| Chapter 9
|
| 1 | Then Job
answered and said, |
| 2 | I
know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? |
| 3 | If he will contend with him, he cannot
answer him one of a thousand. |
| 4
| He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself
against him, and hath prospered? |
| 5
| Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth
them in his anger. |
| 6 |
Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. |
| 7 | Which commandeth the sun,
and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. |
| 8 | Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon
the waves of the sea. |
| 9 |
Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. |
| 10 | Which doeth great things
past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. |
|
11 | Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth
on also, but I perceive him not. |
|
12 | Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto
him, What doest thou? |
| 13 |
If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. |
| 14 | How much less shall I
answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? |
| 15 | Whom, though I were righteous, yet
would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. |
| 16 | If I had called, and he had answered
me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. |
| 17 | For he breaketh me with a tempest,
and multiplieth my wounds without cause. |
| 18 | He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me
with bitterness. |
| 19 | If I
speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a
time to plead? |
| 20 | If I
justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it
shall also prove me perverse. |
| 21
| Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise
my life. |
| 22 | This is one
thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. |
| 23 | If the scourge slay suddenly,
he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. |
| 24 | The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he
covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? |
| 25 | Now my days are swifter
than a post: they flee away, they see no good. |
|
26 | They are passed away as the swift ships: as the
eagle that hasteth to the prey. |
|
27 | If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my
heaviness, and comfort myself: |
| 28
| I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me
innocent. |
| 29 | If I be
wicked, why then labour I in vain? |
|
30 | If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so
clean; |
| 31 | Yet shalt thou
plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. |
| 32 | For he is not a man, as I am, that I
should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. |
| 33 | Neither is there any daysman betwixt
us, that might lay his hand upon us both. |
| 34 | Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear
terrify me: |
| 35 | Then
would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me. |
