Job 9
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
Then Job answered,
2 Truly I have known that [it is] so, And what — is man righteous with God?
“Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?
3 If he delight to strive with Him — He doth not answer him one of a thousand.
If he is pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one time in a thousand.
4 Wise in heart and strong in power — Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him and prospered?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.
He removes the mountains, and they do not know it, when he overturns them in his anger.
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
He shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble.
7 Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.
He commands the sun and it does not rise, and seals up the stars.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.
He makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the rooms of the south.
10 Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.
He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.
11 Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.
Behold, he goes by me, and I do not see him. He passes on also, but I do not perceive him.
12 Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, 'What dost Thou?'
Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.
“God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
14 How much less do I — I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
How much less will I answer him, and choose my words to argue with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.
Though I were righteous, yet I would not answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.
16 Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear [to] my voice.
If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I would not believe that he listened to my voice.
17 Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.
For he breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.
He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19 If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment — who doth convene me?
If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
20 If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! — it declareth me perverse.
Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me. Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.
21 Perfect I am! — I know not my soul, I despise my life.
I am blameless. I do not respect myself. I despise my life.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, 'The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'
“It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.
23 If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.
If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial 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 is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
“Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away. They see no good.
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.
They have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
27 Though I say, 'I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'
If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up,’
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
I am afraid of all my sorrows. I know that you will not hold me innocent.
29 I — I am become wicked; why [is] this? [In] vain I labour.
I will be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,
If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.
yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes will abhor me.
32 But if a man like myself — I answer him, We come together into judgment.
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
33 If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.
There is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.
34 He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,
Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.
then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.
