Job 9
1 THEN JOB answered and said,2 Yes, I know it is true. But how can mortal man be right before God?3 If one should want to contend with Him, he cannot answer one [of His questions] in a thousand.4 [God] is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has [ever] hardened himself against Him and prospered or even been safe?5 [God] Who removes the mountains, and they know it not when He overturns them in His anger;6 Who shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars of it tremble;7 Who commands the sun, and it rises not; Who seals up the stars [from view];8 Who alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the waves and high places of the sea;9 Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the [loose cluster] Pleiades, and the [vast starry] spaces of the south;10 Who does great things past finding out, yes, marvelous things without number.11 Behold, He goes by me, and I see Him not; He passes on also, but I perceive Him not.12 Behold, He snatches away; who can hinder or turn Him back? Who will say to Him, What are You doing?13 God will not withdraw His anger; the [proud] helpers of Rahab [arrogant monster of the sea] bow under Him.14 How much less shall I answer Him, choosing out my words to reason with Him15 Whom, though I were righteous (upright and innocent) yet I could not answer? I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge [for my right].16 If I called and He answered me, yet would I not believe that He listened to my voice.17 For He overwhelms and breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.18 He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.19 If I speak of strength, behold, He is mighty! And if of justice, Who, says He, will summon Me?20 Though I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, He would prove me perverse.21 Though I am blameless, I regard not myself; I despise my life.22 It is all one; therefore I say, God [does not discriminate, but] destroys the blameless and the wicked.23 When [His] scourge slays suddenly, He mocks at the calamity and trial of the innocent.24 The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blinded to justice]. If it is not [God], who then is it [responsible for all this inequality]?25 Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.26 They are passed away like the swift rowboats made of reeds, or like the eagle that swoops down on the prey.27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer and brighten up,28 I become afraid of all my pains and sorrows [yet to come], for I know You will not pronounce me innocent [by removing them].29 I shall be held guilty and be condemned; why then should I labor in vain [to appear innocent]?30 If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,31 Yet You will plunge me into the ditch, and my own clothes will abhor me [and refuse to cover so foul a body].32 For [God] is not a [mere] man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in court.33 There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both, [would that there were!] 34 That He might take His rod away from [threatening] me, and that the fear of Him might not terrify me.35 [Then] would I speak and not fear Him, but I am not so in myself [to make me afraid, were only a fair trial given me].
Job 9
Job’s Reply to Bildad
1 Then Job answered:
2 “Truly,t I know that this is so.
But hows can a humant be just beforet God?s
3 If someone wishest to contendt with him,
he cannot answert him one time in a thousand.
4 He is wise in heartts and mightys in strengtht –
who has resistedt him and remained safe?t
5 He who removes mountains suddenly,t
who overturns them in his anger;s
6 he who shakes the earth out of its places
so that its pillars tremble;t
7 he who commands the sun andt it does not shinets
and seals upt the stars;
8 he alone spreads out the heavens,
and treadst on the waves of the sea;t
9 he makes the Bear,s Orion,s and the Pleiades,s
and the constellations of the southern sky;t
10 he does great and unsearchable things,ts
and wonderful things without number.
11 Ift he passes by me, I cannot seet him,t
if he goes by, I cannot perceive him.s
12 If he snatches away,t who can turn him back?t
Who dares to say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 God does not restrain his anger;s
under him the helpers of Rahabs lie crushed.t
The Impossibility of Facing God in Court
14 “How much less,t then, can I answer himt
and choose my wordss to arguet witht him!t
15 Althought I am innocent,t
I could not answer him;t
I could only pleadt with my judget for mercy.
16 If I summoned him, and he answered me,s
I would not believet
that he would be listening to my voice –
17 he whot crushest me with a tempest,
and multiplies my wounds for no reason.t
18 He does not allowt me to recovert my breath,
for he fillss me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength,t
most certainlyt he is the strong one!
And if it is a matter of justice,
he will say, ‘Who will summon me?’ts
20 Although I am innocent,t
my moutht would condemn me;t
although I am blameless,
it would declare me perverse.t
21 I am blameless.t I do not know myself.ts
I despise my life.
Accusation of God’s Justice
22 “It is all one!ss That is why I say,t
‘He destroys the blameless and the guilty.’
23 If a scourge brings sudden death,ss
he mockss at the despairt of the innocent.s
24 If a landt has been given
into the hand of a wicked man,s
he coverst the faces of its judges;s
if it is not he, then who is it?t
Renewed Complaint
25 “My dayst are swifter than a runner,s
they speed by without seeing happiness.
26 They glide byt like reedt boats,
like an eagle that swoopst down on its prey.t
27 If I say,t ‘I willt forget my complaint,
I will change my expressiont and be cheerful,’t
28 I dreadt all my sufferings,s
fort I know that you do not hold me blameless.s
29 If I am guilty,t
why thent weary myselft in vain?t
30 If I wash myself with snow water,t
and make my hands clean with lye,t
31 then you plunge me into a slimy pitt
and my own clothes abhor me.
32 For het is not a human being like I am,
thatt I might answer him,
that we might comet together in judgment.
33 Nor is there an arbiterts between us,
whot might layt his hand on us both,s
34 whot would take hist rods away from me
so that his terrort would not make me afraid.
35 Thent would I speak and not fear him,
but it is not so with me.t