Job 9
1 Then Job answered,
And Job, responding, said:
2 “Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?
Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.
If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.
4 God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him and prospered?
He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?
5 He removes the mountains, and they don’t know it, when he overturns them in his anger.
He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.
6 He shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble.
He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.
7 He commands the sun and it doesn’t rise, and seals up the stars.
He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.
9 He makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the rooms of the south.
He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.
10 He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.
He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.
11 Behold, he goes by me, and I don’t see him. He passes on also, but I don’t perceive him.
If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.
12 Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”
13 “God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,
14 How much less will I answer him, and choose my words to argue with him?
what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?
15 Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.
And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I wouldn’t believe that he listened to my voice.
And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 For he breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.
20 Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me. Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.
If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.
21 I am blameless. I don’t respect myself. I despise my life.
And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.
22 “It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.
There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.
23 If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.
If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?
Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?
25 “Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away. They see no good.
My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.
26 They have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up,’
If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows. I know that you will not hold me innocent.
I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.
29 I will be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,
31 yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes will abhor me.
yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would 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 even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.
There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.
34 Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;
Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.
35 then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.
I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.
