Job 9
Young's Literal Translation
9 And Job answereth and saith: --
2 Truly I have known that [it is] so, And what -- is man righteous with God?
3 If he delight to strive with Him -- He doth not answer him one of a thousand.
4 Wise in heart and strong in power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
7 Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
9 Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.
10 Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.
11 Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.
12 Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, `What dost Thou?'
13 God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.
14 How much less do I -- I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.
16 Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear [to] my voice.
17 Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.
18 He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.
19 If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment -- who doth convene me?
20 If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse.
21 Perfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, `The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'
23 If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.
24 Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not -- where, who [is] he?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.
27 Though I say, `I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
29 I -- I am become wicked; why [is] this? [In] vain I labour.
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,
31 Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.
32 But if a man like myself -- I answer him, We come together into judgment.
33 If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.
34 He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.
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.
Job 9
Darby Translation
9 And Job answered and said,
2 Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?
3 If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
5 Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
7 Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
9 Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
10 Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
12 Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 +God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
14 How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice,—
17 He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
19 Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
20 If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
21 Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.
24 The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
25 And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
30 If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
31 Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.
33 There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
35 [Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
Job 9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 9
Job’s Second Reply. 1 Then Job answered and said:
2 I know well that it is so;
but how can anyone be in the right before God?
3 Should one wish to contend with him,[a]
he could not answer him once in a thousand times.
4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;
who has withstood him and remained whole?
5 He removes the mountains before they know it;
he overturns them in his anger.
6 He shakes the earth out of its place,(A)
and the pillars beneath it tremble.
7 He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
he seals up the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens(B)
and treads upon the back of the sea.
9 He made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south;
10 He does things great and unsearchable,
things marvelous and innumerable.
11 Should he come near me, I do not see him;
should he pass by, I am not aware of him;
12 Should he seize me forcibly, who can resist?
Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
13 He is God and he does not relent;
the helpers of Rahab[b] bow beneath him.
14 How then could I give him any answer,
or choose out arguments against him!
15 Even though I were right, I could not answer,(C)
but should rather beg for what was due me.
16 If I appealed to him and he answered me,
I could not believe that he would listen to me;
17 With a storm he might overwhelm me,
and multiply my wounds for nothing;
18 He would not allow me to draw breath,
but might fill me with bitter griefs.
19 If it be a question of strength, he is mighty;
or of judgment, who will call him to account?
20 Though I were right, my own mouth might condemn me;(D)
were I innocent, it might put me in the wrong.
21 I am innocent, but I cannot know it;
I despise my life.
22 It is all one! therefore I say:
Both the innocent and the wicked he destroys.(E)
23 When the scourge slays suddenly,
he scoffs at the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hands of the wicked;
he covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not he, who then is it?
25 My days are swifter than a runner,
they flee away; they see no happiness;(F)
26 They shoot by like skiffs of reed,
like an eagle swooping upon its prey.
27 If I say: I will forget my complaining,
I will lay aside my sadness and be of good cheer,
28 Then I am in dread of all my pains;
I know that you[c] will not hold me innocent.
29 It is I who will be accounted guilty;
why then should I strive in vain?
30 If I should wash myself with soap
and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 Yet you would plunge me in the ditch,
so that my garments would abhor me.
32 For he is not a man like myself, that I should answer him,
that we should come together in judgment.
33 Would that there were an arbiter between us,
who could lay his hand upon us both
34 and withdraw his rod from me,
So that his terrors did not frighten me;
35 that I might speak without being afraid of him.
Since this is not the case with me,
1 [d]I loathe my life.(G)
Footnotes
- 9:3 Job begins to explore the possibility of challenging God in a lawsuit, a theme that will recur (10:2), but he knows the odds are against him (vv. 12–20).
- 9:13 Rahab: another name for the primeval sea-monster; see notes on 3:8 and Ps 89:11; cf. Jb 7:12; 26:12.
- 9:28–31 You: refers to God.
- 10:1 I loathe my life: these words complete the thought of 9:35.
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