Job 9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Job Replies: There Is No Mediator
9 Then Job answered:
2 “Indeed, I know that this is so,
but how can a mortal be just before God?(A)
3 If one wished to contend with him,
one could not answer him once in a thousand.(B)
4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength;
who has resisted him and succeeded?(C)
5 He removes mountains, and they do not know it
when he overturns them in his anger;
6 he shakes the earth out of its place,
and its pillars tremble;(D)
7 he commands the sun, and it does not rise;
he seals up the stars;
8 he alone stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the Sea;[a](E)
9 he made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;(F)
10 he does great things beyond understanding
and marvelous things without number.(G)
11 Look, he passes by me, and I do not see him;
he moves on, but I do not perceive him.(H)
12 He snatches away; who can stop him?
Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’(I)
13 “God will not turn back his anger;
the helpers of Rahab bowed beneath him.(J)
14 How then can I answer him,
choosing my words with him?
15 Though I am innocent, I cannot answer him;
I must appeal to my accuser for my right.(K)
16 If I summoned him and he answered me,
I do not believe that he would listen to my voice.
17 For he crushes me with a tempest
and multiplies my wounds without cause;(L)
18 he will not let me get my breath
but fills me with bitterness.(M)
19 If it is a contest of strength, he is the strong one!
If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?[b]
20 Though I am innocent, my own mouth would condemn me;
though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse.
21 I am blameless; I do not know myself;
I loathe my life.(N)
22 It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’(O)
23 When disaster brings sudden death,
he mocks at the calamity[c] of the innocent.(P)
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;
he covers the eyes of its judges—
if it is not he, who then is it?(Q)
25 “My days are swifter than a runner;
they flee away; they see no good.
26 They go by like skiffs of reed,
like an eagle swooping on the prey.(R)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint;
I will put off my sad countenance and be of good cheer,’
28 I become afraid of all my suffering,
for I know you will not hold me innocent.
29 I shall be condemned;
why then do I labor in vain?(S)
30 If I wash myself with soap
and cleanse my hands with lye,(T)
31 yet you will plunge me into filth,
and my own clothes will abhor me.
32 For he is not a mortal, as I am, that I might answer him,
that we should come to trial together.(U)
33 There is no mediator[d] between us,
who might lay his hand on us both.(V)
34 If he would take his rod away from me
and not let dread of him terrify me,(W)
35 then I would speak without fear of him,
for I know I am not what I am thought to be.[e]
Job 9
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Job’s Reply to Bildad
9 Then Job answered:
2 Yes, I know what you’ve said is true,
but how can a person be justified before God?(A)
3 If one wanted to take(B) Him to court,
he could not answer God[a] once in a thousand times.(C)
4 God is wise(D) and all-powerful.
Who has opposed Him and come out unharmed?
5 He removes mountains without their knowledge,
overturning them in His anger.(E)
6 He shakes the earth from its place
so that its pillars tremble.
7 He commands the sun not to shine
and seals off the stars.(F)
8 He alone stretches out the heavens(G)
and treads on the waves of the sea.[b]
9 He makes the stars: the Bear,[c] Orion,
the Pleiades,(H) and the constellations[d] of the southern sky.
10 He does great and unsearchable things,
wonders without number.(I)
11 If He passes by me, I wouldn’t see Him;(J)
if He goes right by, I wouldn’t recognize Him.
12 If He snatches something, who can stop[e] Him?
Who can ask Him, “What are You doing?”(K)
13 God does not hold back His anger;
Rahab’s(L) assistants cringe in fear beneath Him!
14 How then can I answer Him
or choose my arguments against Him?
15 Even if I were in the right, I could not answer.
I could only beg my Judge for mercy.(M)
16 If I summoned Him and He answered me,
I do not believe He would pay attention to what I said.
17 He batters me with a whirlwind(N)
and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He doesn’t let me catch my breath
but soaks me with bitter experiences.
19 If it is a matter of strength, look, He is the Mighty One!(O)
If it is a matter of justice, who can summon(P) Him?[f]
20 Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me;(Q)
if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty.
21 Though I am blameless,
I no longer care about myself;
I renounce my life.(R)
22 It is all the same. Therefore I say,
“He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.”(S)
23 When disaster brings sudden death,
He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth[g] is handed over to the wicked;
He blindfolds[h] its judges.(T)
If it isn’t He, then who is it?
25 My days fly by faster than a runner;[i](U)
they flee without seeing any good.(V)
26 They sweep by like boats made of papyrus,
like an eagle swooping down on its prey.(W)
27 If I said, “I will forget my complaint,
change my expression, and smile,”
28 I would still live in terror of all my pains.(X)
I know You will not acquit me.(Y)
29 Since I will be found guilty,(Z)
why should I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow,
and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 then You dip me in a pit of mud,
and my own clothes despise me!
32 For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him,(AA)
that we can take each other to court.
33 There is no one to judge between us,
to lay his hand on both of us.
34 Let Him take His rod away from me
so His terror will no longer frighten me.(AB)
35 Then I would speak and not fear Him.
But that is not the case; I am on my own.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.