Job 9

 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.

 ⁴He 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.

 ⁹Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, 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?

 ¹³If 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.

 ²¹Though 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.

 ²⁹If I be wicked, why then labour 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:

 ³⁵Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.