Job 9
1Then Job answered and said, 1
2“I truly know that this is so. 1 But how can a person be in the right with God? 1
3If he wants to argue with God, 1 he cannot answer him once in a thousand times. 1
4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; 1 who has ever hardened himself against him and succeeded?— 1
5he who removes the mountains without warning anyone 1 when he overturns them in his anger— 1
6he who shakes the earth out of its place 1 and sets its supports trembling. 1
7It is the same God who tells the sun not to rise, and it does not, 1 and who covers up the stars, 1
8who by himself stretches out the heavens 1 and tramples down the waves of the sea, 1
9who makes the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, 1 and the constellations of the south. 1
10He does great and unsearchable things, 1 and wonderful things that cannot be counted. 1
11See, he goes by me, and I do not see him; 1 he passes on also, but I do not perceive him. 1
12If he takes something away, who can stop him? 1 Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?' 1
13God will not withdraw his anger; 1 the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him. 1
14How much less could I answer him, 1 could I choose words to reason with him? 1
15Even if I were righteous, I could not answer him; 1 I could only plead for mercy with my judge. 1
16Even if I called and he answered me, 1 I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. 1
17For he breaks me with a tempest 1 and multiplies my wounds without cause. 1
18He does not allow me to regain my breath; 1 but he fills me with bitterness. 1
19If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! 1 If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him? 1
20Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; 1 and though I am blameless, my words would prove me to be guilty. 1
21I am blameless, but I do not care any more about myself; 1 I despise my own life. 1
22It makes no difference, which is why I say 1 that he destroys blameless people and wicked people together. 1
23When a whip suddenly kills, 1 he mocks the despair of the innocent. 1
24The earth is given into the hand of wicked people; 1 God covers the faces of its judges. 1 If it is not he who does it, then who is it? 1
25My days are swifter than a running messenger; 1 my days flee away; they see no good anywhere. 1
26They are as fast as papyrus reed boats, 1 and as fast as the eagle that swoops down on its victim. 1
27If I said that I would forget about my complaints, 1 that I would take off my sad face and be happy, 1
28I would be afraid of all my sorrows 1 because I know that you will not consider me innocent. 1
29I will be condemned; 1 why, then, should I try in vain? 1
30If I washed myself with snow water 1 and made my hands ever so clean, 1
31God would plunge me in a ditch, 1 and my own clothes would be disgusted with me. 1
32For God is not a man, as I am, that I could answer him, 1 that we could come together in court. 1
33There is no judge between us 1 who might lay his hand upon us both. 1
34There is no other judge who could take God's rod off me, 1 who could keep his terror from frightening me. 1
35Then would I speak up and not fear him. 1 But as things are now, I cannot do that.