Job 9

¹ And Job made answer and said,

² Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?

³ If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.

⁴ He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?

⁵ It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:

⁶ Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:

⁷ Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.

⁸ By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:

⁹ Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:

¹⁰ Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.

¹¹ See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.

¹² If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?

¹³ God’s wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.

¹⁴ How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?

¹⁵ Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.

¹⁶ If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.

¹⁷ For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.

¹⁸ He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.

¹⁹ If it is a question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?

²⁰ Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.

²¹ I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.

²² It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.

²³ If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.

²⁴ The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?

²⁵ My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.

²⁶ They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.

²⁷ If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;

²⁸ I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.

²⁹ You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?

³⁰ If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;

³¹ Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.

³² For he is not a man as I am, that I might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.

³³ There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.

³⁴ Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:

³⁵ Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.