Job 9

Job's Reply to Bildad

1 Then Job answered:

2 Yes, I know what you've said is true,
but how can a person be justified before God?
3 If one wanted to take Him to court,
he could not answer God once in a thousand [times].
4 God is wise and all-powerful.
Who has opposed Him and come out unharmed?
5 He removes mountains without their knowledge,
overturning them in His anger.
6 He shakes the earth from its place
so that its pillars tremble.
7 He commands the sun not to shine
and seals off the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens
and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 He makes [the stars]: the Bear, Orion,
the Pleiades, and the constellations of the southern sky.
10 He does great and unsearchable things,
wonders without number.
11 If He passes by me, I wouldn't see Him;
[if] He goes right by, I wouldn't recognize Him.
12 If He snatches [something], who can stop Him?
Who can ask Him, "What are You doing?"

13 God does not hold back His anger;
Rahab's assistants cringe in fear beneath Him!

14 How then can I answer Him
or choose my arguments against Him?
15 Even if I were in the 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 pay attention to what I said.
17 He batters me with a whirlwind
and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He doesn't let me catch my breath
but soaks me with bitter experiences.
19 If it is a matter of strength, look, He is the Mighty One!
If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?

20 Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty.

21 Though I am blameless,
I no longer care about myself;
I renounce my life.
22 It is all the same. Therefore I say,
"He destroys both the blameless and the wicked."
23 When disaster brings sudden death,
He mocks the despair of the innocent.

24 The earth is handed over to the wicked;
He blindfolds its judges.
If it isn't He, then who is it?

25 My days fly by faster than a runner;
they flee without seeing any good.
26 They sweep by like boats made of papyrus,
like an eagle swooping down on [its] prey.
27 If I said, "I will forget my complaint,
change my expression, and smile,"
28 I would still live in terror of all my pains.
I know You will not acquit me.
29 Since I will be found guilty,
why should I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow,
and cleanse my hands with lye,

31 then You dip me in a pit [of mud],
and my own clothes 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 There is no one to judge between us,
to lay his hand on both of us.
34 Let Him take His rod away from me
so His terror will no longer frighten me.

35 Then I would speak and not fear Him.
But that is not the case; I am on my own.

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