Job 9
Job: There is No Mediator
1 Then Job answered and said: Then Job answered and said:2 Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God?3 If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?5 He removes the mountains, and they do not know When He overturns them in His anger;6 He shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;7 He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars;8 He alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea;9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;10 He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.11 If He goes by me, I do not see Him; If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;12 If He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, What are You doing?13 God will not withdraw His anger, The allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.14 How then can I answer Him, And choose my words to reason with Him?15 For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge.16 If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.17 For He crushes 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 it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court? 20 Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.21 I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life.22 It is all one thing; Therefore I say, He destroys the blameless and the wicked.23 If the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent.24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, who else could it be?25 Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good.26 They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,28 I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent.29 If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain?30 If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap,31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes will abhor me.32 For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together.33 Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.34 Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me.35 Then I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with 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