Job, 9

1. Then Job answered and said,

1. Then Job answered:

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

2. Very well I know that it is so. But how can a mortal be just before God?

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

3. If one were to contend with him, not once in a thousand times would he answer.

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

4. His power is vast, his wisdom profound. Who has resisted him and come out unharmed?

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

5. He moves mountains before they are aware; he overturns them in his rage.

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

6. He makes the earth tremble and its pillars quake.

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

7. He commands the sun, and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.

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

8. He alone stretches out the skies and treads on the waves of the seas.

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

9. He made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and every constellation.

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

10. His wonders are past all reckoning, his miracles beyond all counting.

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

11. He passes by, but I do not see him; he moves on, but I do not notice him.

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

12. If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"

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

13. God does not turn back when angered; before him Rahab's cohorts cowered.

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

14. How then can I answer him and find words to argue with him?

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

15. If he does not answer when I am right, shall I plead with my judge for mercy?

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

16. Even if I appealed and he answered, I do not believe that he would have heard.

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

17. He who crushes me for a trifle and multiplies my hurt for no reason.

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

18. He does not give me time to breathe, but fills me with grief without pause.

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

19. If it is a contest of strength, he is mighty. If a matter of justice, who will summon him?

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

20. If I were innocent, my own mouth would condemn me; if blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

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

21. But am I innocent, after all? I do not know, and so I find my life despicable.

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

22. It is all the same! And this I dare say: both blameless and wicked - he destroys.

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

23. When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.

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

24. When a nation falls into a tyrant's hand, it is he who makes the judges blind. But if it is not he - who else then?

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

25. Swifter than a runner are my days; without a shred of joy they fly away.

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

26. They skim along like reed canoes or like eagles swooping on their prey.

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

27. If I resolve to forget my affliction, to smile and change my expression,

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

28. my trials make me fear for I know I shall be held accountable.

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

29. In any case if I am to be condemned, why should I bother in vain?

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

30. If I washed my body with snow and cleansed my hands with soap,

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

31. you would plunge me into the dung pit, and my very clothes would abhor me.

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

32. He is not a man like me that I might say, "let us go to court together."

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

33. Would that there were an arbiter between us, who could lay his hand upon both of us.

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

34. He would remove from me the rod of God and his terrors which frighten me.

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

35. But it is not so. Then I will speak to myself alone without fear.