makes no difference to God. He destroys both the innocent and the wicked.’
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
When disaster strikes suddenly 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 has been handed over to the wicked; he blinds the eyes of the judges—if it's not him who does this, then who is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
The days of my life race by like a runner, rushing past without me seeing any happiness.
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
They pass by like fast sailing ships, 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 said to myself, ‘I will forget my complaints; I will stop crying and be happy,’
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 be terrified at all my suffering because you, God, will not say I'm innocent.
29 I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
Since I'm condemned, what's the point in arguing?
30 If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
Even if I wash myself with pure mountain water and clean my hands with soap,
31 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
you would toss me into a slime pit so that even my own clothes would hate 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 God is not a mortal being like me, I can't defend myself or take him to court.
33 There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
If only there was an arbitrator who could bring us both together!
34 Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
I wish God would stop beating me with his rod and terrifying me!
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
Then I could speak up without being afraid—but since I am, I can't!”
