Job 9
Berean Standard BibleTranslation
Berean Standard Bible
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
1Then Job answered:
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
2Of a truth I know that it is so; and how can man be just with God?
3If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
3If one should desire to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one of a thousand.
4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardened himself against Him, and prospered?
5He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
5Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when He overturneth them in His anger.
6He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
6Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
7Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
8Who alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
9Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
10Who doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvellous things without number.
11Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
11Lo, He goeth by me, and I see Him not. He passeth on also, but I perceive Him not.
12If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
12Behold, He snatcheth away, who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him: 'What doest Thou?'
13God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
13God will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab did stoop under Him.
14How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
14How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments with Him?
15For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contendeth with me.
16If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
16If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice —
17For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
17He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause;
18He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
18That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill me with bitterness.
19If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him ?
19If it be a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! and if of justice, who will appoint me a time?
20Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
20Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse.
21Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
21I am innocent — I regard not myself, I despise my life.
22It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
22It is all one — therefore I say: He destroyeth the innocent and the wicked.
23When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
23If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the calamity of the guiltless.
24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
24The 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?
25My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
25Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.
26They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
26They are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoopeth on the prey.
27If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
27If I say: 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer',
28I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
28I am afraid of all my pains, I know that Thou wilt not hold me guiltless.
29Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
29I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
30If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
31Yet wilt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
32For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in judgment.
33Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
33There is no arbiter betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
34Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not His terror make me afraid;
35Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.
35Then would I speak, and not fear Him; for I am not so with myself.
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