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?
Of a truth I know that 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 be pleased to 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 hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
Which removeth the 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.
Which 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.
Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
Which alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
Which 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.
Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvelous things 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: he passeth 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 seizeth [the prey], who can 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 will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab 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; I would make supplication to mine adversary.
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 hearkened unto my voice.
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
For he breaketh 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 will not suffer me to take my breath, but 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 [we speak] of the strength of the mighty, lo, [he is there]! and if of judgment, who will appoint me a time?
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
I am perfect; I regard not myself; I 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 say, 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 slay suddenly, he will mock 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 covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if [it be] not [he], who then is it?
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 swoopeth on 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 put off my [sad] countenance, and be of good cheer:
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?
I shall be condemned; why then do I labour 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 wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine 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, that we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
There is no daysman betwixt us, that might 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 would I speak, and not fear him; for I am not so in myself.
