Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
And Job answered, and said:
2 Of a truth I know that it is so: but how can man be just with God?
Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If he be pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
4 [He is] wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger.
Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
Who commandeth tile sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
8 Which alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
9 Which maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvelous things without number.
Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
12 Behold, he seizeth [the prey], who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
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 do stoop under him.
God, whose wrath no mall can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words [to reason] with him?
What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to mine adversary.
I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.
And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
19 If [we speak] of the strength of the mighty, lo, [he is there]! and if of judgment, who will appoint me a time?
If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
20 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
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 perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.
Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial 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 the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if [it be] not [he], who then 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 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my [sad] countenance, and be of good cheer:
If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
29 I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:
31 Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me,
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
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 daysman betwixt us, that 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 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid:
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; for I am not so in myself.
I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
