Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said:
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
Truly I have known that [it is] so, And what — is man righteous with God?
3 If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
If he delight to strive with Him — He doth not answer him one of a thousand.
4 He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
Wise in heart and strong in power — Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
7 He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth up the stars.
Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.
10 He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.
11 Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, 'What dost Thou?'
13 God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
How much less do I — I answer Him? Choose out my words 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, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.
16 Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear [to] my voice.
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.
18 Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.
19 If I look to strength, “Lo! here am I!” [[saith he, ]] If to justice, “Who shall summon me to trial?”
If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment — who doth convene me?
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! — it declareth me perverse.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
Perfect I am! — I know not my soul, I despise my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
It is the same thing, therefore I said, 'The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.
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?
Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not — where, who [is] he?
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 runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.
27 If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
Though I say, 'I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I 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 have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
29 I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
I — I am become wicked; why [is] this? [In] vain I labour.
30 If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,
31 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated 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;
But if a man like myself — I answer him, We come together into judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.
34 Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.
