Home Master Index
←Prev   Job 9 as rendered by/in  Next→ 


9:1  Job replied,
9:2  “I’m sure that what you have said is true. But how can human beings prove to God they are not guilty?
9:3  They might wish to argue with him. But they couldn’t answer him even once in a thousand times.
9:4  His wisdom is deep. His power is great. No one opposes him and comes away unharmed.
9:5  He moves mountains, and they don’t even know it. When he is angry, he turns them upside down.
9:6  He shakes the earth loose from its place. He makes its pillars tremble.
9:7  When he tells the sun not to shine, it doesn’t. He turns off the light of the stars.
9:8  He’s the only one who can spread out the heavens. He alone can walk on the waves of the ocean.
9:9  He made the Big Dipper and Orion. He created the Pleiades and the southern stars.
9:10  He does wonderful things that can’t be understood. He does miracles that can’t even be counted.
9:11  When he passes by me, I can’t see him. When he goes past me, I can’t recognize him.
9:12  If he takes something, who can stop him? Who would dare to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
9:13  God doesn’t hold back his anger. Even the helpers of the sea monster Rahab bowed in fear at his feet.
9:14  “So how can I disagree with God? How can I possibly argue with him?
9:15  Even if I hadn’t done anything wrong, I couldn’t answer him. I could only beg my Judge to have mercy on me.
9:16  Suppose I called out to him and he answered. I don’t believe he’d listen to me.
9:17  He would send a storm to crush me. He’d increase my wounds without any reason.
9:18  He wouldn’t let me catch my breath. He’d make my life very bitter.
9:19  If it’s a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it’s a matter of being fair, who would dare to bring charges against him?
9:20  Even if I hadn’t sinned, what I said would prove me guilty. Even if I were honest, my words would show that I’m wrong.
9:21  “Even though I’m honest, I’m not concerned about myself. I hate my own life.
9:22  It all amounts to the same thing. That’s why I say, ‘God destroys honest people and sinful people alike.’
9:23  Suppose a plague brings sudden death. Then he laughs when those who haven’t sinned lose hope.
9:24  Suppose a nation falls into the power of sinful people. Then God makes its judges blind to the truth. If he isn’t the one doing it, who is?
9:25  “God, my days race by like a runner. They fly away without seeing any joy.
9:26  They speed along like papyrus boats. They are like eagles swooping down on their food.
9:27  Suppose I say, ‘I’ll forget about all my problems. I’ll change my frown into a smile.’
9:28  Then I’d still be afraid I’d go on suffering. That’s because I know you would say I had done something wrong.
9:29  In fact, you have already said I’m guilty. So why should I struggle without any reason?
9:30  Suppose I clean myself with soap. Suppose I wash my hands with cleanser.
9:31  Even then you would throw me into a muddy pit. And even my clothes would hate me.
9:32  “God isn’t a mere human being like me. I can’t answer him. We can’t take each other to court.
9:33  I wish someone would settle matters between us. I wish someone would bring us together.
9:34  I wish someone would keep God from punishing me. Then his terror wouldn’t frighten me anymore.
9:35  I would speak up without being afraid of him. But as things stand now, I can’t do that.