Job 9

1And Job answereth and saith: --

1Then Job answered and said,

1And Job made answer and said,

2Truly I have known that <FI>it is<Fi> so, And what--is man righteous with God?

2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

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

3If he delight to strive with Him--He doth not answer him one of a thousand.

3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

3If 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.

4Wise in heart and strong in power--Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?

4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

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

5Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.

5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

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

6Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.

6Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

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

7Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.

7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

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

8Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,

8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

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

9Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.

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

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

10Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.

10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

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

11Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.

11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

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

12Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, `What dost Thou?'

12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

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

13God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.

13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

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

14How much less do I--I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?

14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

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

15Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.

15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

15Even 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.

16Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear <FI>to<Fi> my voice.

16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

16If 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.

17Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.

17For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

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

18He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.

18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

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

19If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment--who doth convene me?

19If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

19If 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?

20If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! --it declareth me perverse.

20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

20Though 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.

21Perfect I am! --I know not my soul, I despise my life.

21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

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

22It is the same thing, therefore I said, `The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'

22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

22It 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.

23If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.

23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

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

24Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not--where, who <FI>is<Fi> he?

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

24The 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?

25My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,

25Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

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

26They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.

26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

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

27Though I say, `I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'

27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

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

28I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.

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

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

29I--I am become wicked; why <FI>is<Fi> this? <FI>In<Fi> vain I labour.

29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

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

30If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,

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

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

31Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.

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

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

32But if a man like myself--I answer him, We come together into judgment.

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

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

33If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.

33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

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

34He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

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

35I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.

35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

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