25 “My (A)days are swifter than (B)a runner;
    they flee away; they see no good.
26 They go by like (C)skiffs of reed,
    like (D)an eagle swooping on the prey.
27 If I say, (E)‘I will forget my complaint,
    I will put off my sad face, and (F)be of good cheer,’
28 I become (G)afraid of all my suffering,
    for I know you will not (H)hold me innocent.
29 I shall be (I)condemned;
    why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow
    and (J)cleanse my hands with lye,
31 yet you will plunge me into a pit,
    and my own clothes will (K)abhor me.

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Job Argues that God Won’t Acquit Him

25 “My days pass faster than a runner;
    but they pass quickly without seeing anything good.
26 They pass by like a ship made of reeds,
    like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 If I were to say, ‘Let me forget my complaint,’
    change[a] the expression on[b] my face, and look cheerful,
28 then I still dread all of my suffering;
    I know you still won’t acquit me.
29 I will be condemned,
    so why should I wear myself out with this futility?

30 “If I wash myself with water from snow,
    and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 you’ll still drop me into the Pit,[c]
    and my own clothes will despise me.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 9:27 Lit. forsake
  2. Job 9:27 The Heb. lacks the expression on
  3. Job 9:31 I.e. the place of punishment in the afterlife