Job, 9

¹ Job said in reply:

² “For a fact I know that this is so. But how can mortal man be in the right in a case with God?

³ If someone wishes to argue with Him,^*1 That one could not answer one of His questions in a thousand.

⁴ He is wise in heart and mighty in power. Who can resist him and come off uninjured?

⁵ He moves^*1 mountains without anyone knowing it; He overturns them in his anger.

⁶ He shakes the earth out of its place, So that its pillars tremble.

⁷ He commands the sun not to shine And seals off the light of the stars;

⁸ He spreads out the heavens by himself, And he treads upon the high waves of the sea.

⁹ He made the Ash,^*1 the Keʹsil,^*2 and the Kiʹmah constellations,^*3 And the constellations of the southern sky;^*4

¹⁰ He does great and unsearchable things, Wonderful things that cannot be counted.

¹¹ He passes by me, and I cannot see him; He moves past me, but I do not discern him.

¹² When he snatches something, who can resist him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

¹³ God will not restrain his anger; Even the helpers of Raʹhab^*1 will bow down to him.

¹⁴ How much more when I answer him Must I choose my words carefully to argue with him!

¹⁵ Even if I were in the right, I would not answer him. I could only plead for mercy from my judge.^*1

¹⁶ If I call out to him, will he answer me? I do not believe that he will listen to my voice,

¹⁷ For he crushes me with a storm And multiplies my wounds for no reason.

¹⁸ He does not let me catch my breath; He keeps filling me with bitter things.

¹⁹ If it is a matter of power, he is the strong one. If it is a matter of justice, he says: ‘Who can call me to account?’^*1

²⁰ If I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; Even if I keep my integrity,^*1 he will declare me guilty.^*2

²¹ Even if I keep my integrity,^*1 I am not confident about myself;^*2 I reject^*3 this life of mine.

²² It is all the same. That is why I say, ‘He destroys the innocent^*1 and the wicked alike.’

²³ If a flash flood should cause sudden death, He would mock at the despair of the innocent.

²⁴ The earth has been handed over to the wicked; He covers the eyes^*1 of its judges. If it is not he, then, who is it?

²⁵ Now my days are swifter than a runner; They run away without seeing good.

²⁶ They glide by like reed boats, Like eagles that swoop down on their prey.

²⁷ If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression and be cheerful,’

²⁸ I would still be afraid because of all my pains, And I know you would not find me innocent.

²⁹ I would be found guilty.^*1 So why should I struggle in vain?

³⁰ If I wash myself in water from melting snow, And I cleanse my hands in lye,^*1

³¹ Then you would dip me in a pit, So that even my own garments would detest me.

³² For he is not a man like me that I may answer him, That we should go to court together.

³³ There is no person to decide^*1 between us, Who could serve as our judge.^*2

³⁴ If he would stop beating me^*1 And not let his terror frighten me,

³⁵ Then I would speak to him unafraid, For it is not in me to speak out of fear.