Job 9

1 Then Job answered:

2 “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?

3 If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.

4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?

5 He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.

6 He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.

7 He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.

8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.

9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

10 He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.

11 Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.

12 If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13 God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.

14 How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?

15 For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.

16 If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.

17 For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.

18 He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.

19 If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?

20 Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.

21 Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.

22 It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

23 When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.

24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?

25 My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.

26 They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.

27 If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’

28 I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.

29 Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?

30 If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,

31 then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.

32 For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.

33 Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.

34 Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.

35 Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.

1 ¶ Then Job answered and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 Job answered and said:

2 Yea, I know almost well that therefore a man may not stand justified against God.

3 If he desire to dispute with him, he cannot answer him one to a thousand.

4 He is wise and mighty: who hath ever succeeded that hath set himself against him?

5 He removeth mountains before they know it, whom he turneth back in his wrath.

6 He causeth a land to depart out of her place, and her pillars to shake.

7 He saith unto the sun, let it not rise, and seal up the stars.

8 He spreadeth out the heavens alone, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.

9 He maketh the chariot in the heavens, and Orion, and the mother hen, and the stars toward the south.

10 He doeth great things which cannot be searched out, and wonders of which there is no number.

11 Behold, he passeth over before me before I know it, and is changed before I know it.

12 Behold, if he go quickly, who shall repeat him? Who shall say unto him, What doest thou?

13 He is GOD, his wrath no man can quench; under him the proud lords must bow down.

14 How then shall I answer him, and find words against him?

15 Though I be right, yet cannot I answer him, but I must plead my right.

16 Though I call upon him, and he heareth me, yet will I not believe that he heareth my voice.

17 For he hath overtaken me with violence, and hath given me many wounds without cause.

18 He restoreth not my spirit, but maketh me full of sorrow.

19 If I desire power, he is too mighty: if I desire judgment, who will be my witness?

20 If I say that I am righteous, he condemneth me: if I am righteous, he maketh me unrighteous.

21 If then I be godly, my soul shall not take it. I desire no more life.

22 This is the one thing that I have said: He killeth both the upright and the wicked.

23 When he begineth to scourge, he soon presseth on unto death, and maketh a mockery of the imputation of the innocent.

24 And the land shall be given into the hand of the wicked, to oppress their judges. Is it not so? How shall it be otherwise?

25 My days have been swifter than a runner; they have fled, and have seen no good thing.

26 They are passed away as the strong ships, as an eagle fleeth for meat.

27 When I remember, I will forget my lamentation, and leave off my strife, and be refreshed,

28 Then I will fear all my pains, because I know that thou wilt not let me be innocent.

29 Am I then ungodly, why do I suffer such vain plagues?

30 when I immediately wish with snow water and cleaned my hands with the well,

31 But thou shalt drench me in dung, and my garments shall be put to shame.

32 For he is not like unto me, to whom I would answer that we should come into judgment together.

33 There is no arbitrator among us, neither shall he put his hand between us both.

34 He taketh away his rod from me, and leaveth his terror from me,

35 That I may speak, and not be afraid of him: otherwise I can do nothing that is for me.