Job 9

chevron_leftchevron_right

¹And Job, responding, said:

²Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.

³If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.

⁴He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?

⁵He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.

⁶He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.

⁷He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.

⁸He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.

⁹He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.

¹⁰He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.

¹¹If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.

¹²If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”

¹³God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,

¹⁴what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?

¹⁵And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.

¹⁶And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.

¹⁷For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.

¹⁸He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.

¹⁹If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.

²⁰If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.

²¹And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.

²²There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.

²³If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent.

²⁴Since 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?

²⁵My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.

²⁶They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.

²⁷If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.

²⁸I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.

²⁹Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?

³⁰If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,

³¹yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me.

³²For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.

³³There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.

³⁴Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.

³⁵I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.

Job 9

¹Then Job answered and said,

²I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

³If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

⁴He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

⁵Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

⁶Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

⁷Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

⁸Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

⁹Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

¹⁰Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

¹¹Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

¹²Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

¹³If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

¹⁴How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

¹⁵Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

¹⁶If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

¹⁷For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

¹⁸He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

¹⁹If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

²⁰If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

²¹Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

²²This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

²³If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

²⁴The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

²⁵Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

²⁶They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

²⁷If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

²⁸I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

²⁹If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

³⁰If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

³¹Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

³²For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

³³Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

³⁴Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

³⁵Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.