Job 9
9
Job’s Reply
1Job replied,
2“I’m sure that what you have said is true.
But how can human beings prove to God they are not guilty?
3They might wish to argue with him.
But they couldn’t answer him
even once in a thousand times.
4His wisdom is deep. His power is great.
No one opposes him and comes away unharmed.
5He moves mountains, and they don’t even know it.
When he is angry, he turns them upside down.
6He shakes the earth loose from its place.
He makes its pillars tremble.
7When he tells the sun not to shine, it doesn’t.
He turns off the light of the stars.
8He’s the only one who can spread out the heavens.
He alone can walk on the waves of the ocean.
9He made the Big Dipper and Orion.
He created the Pleiades and the southern stars.
10He does wonderful things that can’t be understood.
He does miracles that can’t even be counted.
11When he passes by me, I can’t see him.
When he goes past me, I can’t recognize him.
12If he takes something, who can stop him?
Who would dare to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13God doesn’t hold back his anger.
Even the helpers of the sea monster Rahab
bowed in fear at his feet.
14“So how can I disagree with God?
How can I possibly argue with him?
15Even if I hadn’t done anything wrong,
I couldn’t answer him.
I could only beg my Judge to have mercy on me.
16Suppose I called out to him and he answered.
I don’t believe he’d listen to me.
17He would send a storm to crush me.
He’d increase my wounds without any reason.
18He wouldn’t let me catch my breath.
He’d make my life very bitter.
19If it’s a matter of strength, he is mighty!
And if it’s a matter of being fair,
who would dare to bring charges against him?
20Even if I hadn’t sinned, what I said would prove me guilty.
Even if I were honest, my words would show that I’m wrong.
21“Even though I’m honest,
I’m not concerned about myself.
I hate my own life.
22It all amounts to the same thing. That’s why I say,
‘God destroys honest people and sinful people alike.’
23Suppose a plague brings sudden death.
Then he laughs when those who haven’t sinned lose hope.
24Suppose a nation falls into the power of sinful people.
Then God makes its judges blind to the truth.
If he isn’t the one doing it, who is?
25“God, my days race by like a runner.
They fly away without seeing any joy.
26They speed along like papyrus boats.
They are like eagles swooping down on their food.
27Suppose I say, ‘I’ll forget about all my problems.
I’ll change my frown into a smile.’
28Then I’d still be afraid I’d go on suffering.
That’s because I know you would say
I had done something wrong.
29In fact, you have already said I’m guilty.
So why should I struggle without any reason?
30Suppose I clean myself with soap.
Suppose I wash my hands with cleanser.
31Even then you would throw me into a muddy pit.
And even my clothes would hate me.
32“God isn’t a mere human being like me. I can’t answer him.
We can’t take each other to court.
33I wish someone would settle matters between us.
I wish someone would bring us together.
34I wish someone would keep God from punishing me.
Then his terror wouldn’t frighten me anymore.
35I would speak up without being afraid of him.
But as things stand now, I can’t do that.
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Job 9: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Job 9
9
Job: There Is No Mediator
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Truly I know it is so,
But how can a #(Job 4:17; 15:14–16; Ps. 143:2; Rom. 3:20)man be #(Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38)righteous before God?
3If one wished to contend with Him,
He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4#Job 36:5God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5He removes the mountains, and they do not know
When He overturns them in His anger;
6He #Is. 2:19, 21; Hag. 2:6; Heb. 12:26shakes the earth out of its place,
And its #Job 26:11pillars tremble;
7He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
He seals off the stars;
8#Gen. 1:6; Job 37:18; Ps. 104:2, 3; Is. 40:22He alone spreads out the heavens,
And treads on the waves of the sea;
9#Gen. 1:16; Job 38:31; Amos 5:8He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;
10#Job 5:9He does great things past finding out,
Yes, wonders without number.
11#(Job 23:8, 9; 35:14)If He goes by me, I do not see Him;
If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
12#(Is. 45:9; Dan. 4:35; Rom. 9:20)If He takes away, who can hinder Him?
Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13God will not withdraw His anger,
#Job 26:12The allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.
14“How then can I answer Him,
And choose my words to reason with Him?
15#Job 10:15; 23:1–7For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him;
I would beg mercy of my Judge.
16If I called and He answered me,
I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17For He crushes me with a tempest,
And multiplies my wounds #Job 2:3without cause.
18He will not allow me to catch my breath,
But fills me with bitterness.
19If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong;
And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
20Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me;
Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.
21“I am blameless, yet I do not know myself;
I despise my life.
22It is all one thing;
Therefore I say, #(Eccl. 9:2, 3); Ezek. 21:3‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’
23If the scourge slays suddenly,
He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, who else could it be?
25“Now #Job 7:6, 7my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, they see no good.
26They pass by like swift ships,
#Job 39:29; Hab. 1:8Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
27#Job 7:13If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’
28#Ps. 119:120I am afraid of all my sufferings;
I know that You #Ex. 20:7will not hold me innocent.
29If I am condemned,
Why then do I labor in vain?
30#(Jer. 2:22)If I wash myself with snow water,
And cleanse my hands with soap,
31Yet You will plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes will abhor me.
32“For #Eccl. 6:10; (Is. 45:9; Jer. 49:19; Rom. 9:20)He is not a man, as I am,
That I may answer Him,
And that we should go to court together.
33#(1 Sam. 2:25); Job 9:19; Is. 1:18Nor is there any mediator between us,
Who may lay his hand on us both.
34#Job 13:20, 21; Ps. 39:10Let Him take His rod away from me,
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
35Then I would speak and not fear Him,
But it is not so with me.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.