Job 9
The Voice
Much like Eliphaz, Bildad believes people suffer as a result of their own sins. But his justification of that suffering is different. Bildad reasons that God is just; as God, He is justice personified. Because He is so perfectly just, God will not punish someone who is also just. Bildad’s logical but flawed conclusion is that Job must have sinned to deserve his current pain. Surprisingly, he manages to be even less effective than Eliphaz had been, alienating Job by reasoning that Job’s children must have sinned to deserve their deaths and implying that Job’s regular sacrifices on their behalf were not enough to save them.
9 Then Job spoke to them.
2 Job: Sure, I know all of this is correct,
but tell me this: how can a person set things straight with God?
3 If one wanted to argue with Him,
even in a thousand questions he would not be able to answer Him once.
4 His wise heart is vast; His strength immeasurable.
Who has ever challenged Him and remained safe and at peace?
5 He uproots mountains,
and they are unaware when He overturns them in His rage.
6 He shakes the earth out of its place
so that its foundation pillars shudder.
7 He commands the sun to go down and not rise,
and He sequesters the stars so they do not shine.
8 He single-handedly stretched out the heavens overhead
and walks on the back of the raging sea.
9 He fashioned the stars into constellations we know by name—
Bear, Orion, the Pleiades—
and the lights of the southern sky.
10 He does wonderful things, even confounding things,
and performs an infinite number of miracles.
11 Still, if He passes right by me, I don’t see Him;
if He brushes past, I don’t notice Him.
12 Ah, but if He were to steal like a thief in the market,
who could stop Him? No one has authority over Him.
Who could dare say to Him, “What are You doing?”
13 God does not restrain Himself in His anger.
Even the minions of Rahab—that monster of the sea and purveyor of chaos—
cower at His feet in subservience.
14 So then how do I argue with Him?
How can I find the right words to state my case to Him?
15 After all, I am the innocent one here, and I still can’t find an answer.
So I must continually appeal to the mercy of my judge.
16 But even if I were to call Him and He were to answer,
I still could not believe that He would listen to my complaint.
17 For He flattens me with a tornado
and multiplies my wounds for no reason.
18 He won’t even give me time to catch my breath;
instead He force-feeds me more bitterness.
19 If it is an issue of power, there is no question
He is the mighty one;
and if it is an issue of justice, who would ever appoint me?
20 Even though I am right in all of this, my own mouth sentences me.
Though I am blameless, my own lips cheat me.
21 I am blameless, but I don’t know myself.
I hate my life.
22 Well, then this is what I say: it’s all the same.
In the end, He kills off both the innocent and the depraved.
23 If a flood of disaster rushes in and kills,
He ridicules the anguish of its innocent victims.
24 The earth has been given over
and is under the dominion of some wicked hand.
God conceals these things from its judges, covering their faces, blinding their eyes.
If not He, then who is it?
25 As for me, my days are sprinting by like a runner.
Seeing nothing good, they seek escape.
26 They glide past in swift silence like reed boats on the river.
Now a blur, they dive like an eagle toward its prey.
27 If I tell myself, “I will forget all about my grievance against God,
I will simply abandon my long face and cheer up,”
28 Then I fear the suffering to come
because I know there’s no chance that You, Lord, will find me innocent.
29 So if the verdict is already in, if I have already been found guilty,
why should I bother to clear my name?
Why struggle in vain?
30 Though I wash my body in the pure melted snow
and scrub my hands thoroughly with the strongest soap,
31 You would toss me into a putrid pit,
and when I emerged, even my own clothes would hate me.
32 The Lord . . . He is no man, like me, whom I could answer,
no human being whom I could face in court.
33 There is no judge to stand between us
who can lay his hands on us both,
34 Who can remove God’s rod from my back
and stave off the terror of Him that haunts me.
35 I long to speak and defend myself without fear of Him and His reprisals;
but as things stand now and as I am within myself, that’s not possible.
Job 9
Ang Pulong Sa Dios
Mitubag si Job
9 Unya mitubag si Job, 2 “Oo, tinuod kanang ginaingon mo. Apan unsaon sa tawo pagpamatuod nga inosente siya atubangan sa Dios? 3 Bisan lalison pa niya sa hukmanan ang Dios, wala siyay mahimo, kay dili niya matubag ang bisan usa lang sa libo ka mga pangutana sa Dios. 4 Maalam ug gamhanan gayod ang Dios. Kinsa bay mibatok kaniya nga nagmadaogon?
5 “Sa walay pagpasidaan, tay-ogon niya ang mga bukid ug mangatiphag kini sa iyang kasuko. 6 Palinogon niya ang yuta gikan sa pundasyon niini. 7 Sa iyang pagmando, dili mosidlak ang adlaw ug ang mga bitoon. 8 Siya lamang ang makabuklad sa kalangitan, ug siya lamang ang makapahunong sa balod. 9 Siya ang nagmugna sa mga grupo sa mga bitoon nga gitawag Oso, Orion, Pleyades, ug sa mga bitoon sa habagatan. 10 Nagahimo siyag katingalahang mga butang ug mga milagro nga dili matugkad ug dili maihap. 11 Kon labyan ako niya, dili ko siya makita ug mamatikdan. 12 Kon may gusto siyang kuhaon, walay makapugong kaniya. Kinsa bay makareklamo sa iyang ginahimo? 13 Dili pugngan sa Dios ang iyang kasuko. Bisan ang mga katabang sa dragon nga si Rahab moluhod sa kahadlok kaniya. 14 Busa unsaon ko pagpanubag sa Dios? 15 Bisan pag dili ako sad-an, dili ako makapangatarongan. Ang mahimo ko lang mao ang pagpakilooy sa Dios nga akong Maghuhukom. 16 Bisan pag hangyoon ko siya nga mag-atubangay kami ug mosugot siya, dili gihapon niya ako pamation. 17 Kay gipaantos niya ako nga daw sa gihapak ug bagyo, ug gipasamot niya ang akong mga kasakit sa walay hinungdan. 18 Halos dili na niya ako paginhawaon sa labihan nga kasakit nga gipaantos niya kanako. 19 Kon sa pakusganay lang, kusgan gayod siya! Ug kon sa akusahay, kinsay makaakusar kaniya? 20 Bisan pag dili ako sad-an, hukman gihapon ako ug silotan tungod sa akong gipanulti sa pagpanalipod sa akong kaugalingon. 21 Bisag walay ikasaway sa akong kinabuhi, wala kini bale kanako. Naglagot ako sa akong kinabuhi. 22 Kay mao ra man gihapon; sama ra nga laglagon sa Dios ang matarong ug ang daotan. 23 Magkatawa ra siya kon kalit mamatay sa katalagman ang matarong. 24 Gitugyan niya ang kalibotan ngadto sa mga daotan. Gibutaan niya ang mata sa mga maghuhukom. Kon dili siya ang naghimo niini, nan, kinsa pa man?
25 “Paspas nga nanglabay ang mga adlaw sa akong kinabuhi; mas paspas pa kaysa magdadagan. Nanglabay kini nga wala gayoy kalipay. 26 Sama ka paspas sa tulin nga sakayan o sa pagsakdap sa agila. 27 Bisan pag dili na ako moreklamo ug undangan ko na ang pagsubo, ug mopahiyom na lang, 28 mahadlok gihapon ako sa mga pag-antos nga moabot kanako. Kay nasayod ako nga dili niya ako isipon nga dili sad-an. 29 Unsa pa may kapuslanan sa pagpaninguha ko nga depensahan ang akong kaugalingon, sanglit ginaisip niya ako karon nga sad-an? 30 Bisan pag sabonan ko ang akong tibuok lawas aron mahimo akong hinlo, 31 ituslob niya gihapon ako sa lapokon nga bangag, aron bisan ang akong bisti ngil-aran kanako. 32 Ang Dios dili tawo sama kanako, busa dili ako makalalis kaniya ug makaakusar kaniya sa hukmanan. 33 Unta may magpatunga kanamo sa paghusay kanamong duha, 34 ug mapaundang niya ang paglatos sa Dios kanako, aron dili na ako mahadlok. 35 Unya makasulti na ako kaniya nga walay kahadlok. Apan sa pagkakaron, dili ko pa kini mahimo.”
Job 9
New International Version
Job
9 Then Job replied:
2 “Indeed, I know that this is true.
But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?(A)
3 Though they wished to dispute with him,(B)
they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.(C)
4 His wisdom(D) is profound, his power is vast.(E)
Who has resisted(F) him and come out unscathed?(G)
5 He moves mountains(H) without their knowing it
and overturns them in his anger.(I)
6 He shakes the earth(J) from its place
and makes its pillars tremble.(K)
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;(L)
he seals off the light of the stars.(M)
8 He alone stretches out the heavens(N)
and treads on the waves of the sea.(O)
9 He is the Maker(P) of the Bear[a] and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.(Q)
10 He performs wonders(R) that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.(S)
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.(T)
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?(U)
Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’(V)
13 God does not restrain his anger;(W)
even the cohorts of Rahab(X) cowered at his feet.
14 “How then can I dispute with him?
How can I find words to argue with him?(Y)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;(Z)
I could only plead(AA) with my Judge(AB) for mercy.(AC)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.(AD)
17 He would crush me(AE) with a storm(AF)
and multiply(AG) my wounds for no reason.(AH)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.(AI)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!(AJ)
And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him[b]?(AK)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.(AL)
21 “Although I am blameless,(AM)
I have no concern for myself;(AN)
I despise my own life.(AO)
22 It is all the same; that is why I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’(AP)
23 When a scourge(AQ) brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent.(AR)
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,(AS)
he blindfolds its judges.(AT)
If it is not he, then who is it?(AU)
25 “My days are swifter than a runner;(AV)
they fly away without a glimpse of joy.(AW)
26 They skim past(AX) like boats of papyrus,(AY)
like eagles swooping down on their prey.(AZ)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,(BA)
I will change my expression, and smile,’
28 I still dread(BB) all my sufferings,
for I know you will not hold me innocent.(BC)
29 Since I am already found guilty,
why should I struggle in vain?(BD)
30 Even if I washed myself with soap(BE)
and my hands(BF) with cleansing powder,(BG)
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit(BH)
so that even my clothes would detest me.(BI)
32 “He is not a mere mortal(BJ) like me that I might answer him,(BK)
that we might confront each other in court.(BL)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,(BM)
someone to bring us together,(BN)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,(BO)
so that his terror would frighten me no more.(BP)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,(BQ)
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.(BR)
Iyov 9
Orthodox Jewish Bible
9 Then Iyov answered and said,
2 I know it is indeed thus, but how should yitzdak Enosh im El (Man be in the right, justified, before G-d)?
3 If he will contend with Him, once of a thousand can Man not answer G-d back.
4 G-d is chochom in lev, and mighty in ko’ach; who hath hardened himself to defy Him and remained unhurt?
5 Which removeth the harim (mountains), and they know not; which overturneth them in His anger;
6 Which shaketh eretz out of its place, and the ammudim thereof tremble;
7 Which commandeth the cheres (sun), and it riseth not; and sealeth up the kokhavim;
8 Which spreadeth out Shomayim by Himself alone, and treadeth upon the waves of the yam;
9 Which maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the constellations on the south side of the heavens;
10 Which doeth gedolot past finding out; yea, and nifla’ot (wonders) without number.
11 Hen (lo), He passeth by me, and I see Him not; He goeth on also, but I perceive Him not.
12 Hinei, He taketh away, who can stop Him? Who will say unto Him, Mah ta’aseh (what are You doing)?
13 If Eloah restraineth not His anger, the helpers of Rahab must bow themselves under Him.
14 How much less shall I dispute with Him, and choose my dvarim with Him?
15 Whom, though I were tzaddik (righteous, innocent, in the right), yet would I not answer, but I would make techinnah (supplication, plea for mercy) for my mishpat (right).
16 If I had summoned, and He had responded to me, yet would I not believe that He had paid heed unto my kol (voice);
17 For He breaketh me in a sa’arah (tempest, storm), and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He will not allow me to take my ruach (breath), but filleth me with bitterness.
19 If I speak of ko’ach, hinei, He is mighty, and if of mishpat, who can give Him a court summons?
20 If etzdak (I am justified, in the right), mine own mouth would condemn me; if I say, I am blameless, He would prove me perverse.
21 Though I were blameless, yet would I not know my nefesh; I would despise my life.
22 This is one thing; therefore I said it, He destroyeth the tam (blameless) and the rasha (wicked).
23 If the shot (scourge) slay suddenly, He laugheth at the melting away [in anguish] of the nekiyim (innocent ones, the guiltless ones).
24 Eretz is given into the yad of the resha; He blindfoldeth the faces of the shofetim (judges) thereof; if not, then, who doeth it?
25 Now my yamim are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no tovah.
26 They slip by like oniyyot (boats) of reed; as the nesher that swoopeth down on the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my si’akh (complaint), I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself,
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows; I have da’as that Thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 If I be wicked, why then labor I in hevel (vain)?
30 If I wash myself with sheleg (snow), and make my hands clean with lye,
31 Yet shalt Thou plunge me in the shachat (slime pit), and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For He is not an ish, as I am, that I should answer Him, and we should come together in mishpat (in the court).
33 Neither is there any mochiach (arbitrator) between us, that might lay his yad upon us both.
34 Let Him take His shevet (rod) away from me, and let not His fear terrify me.
35 Then would I speak, and not fear Him; but it is not ken (so) with me.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Ang Pulong Sa Dios (Cebuano New Testament) Copyright © 1988, 2001 by International Bible Society® Used by Permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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