Job 9

Job Continues

1-13 How Can Mere Mortals Get Right with God? Job continued by saying: "So what's new? I know all this. The question is, 'How can mere mortals get right with God?' If we wanted to bring our case before him, what chance would we have? Not one in a thousand! God's wisdom is so deep, God's power so immense, who could take him on and come out in one piece? He moves mountains before they know what's happened, flips them on their heads on a whim. He gives the earth a good shaking up, rocks it down to its very foundations. He tells the sun, 'Don't shine,' and it doesn't; he pulls the blinds on the stars. All by himself he stretches out the heavens and strides on the waves of the sea. He designed the Big Dipper and Orion, the Pleiades and Alpha Centauri. We'll never comprehend all the great things he does; his miracle-surprises can't be counted. Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don't see him; quietly but surely he's active, and I miss it. If he steals you blind, who can stop him? Who's going to say, 'Hey, what are you doing?' God doesn't hold back on his anger; even dragon-bred monsters cringe before him.
14-20 "So how could I ever argue with him, construct a defense that would influence God? Even though I'm innocent I could never prove it; I can only throw myself on the Judge's mercy. If I called on God and he himself answered me, then, and only then, would I believe that he'd heard me. As it is, he knocks me about from pillar to post, beating me up, black-and-blue, for no good reason. He won't even let me catch my breath, piles bitterness upon bitterness. If it's a question of who's stronger, he wins, hands down! If it's a question of justice, who'll serve him the subpoena? Even though innocent, anything I say incriminates me; blameless as I am, my defense just makes me sound worse.

If God's Not Responsible, Who Is?

21-24 "Believe me, I'm blameless. I don't understand what's going on. I hate my life! Since either way it ends up the same, I can only conclude that God destroys the good right along with the bad. When calamity hits and brings sudden death, he folds his arms, aloof from the despair of the innocent. He lets the wicked take over running the world, he installs judges who can't tell right from wrong. If he's not responsible, who is?
25-31 "My time is short—what's left of my life races off too fast for me to even glimpse the good. My life is going fast, like a ship under full sail, like an eagle plummeting to its prey. Even if I say, 'I'll put all this behind me, I'll look on the bright side and force a smile,' All these troubles would still be like grit in my gut since it's clear you're not going to let up. The verdict has already been handed down—'Guilty!'— so what's the use of protests or appeals? Even if I scrub myself all over and wash myself with the strongest soap I can find, It wouldn't last—you'd push me into a pigpen, or worse, so nobody could stand me for the stink.
32-35 "God and I are not equals; I can't bring a case against him. We'll never enter a courtroom as peers. How I wish we had an arbitrator to step in and let me get on with life— To break God's death grip on me, to free me from this terror so I could breathe again. Then I'd speak up and state my case boldly. As things stand, there is no way I can do it."

Job 9

1 Then Job answered and said,

2 Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?

3 If he be pleased to 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 prospered?-

5  Him that removeth the mountains, and they know it not, When he overturneth them in his anger;

6 That shaketh the earth out of its place, And the pillars thereof tremble;

7 That commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And sealeth up the stars;

8 That alone stretcheth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea;

9 That maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;

10 That doeth great things past finding out, Yea, marvellous things 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 seizeth the prey, who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13 God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab 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; I would make supplication to my judge.

16 If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he 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 we speak of strength, lo, he is mighty! And if of justice, Who, saith he, will summon me?

20 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.

21 I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.

22 It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23 If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock 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 it be not he, who then is it?

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 swoopeth on the prey.

27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer;

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

29 I shall be condemned; Why then do I labor in vain?

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

31 Yet wilt 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, That we should come together in judgment.

33 There is no umpire betwixt us, That might lay his hand upon us both.

34 Let him take his rod away from me, And let not his terror make me afraid:

35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; For I am not so in myself.