Job 9

¹ Then Job answered and said,

² Of a truth I know that it is so: but how can man be just with God?

³ If he be pleased to 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 prospered?

⁵ Which removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when he 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 stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

⁹ Which maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

¹⁰ Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvelous things 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 seizeth the prey, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

¹³ God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.

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; I would make supplication to mine adversary.

¹⁶ If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he 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 we speak of the strength of the mighty, lo, he is there! and if of judgment, who will appoint me a time?

²⁰ Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.

²¹ I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.

²² It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

²³ If the scourge slay suddenly, he will mock 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 it be not he, who then is it?

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 swoopeth on the prey.

²⁷ If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer:

²⁸ I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

²⁹ I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?

³⁰ If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

³¹ Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

³² For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.

³³ There is no daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

³⁴ Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid:

³⁵ Then would I speak, and not fear him; for I am not so in myself.