Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then Job answered and said:
2 “I truly know that this is so. But how can a person be in the right with God?
Of a truth I know that it is so; and how can man be just with God?
3 If he wants to argue with God, he cannot answer him once in a thousand times.
If one should desire to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one of 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 hardened himself against Him, and prospered?
5 he who removes the mountains without warning anyone when he overturns them in his anger—
Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when He overturneth them in His anger.
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 the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 who by himself stretches out the heavens and tramples down the waves of the sea,
Who alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 who makes the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the south.
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 He does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things that cannot be counted.
Who doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvellous things without number.
11 See, he goes by me, and I do not see him; he passes on also, 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 If he takes something away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'
Behold, He snatcheth away, who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him: 'What doest Thou?'
13 God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.
God will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab did stoop under Him.
14 How much less could I answer him, could I choose words to reason with him?
How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments with Him?
15 Even if I were righteous, I could not answer him; I could only plead for mercy with my judge.
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contendeth with me.
16 Even if I called and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.
If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice —
17 For he breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.
He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause;
18 He does not allow me to regain my breath; but he fills me with bitterness.
That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill 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 it be a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! and if of justice, who will appoint me a time?
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.
Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse.
21 I am blameless, but I do not care any more about myself; I despise my own life.
I am innocent — I regard not myself, I despise my life.
22 It makes no difference, which is why I say that he destroys blameless people and wicked people together.
It is all one — therefore I say: He destroyeth the innocent and the wicked.
23 When a whip suddenly kills, he mocks the despair of the innocent.
If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the calamity of the guiltless.
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 faces of the judges thereof; if it be not He, who then is it?
25 My days are swifter than a running messenger; my days flee away; they see no good anywhere.
Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.
26 They are as fast as papyrus reed boats, and as fast as the eagle that swoops down on its victim.
They are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoopeth on 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 forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer',
28 I would be afraid of all my sorrows because I know that you will not consider me innocent.
I am afraid of all my pains, I know that Thou wilt not hold me guiltless.
29 I will be condemned; why, then, should I try in vain?
I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
30 If I washed myself with snow water and made my hands ever so clean,
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 God would plunge me in a ditch, and my own clothes would be disgusted with me.
Yet wilt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes 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 He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no judge between us who might lay his hand upon us both.
There is no arbiter betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us 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 terror make me afraid;
35 Then would I speak up and not fear him. But as things are now, I cannot do that.
Then would I speak, and not fear Him; for I am not so with myself.
