Job 9

Job: Who is Righteous Before God?

1Job responded and said:

2“Truly I know it is so, but how can one be righteous before God?

3If anyone wished to contend with Him, he could not answer Him once in a thousand.

4He is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and come out whole?

5“He who moves mountains, yet they do not know it, who overthrows them in His anger;

6who shakes the earth from its place until its pillars tremble;

7who speaks to the sun so it does not rise, and seals up the stars;

8He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea;

9He makes the Bear, Orion and Pleiades, and the constellations of the south;

10He does great and unfathomable things, wonders beyond number.

11If He were to pass by me, I would not see Him! Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.

12If He were to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13“God does not restrain His anger; under Him the helpers of Rahab cower.

14How then can I answer Him or choose my words with Him?

15Even if I were right, I would not answer; I would implore the mercy of my Judge.

16Even if I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He would listen to my voice.

17He who crushes me with a storm and multiplies my wounds for no reason.

18He does not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

19If it is a question of strength— certainly, He is the mighty One! If it is a matter of justice— who will summon me?

20Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me. If I were guiltless, it will declare me perverse.

21“I am guiltless. I have no concern for myself. I despise my life.

22It is all the same, therefore I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

23If a scourge smites suddenly, He mocks the despair of the innocent.

24If the land falls into the hand of the wicked He blindfolds the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?

25“My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away without seeing goodness.

26They slip by like reed boats, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.

27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and be cheerful,’

28I still dread all my pains, for I know You will not find me innocent.

29If I am condemned— why should I struggle in vain?

30If I wash myself with melted snow and cleanse my hands with lye,

31then You would plunge me into a pit and my own clothes would detest me.

32For He is not a human being, like I am, that I could answer Him, that we could go to court together.

33There is no arbitrator between us, who could lay his hand on us both;

34who could remove His rod from me, so that His terror would not frighten me.

35Then I would speak and not fear Him —except it is not so with me.”

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Job 9: TLV

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Job 9

Job's Inability to Answer God

1Then Job answered and said,

2I know it is so of a truth:

but how should man be just with God?

3If he will contend with him,

he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength:

who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

5which removeth the mountains, and they know not;

which overturneth them in his anger;

6which shaketh the earth out of her place,

and the pillars thereof tremble;

7which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not;

and sealeth up the stars;

8which alone spreadeth out the heavens,

and treadeth upon the waves of the sea;

9 # Job 38.31; Amos 5.8. which maketh Arctu´rus, Ori´on, and Plei´ades,

and the chambers of the south;

10which doeth great things past finding out;

yea, and wonders without number.

11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not:

he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him?

Who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13 If God will not withdraw his anger,

the proud helpers do stoop under him.

14How much less shall I answer him,

and choose out my words to reason with him?

15whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer,

but I would make supplication to my judge.

16If I had called, and he had answered me;

yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17For he breaketh me with a tempest,

and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

18He will not suffer me to take my breath,

but filleth me with bitterness.

19If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong:

and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me:

if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul:

I would despise my life.

22This is one thing, therefore I said it,

He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23If the scourge slay suddenly,

he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked:

he covereth the faces of the judges thereof;

if not, where, and who is he?

25Now my days are swifter than a post:

they flee away, they see no good.

26They are passed away as the swift ships:

as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

27If I say, I will forget my complaint,

I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself;

28I am afraid of all my sorrows,

I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29 If I be wicked,

why then labor I in vain?

30If I wash myself with snow water,

and make my hands never so clean;

31yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch,

and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him,

and we should come together in judgment.

33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us,

that might lay his hand upon us both.

34Let him take his rod away from me,

and let not his fear terrify me:

35 then would I speak, and not fear him;

but it is not so with me.

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