Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said,
2 Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
I know it is so of a truth: but how should 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 will contend with him, he cannot answer him one 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 has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
Which removes the mountains, and they know not: which overturns them in his anger.
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
Which shakes 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.
Which commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars.
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
Which alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
Which makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
Which does great things past finding out; yes, and 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 by me, and I see him not: he passes on also, but I perceive him not.
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
Behold, he takes away, who can hinder him? who will say to him, What do you?
13 God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do 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, and choose out my words to reason 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, but 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; yet would I not believe that he had listened to my voice.
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but 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 I speak of strength, see, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
Though I were 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.
This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
If the whip slay suddenly, he will laugh 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 into the hand of the wicked: he covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
25 My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hastens 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 forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
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 you will not hold me innocent.
29 I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
If I be wicked, why then labor I in vain?
30 If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
Yet shall you plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes 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 he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
Neither is there any judge between us, that might lay his hand on 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 fear terrify me:
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
