9:1 Then Job responded,
9:2 “In truth I know that this is so;
But how can a person be in the right with God?
9:3 If one wished to dispute with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
9:4 Wise in heart and mighty in strength,
Who has ①defied Him ②without harm?
▷ ①Lit stiffened his neck against ②Lit and remained safe
9:5 It is God who removes the mountains, and they do not know how,
When He overturns them in His anger.
9:6 It is He who shakes the earth from its place,
And its pillars tremble;
9:7 Who commands the sun ①not to shine,
And puts a seal on the stars;
▷ ①Lit and it does not shine
9:8 Who alone stretches out the heavens,
And ①tramples down the waves of the sea;
▷ ①Lit treads upon the heights of
9:9 Who makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the ①constellations of the south.
▷ ①Lit chambers
9:10 It is He who does great things, ①the unfathomable,
And wondrous works without number.
▷ ①Lit until there is no searching out
9:11 If He were to pass by me, I would not see Him;
Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
9:12 If He were to snatch away, who could restrain Him?
Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
9:13 “God will not turn back His anger;
Beneath Him the helpers of ①Rahab cower.
▷ ①I.e., a sea monster, not to be confused with Rahab in Joshua 2
9:14 How then can I ①answer Him,
And choose my words ②before Him?
▷ ①Or plead my case ②Lit with
9:15 For though I were right, I could not ①answer;
I would have to implore the mercy of my Judge.
▷ ①Or plead my case
9:16 If I called and He answered me,
I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.
9:17 For He bruises me with a storm
And multiplies my wounds without cause.
9:18 He will not allow me to get my breath,
But He saturates me with bitterness.
9:19 If it is a matter of power, behold, He is the strong one!
And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon ①Him?
▷ ①As in LXX; Heb me
9:20 Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me;
Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.
9:21 I am guiltless;
I do not take notice of myself;
I reject my life.
9:22 It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He destroys the guiltless and the wicked.’
9:23 If the whip kills suddenly,
He mocks the despair of the innocent.
9:24 The earth is handed over to the wicked;
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, then who is it?
9:25 “Now my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, they see no good.
9:26 They slip by like reed boats,
Like an eagle that swoops on ①its prey.
▷ ①Lit food
9:27 Though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will ①put my face in order and be cheerful,’
▷ ①I.e., improve the look
9:28 I am afraid of all my pains,
I know that You will not acquit me.
9:29 I am guilty,
Why then should I struggle in vain?
9:30 If I washed myself with snow,
And cleansed my hands with lye,
9:31 Then You would plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes would loathe me.
9:32 For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him—
That we may go to ①court together!
▷ ①Lit judgment
9:33 There is no arbitrator between us,
Who can place his hand upon us both.
9:34 Let Him remove His rod from me,
And let not the dread of Him terrify me.
9:35 Then I would speak and not fear Him;
But I am not like that in myself.