Job 9

1 Then Job answered and said,2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?s3 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.s9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.s10 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?s13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.s

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.s27 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.s32 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.ss34 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.s

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