Job 9
1 Then responded Job, and said—
And Job answers and says:
2 Of a truth, I know that so it is, But how can a mortal be just with GOD?
“Truly I have known that [it is] so, But how is man righteous with God?
3 If he choose to contend with him, he cannot answer him, one of a thousand:
If he delights to strive with Him—He does not answer him one of a thousand.
4 Wise in heart, and alert in vigour, What man hath hardened himself against him, and prospered!
Wise in heart and strong in power—Who has hardened toward Him and is at peace?
5 Who removeth mountains, unawares, Who overturneth them in his anger;
Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who has overturned them in His anger.
6 Who shaketh the earth, out of its place, and, the pillars thereof, shudder;
Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
7 Who commandeth the sun, and it breaketh not forth, and, about the stars, he putteth a seal;
Who is commanding to the sun, and it does not rise, And the stars He seals up.
8 Who spreadeth out fire heavens, by himself alone! and marcheth along, on the heights of the sea;
Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
9 Who made the Bear, the Giant and the Cluster, and the chambers of the south;
Making the Great Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the inner chambers of the south.
10 Who doeth great things, past finding out, and marvels, beyond number.
Doing great things until there is no searching, And wonderful, until there is no numbering.
11 Lo! he cometh upon me, yet can I not see him, Yea he passeth on, yet can I not discern him.
Behold, He goes over by me, and I do not see, And He passes on, and I do not attend to it.
12 Lo! he snatcheth away, who can bring it back? Who shall say unto him, What wouldst thou do?
Behold, He snatches away, who brings it back? Who says to Him, What [are] You doing?
13 As for GOD, if he withdraw not his anger, under him, will have submitted themselves—the proud helpers.
God does not turn back His anger, Proud helpers have bowed under Him.
14 How much less that, I, should answer him, should choose my words with him?
How much less do I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, to be absolved, I would make supplication.
Whom, though I were righteous, I do not answer, For my judgment I make supplication.
16 Though I had called, and he had answered me, I could not believe, that he would lend an ear to my voice.
Though I had called and He answers me, I do not believe that He gives ear [to] my voice.
17 For, with a tempest, would he fall upon me, and would multiply my wounds without need;
Because He bruises me with a storm, And has multiplied my wounds for nothing.
18 He would not suffer me to recover my breath, for he would surfeit me with bitter things.
He does not permit me to refresh my spirit, But fills me with bitter things.
19 If it regardeth vigour, bold is he! If justice, who could summon him?
If of power, behold, the Strong One; And if of judgment—who convenes me?
20 If I should justify myself, mine own mouth, would condemn me, —I blameless? then had it shewn me perverse.
If I am righteous, my mouth declares me wicked; [If] I am perfect, it declares me perverse.
21 I blameless? I should not know my own soul, I should despise my own life!
I am perfect; I do not know my soul, I despise my life.
22 One thing, there is, for which cause, I have said it, The blameless and the lawless, he bringeth to an end.
It is the same thing, therefore I said, He is consuming the perfect and the wicked.
23 If, a scourge, slay suddenly, at the despair of innocent ones, he mocketh.
If a scourge puts to death suddenly, He laughs at the trial of the innocent.
24 The earth, hath been given into the hand of a lawless one, The faces of her judges, he covereth, If not, then who is it?
Earth has been given Into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of her judges, If not—where, who [is] he?
25 My days, therefore, are swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have seen no good.
My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
26 They have passed away with boats of paper-reed, like a vulture [which] rusheth upon food.
They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darts on food.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will lay aside my sad countenance, and brighten up,
Though I say, I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!
28 I am afraid of all my pains, I know, that thou wilt not pronounce me innocent.
I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that You do not acquit me.
29 I, shall be held guilty, —Wherefore then, in vain, should I toil?
I become wicked; why [is] this? I labor [in] vain.
30 Though I bathe myself in snow water, and cleanse, in cleanness itself, my hands,
If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified my hands with soap,
31 Then, in a ditch, wouldst thou plunge me, and mine own clothes should abhor me:
Then You dip me in corruption, And my garments have detested me.
32 For he is not a man like myself, whom I might answer, nor could we come together into judgment:
But if a man like myself—I answer Him, We come together into judgment.
33 There is not, between us, a mediator, who might lay his hand upon us both.
If there were a mediator between us, He places his hand on us both.
34 Let him take from off me his rod, and, his terror, let it not startle me:
He turns aside His rod from off me, And His terror does not make me afraid,
35 I could speak, and not be afraid of him, although, not so, am, I, in myself!
I speak, and do not fear Him, but I am not right with myself.”
