Job 9
1 Then Iob answered, and sayd,
Then answered Job, and said,
2 I knowe verily that it is so: for howe should man compared vnto God, be iustified?
Truly I know that it is so: and how could a mortal be righteous before God?
3 If I would dispute with him, hee could not answere him one thing of a thousand.
If he were desirous to enter into a contest with him, he could not give him one answer out of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath bene fierce against him and hath prospered?
He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and escaped unscathed?
5 He remoueth the mountaines, and they feele not when he ouerthroweth them in his wrath.
[He it is] who removeth mountains, and they know it not, yea, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 Hee remooueth the earth out of her place, that the pillars thereof doe shake.
Who shaketh the earth loose out of her place, that her pillars tremble;
7 He commandeth the sunne, and it riseth not: hee closeth vp the starres, as vnder a signet.
Who speaketh to the sun, and he shineth not, and around the stars he placeth a seal;
8 Hee himselfe alone spreadeth out the heauens, and walketh vpon the height of the sea.
Who spread out the heavens by himself alone, and treadeth upon the hillocks of the sea;
9 He maketh the starres Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the climates of the South.
Who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers the south;
10 He doeth great things, and vnsearcheable: yea, marueilous things without nomber.
Who doth great things which are quite unsearchable, and wonders which are quite without number.
11 Lo, when he goeth by me, I see him not: and when he passeth by, I perceiue him not.
Lo, were he to go past by me, I should not see him; and were he to pass along, I should not perceive him.
12 Behold, when he taketh a pray, who can make him to restore it? who shall say vnto him, What doest thou?
Behold, were he to snatch aught away, who could hold him back? who would say unto him, What dost thou?
13 God will not withdrawe his anger, and the most mightie helpes doe stoupe vnder him.
God will not withdraw his anger: beneath him sink down the helpers of the proud.
14 Howe much lesse shall I answere him? or howe should I finde out my words with him?
How much less then could I answer him, and select my words [to contend] with him?
15 For though I were iust, yet could I not answere, but I would make supplication to my Iudge.
Whom, were I even righteous, I could not answer? to him that condemneth me I could [only] make supplication.
16 If I cry, and he answere me, yet woulde I not beleeue, that he heard my voyce.
Or were I to call, and he would answer me, I could yet not believe that he would give ear unto my voice—
17 For he destroyeth mee with a tempest, and woundeth me without cause.
He that bruiseth me with [his] tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without a cause.
18 He wil not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitternesse.
He suffereth me not to recover my breath; but feedeth me overmuch with bitter things.
19 If we speake of strength, behold, he is strog: if we speake of iudgement, who shall bring me in to pleade?
If it regard strength, lo, he is the powerful; and if justice, who will cite him for me to appear?
20 If I woulde iustifie my selfe, mine owne mouth shall condemne mee: if I would be perfite, he shall iudge me wicked.
If I were righteous even, my own mouth would condemn me: were I innocent, it would still prove me perverse.
21 Though I were perfite, yet I knowe not my soule: therefore abhorre I my life.
I am innocent; I will not have regard for myself: I will despise my life.
22 This is one point: therefore I said, Hee destroyeth the perfite and the wicked.
One thing is [certain], therefore have I said it, The innocent and the wicked he bringeth to their end.
23 If the scourge should suddenly slay, should God laugh at the punishment of the innocent?
If a scourge should slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the guiltless.
24 The earth is giuen into the hand of ye wicked: he couereth the faces of the iudges therof: if not, where is he? or who is he?
Is a land given up into the hand of the wicked? he covereth the faces of its judges: if this be not the truth, who is it then?
25 My dayes haue bene more swift then a post: they haue fled, and haue seene no good thing.
And my days pass swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no happiness,
26 They are passed as with the most swift ships, and as the eagle that flyeth to the pray.
They hasten along like pirate ships: like the eagle that stoopeth down upon his food.
27 If I say, I wil forget my complaynt, I will cease from my wrath, and comfort mee,
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sorrowful countenance, and recover my cheerfulness:
28 Then I am afrayd of all my sorowes, knowing that thou wilt not iudge me innocent.
O then would I be in dread of all my pains; I know that thou wilt not declare me innocent.
29 If I be wicked, why labour I thus in vaine?
I must ever be guilty: why then should I fatigue myself for nought?
30 If I wash my selfe with snowe water, and purge mine hands most cleane,
If I were to wash myself in snow-water, to cleanse myself in the purity of my hands:
31 Yet shalt thou plunge mee in the pit, and mine owne clothes shall make me filthie.
Even then wouldst thou plunge me in the ditch, that my own clothes would render me abhorred.
32 For he is not a man as I am, that I shoulde answere him, if we come together to iudgement.
For he is not a man, like me, that I could answer him, that we should enter together into a contest.
33 Neyther is there any vmpire that might lay his hand vpon vs both.
There is no one who can decide between us, who could lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his feare astonish me:
Let him but remove from me his rod, and let not his dread terrify me:
35 Then will I speake, and feare him not: but because I am not so, I holde me still.
Then would I speak, and not fear him; for the like I feel not within me.
