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
Job’s Third Speech: A Response to Bildad
1Then#Hebrew “And” Job answered and said,
2“Truly I know that it is so,
but#Hebrew “and” how can a human being be just before God?
3If he wants to contend with him,
he cannot answer him one time in a thousand.
4He is wise in#Hebrew “of” heart and mighty in#Hebrew “of” strength;
who has resisted him and succeeded?#Literally “he succeeded”
5“He is the one who moves mountains, and they do not know how,
who overturns them in his anger.
6He is the one who shakes the earth from its place,
and its pillars tremble.
7He is the one who commands the sun, and it does not rise,
and he seals up the stars.#Literally “and behind the stars he seals up”
8He is the one who alone stretches out the heavens
and who tramples on the waves of the sea.
9He is the one who made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10He is the one who does great things beyond understanding#Literally “until there is not understanding”
and marvelous things beyond number.#Literally “until there is not number”
11“If#Literally “Look” he passes by me, I would not see him;#Literally “and I would not see”
and if he should move on, I would not recognize him.#Literally “and I would not recognize him”
12If#Literally “Look” he would snatch away, who could turn him?
Who could say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13God will not turn back his anger;
beneath him the helpers of Rahab bow.
14How much less#Literally “Also for” can I myself#Emphatic personal pronoun answer him?
How can I choose my words with him,
15whom I cannot answer, even though I am righteous?
From#Hebrew “To” my judge I must implore grace.
16If I summon him, and he should answer me,
I do not believe that he will listen to my voice—
17who crushes me with a tempest
and multiplies#Hebrew “he multiplies” my wounds without cause.
18He will not allow me to catch#Literally “return,” or “regain” my breath;
rather, he will fill me with bitterness.
19If it is a matter of#Literally “for”; see NASB, NIV, NET strength, look, he is mighty.
But#Hebrew “And” if it is a matter of#Literally “for”; NASB, NIV, NET, NRSV justice, who can summon me?#Or “arraign me”
20Even though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me;
even though I am blameless, yet#Hebrew “and” it would pronounce me guilty.
21“I am blameless; I do not care about myself;#Perhaps the meaning is “but it makes no difference to me” (NLT)
I loathe my life.
22It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23When the whip#Or “scourge” kills suddenly,
he mocks at the despair of the innocent.
24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;
he covers the face of its judge—
if it is not he, then who is it?
25“And my days are swifter than a runner;
they flee away; they do not see good.
26They go by like papyrus skiffs,
like an eagle swoops down on its prey.
27Though#Or “If” I say,#Literally “my saying” ‘I will forget my complaint;
I will change my expression, and I will rejoice,’
28I become afraid of all my sufferings;
I know that you do not consider me innocent.
29If I shall be declared guilty,
why then should I labor in vain?
30If I wash myself with soap,#Or “with snow,” or “in snow”
and I cleanse my hands with lye,
31then you plunge me into the slime pit,
and my clothes abhor me.
32“For#Or the emphatic “Indeed” he is not a mortal like me that I can answer him,
that we can come to trial together.#Literally “we come together in the justice,” or “we come together in the judgment”
33There is no arbiter between us
that he might lay his hand on both of us.
34May he remove his rod from me,
and let his dread not terrify me;
35then I would speak and not fear him,#Hebrew “and I will not fear him”
for in myself I am not fearful.#Literally “not so I with me”
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