Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
And Job made answer and said,
2 “I truly know that this is so. But how can a person be in the right with God?
Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
3 If he wants to argue with God, he cannot answer him once in a thousand times.
If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.
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 great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?
5 he who removes the mountains without warning anyone when he overturns them in his anger—
It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
6 he who shakes the earth out of its place and sets its supports trembling.
Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
7 It is the same God who tells the sun not to rise, and it does not, and who covers up the stars,
Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
8 who by himself stretches out the heavens and tramples down the waves of the sea,
By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
9 who makes the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the south.
Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
10 He does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things that cannot be counted.
Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
11 See, he goes by me, and I do not see him; he passes on also, but I do not perceive him.
See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
12 If he takes something away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'
If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?
13 God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.
God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
14 How much less could I answer him, could I choose words to reason with him?
How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
15 Even if I were righteous, I could not answer him; I could only plead for mercy with my judge.
Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.
16 Even if I called and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.
If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.
17 For he breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.
For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
18 He does not allow me to regain my breath; but he fills me with bitterness.
He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
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 is a question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?
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 was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.
21 I am blameless, but I do not care any more about myself; I despise my own life.
I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
22 It makes no difference, which is why I say that he destroys blameless people and wicked people together.
It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.
23 When a whip suddenly kills, he mocks the despair of the innocent.
If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
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 land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?
25 My days are swifter than a running messenger; my days flee away; they see no good anywhere.
My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, 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 go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
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 put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;
28 I would be afraid of all my sorrows because I know that you will not consider me innocent.
I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
29 I will be condemned; why, then, should I try in vain?
You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
30 If I washed myself with snow water and made my hands ever so clean,
If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
31 God would plunge me in a ditch, and my own clothes would be disgusted with me.
Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
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 might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.
33 There is no judge between us who might lay his hand upon us both.
There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
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 away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
35 Then would I speak up and not fear him. But as things are now, I cannot do that.
Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
