Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
And Job answered, and said:
2 “I truly know that this is so. But how can a person be in the right with God?
Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If he wants to argue with God, he cannot answer him once in a thousand times.
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has ever hardened himself against him and succeeded?—
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
5 he who removes the mountains without warning anyone when he overturns them in his anger—
Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
6 he who shakes the earth out of its place and sets its supports trembling.
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 It is the same God who tells the sun not to rise, and it does not, and who covers up the stars,
Who commandeth tile sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
8 who by himself stretches out the heavens and tramples down the waves of the sea,
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
9 who makes the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the south.
Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
10 He does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things that cannot be counted.
Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
11 See, he goes by me, and I do not see him; he passes on also, but I do not perceive him.
If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
12 If he takes something away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'
If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
13 God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.
God, whose wrath no mall can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
14 How much less could I answer him, could I choose words to reason with him?
What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
15 Even if I were righteous, I could not answer him; I could only plead for mercy with my judge.
I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
16 Even if I called and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.
And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 For he breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.
For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
18 He does not allow me to regain my breath; but he fills me with bitterness.
He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?
If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
20 Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; and though I am blameless, my words would prove me to be guilty.
If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
21 I am blameless, but I do not care any more about myself; I despise my own life.
Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
22 It makes no difference, which is why I say that he destroys blameless people and wicked people together.
One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
23 When a whip suddenly kills, he mocks the despair of the innocent.
If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of wicked people; God covers the faces of its judges. If it is not he who does it, then who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
25 My days are swifter than a running messenger; my days flee away; they see no good anywhere.
My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
26 They are as fast as papyrus reed boats, and as fast as the eagle that swoops down on its victim.
They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
27 If I said that I would forget about my complaints, that I would take off my sad face and be happy,
If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
28 I would be afraid of all my sorrows because I know that you will not consider me innocent.
I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
29 I will be condemned; why, then, should I try in vain?
But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
30 If I washed myself with snow water and made my hands ever so clean,
If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:
31 God would plunge me in a ditch, and my own clothes would be disgusted with me.
Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me,
32 For God is not a man, as I am, that I could answer him, that we could come together in court.
For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 There is no judge between us who might lay his hand upon us both.
There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.
34 There is no other judge who could take God's rod off me, who could keep his terror from frightening me.
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
35 Then would I speak up and not fear him. But as things are now, I cannot do that.
I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
