Job 9
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
Job replied,
2 Truly I have known that [it is] so, And what — is man righteous with God?
“Yes, I know all that! But how can anyone be right before God?
3 If he delight to strive with Him — He doth not answer him one of a thousand.
If you wanted to argue with God, God could ask a thousand questions that no-one could answer.
4 Wise in heart and strong in power — Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
God is so wise and so powerful that no-one could challenge him and win.
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.
God moves the mountains suddenly; he overturns them in his anger.
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
He shakes the earth, making its foundations quake.
7 Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.
He is the one who can command the sun not to rise and the stars not to shine.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
He alone is the one who stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea.
9 Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.
He made the constellations of the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the southern sky.
10 Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.
He is the one who does incredible things that are beyond our understanding, marvelous things that are uncountable.
11 Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.
But when he passes by me, I don't see him; when he moves on, he is invisible to me.
12 Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, 'What dost Thou?'
If he takes away, who can prevent him? Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.
God does not restrain his anger; he crushes Rahab's helpers underfoot.
14 How much less do I — I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
So how much less could I answer God, or choose my words to argue with him!
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.
Even though I'm right, I can't answer him. I must plead for mercy from my judge.
16 Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear [to] my voice.
Even if I called him to come and he responded, I don't believe he would listen to me.
17 Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.
He pounds me with the winds of a storm; he wounds me time and again, without giving a reason.
18 He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.
He doesn't give me a chance even to catch my breath; instead he fills my life with bitter suffering.
19 If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment — who doth convene me?
If it's a question of strength, then God is the strongest. If it's a question of justice, then who will set a time for my case?
20 If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! — it declareth me perverse.
Even though I am right, my own mouth would condemn me; even though I am innocent, he would prove me wrong.
21 Perfect I am! — I know not my soul, I despise my life.
I am innocent! I don't care what happens to me. I hate my life!
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, 'The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'
That's why I say, ‘It makes no difference to God. He destroys both the innocent and the wicked.’
23 If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.
When disaster strikes suddenly he mocks the despair 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 has been handed over to the wicked; he blinds the eyes of the judges—if it's not him who does this, then who is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
The days of my life race by like a runner, rushing past without me seeing any happiness.
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.
They pass by like fast sailing ships, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 Though I say, 'I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'
If I said to myself, ‘I will forget my complaints; I will stop crying and be happy,’
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
I would still be terrified at all my suffering because you, God, will not say I'm innocent.
29 I — I am become wicked; why [is] this? [In] vain I labour.
Since I'm condemned, what's the point in arguing?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,
Even if I wash myself with pure mountain water and clean my hands with soap,
31 Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.
you would toss me into a slime pit so that even my own clothes would hate me!
32 But if a man like myself — I answer him, We come together into judgment.
For God is not a mortal being like me, I can't defend myself or take him to court.
33 If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.
If only there was an arbitrator who could bring us both together!
34 He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,
I wish God would stop beating me with his rod and terrifying me!
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.
Then I could speak up without being afraid—but since I am, I can't!”
