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