Job 9
9
Job Answers Bildad
1Then Job answered:
2“Yes, I know that this is true,
but how can anyone be right in the presence of God?
3Someone might want to argue with God,
but no one could answer God,
not one time out of a thousand.
4God’s wisdom is deep, and his power is great;
no one can fight him without getting hurt.
5God moves mountains without anyone knowing it
and turns them over when he is angry.
6He shakes the earth out of its place
and makes its foundations tremble.
7He commands the sun not to shine
and shuts off the light of the stars.
8He alone stretches out the skies
and walks on the waves of the sea.
9It is God who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades
and the groups of stars in the southern sky.
10He does wonders that cannot be understood;
he does so many miracles they cannot be counted.
11When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by me, I do not recognize him.
12If he snatches something away, no one can stop him
or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13God will not hold back his anger.
Even the helpers of the monster Rahab lie at his feet in fear.
14So how can I argue with God,
or even find words to argue with him?
15Even if I were right, I could not answer him;
I could only beg God, my Judge, for mercy.
16If I called to him and he answered,
I still don’t believe he would listen to me.
17He would crush me with a storm
and multiply my wounds for no reason.
18He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.
19When it comes to strength, God is stronger than I;
when it comes to justice, no one can accuse him.
20Even if I were right, my own mouth would say I was wrong;
if I were innocent, my mouth would say I was guilty.
21“I am innocent,
but I don’t care about myself.
I hate my own life.
22It is all the same. That is why I say,
‘God destroys both the innocent and the guilty.’
23If the whip brings sudden death,
God will laugh at the suffering of the innocent.
24When the land falls into the hands of evil people,
he covers the judges’ faces so they can’t see it.
If it is not God who does this, then who is it?
25“My days go by faster than a runner;
they fly away without my seeing any joy.
26They glide past like paper boats.
They attack like eagles swooping down to feed.
27Even though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint;
I will change the look on my face and smile,’
28I still dread all my suffering.
I know you will hold me guilty.
29I have already been found guilty,
so why should I struggle for no reason?
30I might wash myself with soap
and scrub my hands with strong soap,
31but you would push me into a dirty pit,
and even my clothes would hate me.
32“God is not human like me, so I cannot answer him.
We cannot meet each other in court.
33I wish there were someone to make peace between us,
someone to decide our case.
34Maybe he could remove God’s punishment
so his terror would no longer frighten me.
35Then I could speak without being afraid,
but I am not able to do that.
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Job 9: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Job 9
9
1 And Job, responding, said:
2 Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.
4 He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?
5 He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.
6 He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.
7 He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.
8 He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.
9 He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.
10 He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.
11 If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.
12 If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, "Why did you do so?"
13 God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,
14 what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?
15 And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.
16 And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.
18 He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.
19 If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.
20 If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.
21 And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.
22 There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.
23 If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent.
24 Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?
25 My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.
26 They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.
27 If I say: "By no means will I speak this way." I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.
28 I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.
29 Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?
30 If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,
31 yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me.
32 For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.
34 Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.
35 I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.
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