9:2 “·Yes [Truly], I know that this [C Zophar’s point that God punishes the wicked] is ·true [correct], but how can anyone be ·right [righteous; vindicated] in the presence of God?
9:3 Someone might want to ·argue with God [take God to court], but no one could answer God, not one time out of a thousand.
9:4 ·God’s wisdom is deep [L He is wise of heart], and his power is great; no one can ·fight [L press] him ·without getting hurt [and come out whole/unscathed].
9:5 He moves mountains [C an earthquake] without anyone knowing it and turns them over when he is angry.
9:6 He shakes the earth out of its place and makes its ·foundations [pillars] ·tremble [shudder].
9:7 He ·commands the sun not to [L speaks to the sun and it does not] shine and ·shuts off the light of [L seals up] the stars.
9:8 He alone stretches out the ·skies [heavens] and ·walks [treads] on the ·waves [L high places] of the sea.
9:9 It is God who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades [C well-known constellations] and the ·groups of stars in the southern sky [L chambers of the south].
9:10 He does ·wonders [great things] that cannot be understood; he does so many ·miracles [or marvelous things] they cannot be counted.
9:11 ·When [or If] he passes me, I cannot see him; ·when [or if] he goes by me, I do not ·recognize [perceive] him.
9:12 If he snatches ·something [or someone] away, no one can ·stop him [or bring them back] or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
9:13 God will not ·hold back [relent from] his anger. Even the ·helpers [allies] of the monster Rahab [C a sea monster; Ps. 89:10] ·lie at his feet in fear [L cower under him].
9:14 So how can I ·argue with [L answer] God, or even ·find words to argue [L choose words] with him?
9:15 Even if I were ·right [righteous], I could not answer him; I could only ·beg God [plead], my Judge, for mercy.
9:16 If I ·called to [summoned] him and he answered, I still don’t believe he would ·listen to me [L hear my voice].
9:17 He would crush me with a ·storm [whirlwind; 38:1] and multiply my ·wounds [bruises] ·for no reason [without cause].
9:18 He would not let me ·catch [regain] my breath but would ·overwhelm [satiate] me with ·misery [bitterness].
9:19 ·When [or If] it comes to ·strength [power], God is stronger than I; ·when [or if] it comes to ·justice [or judgment], no one can ·accuse [testify against] him.
9:20 ·Even if I were [or Though I am] ·right [righteous], my own mouth would ·say I was wrong [condemn me]; ·if I were [or I am] innocent, ·my mouth would say I was [or he declares me] guilty.
9:21 “I am innocent, but I don’t ·care about myself [or know for sure]. I ·hate [loathe] my own life.
9:22 It is all the same. That is why I say, ‘God destroys both the innocent and the ·guilty [wicked].’
9:23 If ·the whip [or disaster] brings sudden death, God will ·laugh [ridicule] ·at the suffering [or the despair] of the innocent.
9:24 When the ·land [earth] ·falls [L is given] into the ·hands [power] of evil people, he covers the judges’ faces so they can’t see it. If it is not God who does this, then who is it?
9:25 “My days go by faster than a runner; they ·fly away without my seeing any joy [L are swift but not good].
9:26 They ·glide past [pass by] like ·paper [L reed] boats. They ·attack [or go fast] like eagles swooping down to feed.
9:27 ·Even though [or If] I say, ‘I will forget my ·complaint [sighs]; I will ·change the look on my face [L abandon my countenance] and ·smile [be cheerful],’
9:28 I still dread all my ·suffering [distress]. I know you will ·hold me guilty [L not find me innocent].
9:29 I have already been ·found guilty [declared wicked], so why should I ·struggle [L exhaust myself] for no reason?
9:30 [L Even if] I might wash myself with ·soap [or snow] and ·scrub [cleanse] my hands with ·strong soap [lye],
9:31 but you would ·push [plunge] me into a dirty pit, and even my clothes would ·hate [abhor] me.
9:32 [“L For] God is not human like me, ·so I cannot [L that I could] answer him. ·We cannot meet each other in court [L …that we could go together into judgment].
9:33 ·I wish there were someone to make peace [L There is no umpire] between us, ·someone to decide our case [L who would set his hand on both of us].
9:34 Maybe he could remove ·God’s punishment [L his rod from me] so his terror would no longer frighten me.
9:35 Then I could speak without being afraid [L of him], but I am not able to do that.
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