Job 9
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 passed by me, I wouldn’t see him;(J)
if he went 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 fills me with bitter experiences.
19 If it is a matter of strength, look, he is the powerful 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 catastrophe[g] brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth[h] is handed over to the wicked;
he blindfolds[i] its judges.(T)
If it isn’t he, then who is it?
25 My days fly by faster than a runner;[j](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 struggle 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 mediator 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.
Job 9
King James Version
9 Then Job answered and said,
2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial 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?
25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
Job 9
English Standard Version
Job Replies: There Is No Arbiter
9 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Truly I know that it is so:
But how can a man be (A)in the right before God?
3 If one wished to (B)contend with him,
one could not answer him once in a thousand times.
4 He is (C)wise in heart and mighty in strength—
who has (D)hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—
5 he who removes mountains, and they know it not,
when he overturns them in his anger,
6 who (E)shakes the earth out of its place,
and (F)its pillars tremble;
7 who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
who seals up the stars;
8 who alone (G)stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the sea;
9 who (H)made (I)the Bear and (J)Orion,
the Pleiades (K)and the chambers of the south;
10 who does (L)great things beyond searching out,
and marvelous things beyond number.
11 Behold, he passes by me, and I (M)see him not;
he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
12 Behold, he snatches away; (N)who can turn him back?
(O)Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 “God will not turn back his anger;
beneath him bowed the helpers of (P)Rahab.
14 (Q)How then can I (R)answer him,
choosing my words with him?
15 (S)Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him;
I must (T)appeal for mercy to my accuser.[a]
16 If I summoned him and he answered me,
I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.
17 For he crushes me with a tempest
and multiplies my wounds (U)without cause;
18 he will not let me get my breath,
but fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a contest of (V)strength, behold, he is mighty!
If it is a matter of justice, who can (W)summon him?[b]
20 Though I am in the right, (X)my own mouth would condemn me;
though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse.
21 I am (Y)blameless; I regard not myself;
I (Z)loathe my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He (AA)destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 When (AB)disaster brings sudden death,
he mocks at the calamity[c] of the innocent.
24 (AC)The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;
he (AD)covers the faces of its judges—
(AE)if it is not he, who then is it?
25 “My (AF)days are swifter than (AG)a runner;
they flee away; they see no good.
26 They go by like (AH)skiffs of reed,
like (AI)an eagle swooping on the prey.
27 If I say, (AJ)‘I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad face, and (AK)be of good cheer,’
28 I become (AL)afraid of all my suffering,
for I know you will not (AM)hold me innocent.
29 I shall be (AN)condemned;
why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow
and (AO)cleanse my hands with lye,
31 yet you will plunge me into a pit,
and my own clothes will (AP)abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him,
that we should (AQ)come to trial together.
33 (AR)There is no[d] arbiter between us,
who might lay his hand on us both.
34 (AS)Let him take his (AT)rod away from me,
and let (AU)not dread of him terrify me.
35 Then I would speak without fear of him,
for I am not so in myself.
Job 9
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015
Jobs svar på Bildads första tal
9 Då tog Job till orda och sade:
2 (A) Jag vet mycket väl att det är så.
Hur kan en människa
stå rättfärdig inför Gud?
3 Om hon vill gå till rätta med honom,
kan hon inte ge svar på en sak
bland tusen.
4 Hans hjärta är vist,
hans kraft är väldig,
vem har trotsat honom
och kommit undan?
5 Han flyttar berg
utan att någon vet det
och omstörtar dem i sin vrede,
6 (B) han får jorden att vackla
från sin plats
och dess pelare att bäva,
7 han befaller solen att inte gå upp
och förseglar stjärnorna,
8 (C) han ensam spänner ut himlarna
och skrider fram över havets rygg,
9 (D) han har gjort Stora Björn[a] och Orion,
Sjustjärnorna
och söderns stjärnbilder,
10 (E) han gör stora och ofattbara ting,
under som ingen kan räkna.
11 Se, han går förbi mig
utan att jag ser honom,
han drar vidare
utan att jag märker det.
12 Han griper sitt rov,
vem kan hindra honom?
Vem kan säga till honom:
”Vad gör du?”
13 (F) Gud håller inte tillbaka sin vrede.
För honom måste
Rahabs[b] följe böja sig.
14 (G) Hur skulle jag kunna svara honom,
välja ut ord inför honom?
15 Även om jag har rätt
kan jag inte svara,
bara be min domare om nåd.
16 Om jag ropar och han svarar,
så tror jag inte att han lyssnar
till min röst,
17 (H) för han straffar mig med storm
och slår mig med sår på sår
utan orsak.
18 Han låter mig inte hämta andan
utan mättar mig med bedrövelser.
19 Gäller det styrka? Se, han är stark!
Gäller det vad som är rätt?
Vem vill ställa mig till svars[c]?
20 Om jag hade rätt
skulle ändå min mun fälla mig,
om jag vore oskyldig
skulle han finna mig falsk.
21 (I) Jag är oskyldig!
Jag vill inte veta av mig själv,
jag är trött på att leva.
22 (J) Det går på ett ut, därför säger jag:
Både den oskyldige
och den skyldige förgör han.
23 Om en plåga bringar plötslig död,
föraktar han de oskyldigas
förtvivlan.
24 Jorden är given i de gudlösas hand.
Han binder för ögonen
på dess domare.
Om det inte är han, vem är det då?
25 (K) Mina dagar rusar i väg
snabbare än en löpare,
de flyr bort utan att ha sett
någon glädje.
26 De far förbi som vassbåtar,
som en örn som störtar
mot sitt byte.
27 Om jag säger:
Jag ska glömma mitt bekymmer,
släppa min sorgsna min
och vara glad,
28 så bävar jag ändå för alla mina kval,
för jag vet att du inte
ska döma mig fri.
29 Jag står där som skyldig,
varför tröttar jag ut mig i onödan?
30 (L) Även om jag tvättar mig med snö[d]
och renar mina händer med lut,
31 ska du ändå sänka ner mig i pölen
och mina kläder ska avsky mig.
32 (M) Han är inte en människa som jag,
så att jag kan svara honom:
”Vi går tillsammans till rätten.”
33 Det finns ingen som kan
döma mellan oss
och lägga sin hand på oss båda.
34 (N) Må han ta bort sitt ris från mig
så att skräcken för honom
inte förfärar mig.
35 Då ska jag tala
utan att vara rädd för honom.
Men så har jag det inte.
Footnotes
- 9:9 Stora Björn Stjärnbilden med Karlavagnen. Annan översättning: ”Lejonet”.
- 9:13 Rahab Hebr. för ”övermod”, ”trotsighet”. Används även om Egypten (jfr Ps 87:4, Jes 30:7).
- 9:19 ställa mig till svars Andra handskrifter (Septuaginta): ”ställa honom till svars”.
- 9:30 snö Kan möjligen syfta på såpnejlikor, ett forntida tvättmedel.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015, Copyright © 2015 by Svenska Folkbibeln Foundation