Job 9
World English BibleTranslation
World English Bible
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
1Then Job answered,
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?
2Of a truth I know that it is so; and how can man be just with God?
3If he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in 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 hardened himself against him and prospered?
4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardened himself against Him, and prospered?
5He removes the mountains, and they don’t know it, when he 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 out of its place. Its pillars tremble.
6Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7He commands the sun and it doesn’t rise, and seals up 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 makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the rooms of the south.
9Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.
10Who doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvellous things without number.
11Behold, he goes by me, and I don’t see him. He passes on also, but I don’t perceive him.
11Lo, He goeth by me, and I see Him not. He passeth on also, but I perceive Him not.
12Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
12Behold, He snatcheth away, who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him: 'What doest Thou?'
13“God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
13God will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab did stoop under Him.
14How much less will I answer him, and choose my words to argue with him?
14How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments with Him?
15Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.
15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contendeth with me.
16If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I wouldn’t believe that he listened 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 breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
17He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause;
18He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
18That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill me with bitterness.
19If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
19If it be a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! and if of justice, who will appoint me a time?
20Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me. Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.
20Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse.
21I am blameless. I don’t respect myself. I despise my life.
21I am innocent — I regard not myself, I despise my life.
22“It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.
22It is all one — therefore I say: He destroyeth the innocent and the wicked.
23If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial 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 covers the faces of its judges. If 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?
25“Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away. They see no good.
25Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.
26They have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
26They are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoopeth on the prey.
27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up,’
27If I say: 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer',
28I am afraid of all my sorrows. I know that you will not hold me innocent.
28I am afraid of all my pains, I know that Thou wilt not hold me guiltless.
29I will be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
29I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
30If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes will abhor me.
31Yet wilt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
32For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in judgment.
33There is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.
33There is no arbiter betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;
34Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not His terror make me afraid;
35then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.
35Then would I speak, and not fear Him; for I am not so with myself.
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