Job 9
Job SpeaksThe Futility of Arguing With God
1 Then Job replied to his friends,2 “Yes, I know that this is true.But how can a mortal be declared righteous to God?3 If he wished to debate with God,he wouldn’t be able to answer one question in a thousand.4 “God is wise in heart and mighty in power.Who could oppose him and win?5 He moves mountains without their knowing it,and he topples them in his anger.6 He shakes the earth from its place,and its pillars tremble.7 He commands the sun not to rise.He doesn’t let the stars come out.8 He stretches out the heavens by himselfand walks on the waves of the sea.9 He made the constellations Ursa Major, Orion, and the Pleiades,and the clusters of stars in the south.10 He does great things that are unsearchableand miracles that cannot be numbered.11 He passes alongside of me, and I don’t even see him.He goes past me, and I don’t even notice him.12 He takes something away, but who can stop him?Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’13 God does not hold back his anger.Even Rahab’st helpers bow humbly in front of him.14 “How can I possibly answer God?How can I find the right words to speak with him?15 Even if I were right, I could not answer him.I would have to plead for mercy from my judge.16 If I cried out and he answered me,I do not believe that he would listen to me.17 He would knock me down with a stormand bruise me without a reason.18 He would not let me catch my breath.He fills me with bitterness.19 If it is a matter of strength,then he is the mighty one.If it is about justice,who will charge me with a crime?20 If I am righteous, my own mouth would condemn me.It would declare that I am corrupt even if I am a man of integrity.21 If I am a man of integrity, I have no way of knowing it.I hate my life!22 It is all the same.That is why I say,‘He destroys both the man of integrity and the wicked.’23 When a sudden disaster brings death,he makes fun of the despair of innocent people.24 The earth is handed over to the wicked.He covers the faces of its judges.If he isn’t the one doing this, who is?25 “My days go by more quickly than a runner.They sprint away.They don’t see anything good.26 They pass by quickly like boats made from reeds,like an eagle swooping down on its prey.27 Even if I say, ‘I will forget my complaining;I will change my expression and smile,’28 I still dread everything I must suffer.I know that you won’t declare me innocent.29 I’ve already been found guilty.Why should I work so hard for nothing?30 If I wash myself with lye soaptand cleanse my hands with bleach,31 then you would plunge me into a muddy pit,and my own clothes would find me disgusting.32 A human like me cannot answer God,‘Let’s take our case to court.’33 There is no mediator between usto put his hand on both of us.34 God should take his rod away from me,and he should not terrify me.t35 Then I would speak and not be afraid of him.But I know that I am not like that.”t
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