Job 9

And Job answered and said, 2 “I know truly that {this is} so. But how will a man be righteous with God? 3 If he desires to contend with him, he will not answer him one from a thousand. \* 4 {He is} wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him and been whole?— 5 the one removing mountains and they do not know, who in his nose overturns them; 6 the one shaking the earth from its place and causing its pillars to tremble; \* 7 the one speaking to the sun and it does not rise, and upon the stars he seals; 8 stretching out the heavens by himself and treading on the waves of the sea; 9 making the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south; \* 10 doing great {things} until there is no searching and distinguished {things} until there is no number. 11 Behold, he goes by me, but I do not see, and he passes, but I do not perceive him. 12 If he takes away, who will turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ \* 13 God will not turn aside his nose; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him. 14 Indeed that I will answer him, choose words with him!— 15 whom, if I were righteous, I would not answer; I would plead to my judge for mercy. \* 16 If I called and he answered me, I would not believe that he was giving ear to my voice, 17 who would break me with a tempest and multiply my wounds for nothing. 18 He does not allow me to cause my breath to return, for he fills me with bitterness. \* 19 If to strength, behold, {he is} mighty! And if to justice, who will summon him? 20 If I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; {if} I {were} blameless, yet it would convict me. \* 21 I {am} blameless. I do not know my soul; I loathe my life. 22 It {is} one; therefore I have said, ‘The blameless and the wicked, he is destroying.’ 23 When a scourge suddenly kills, he mocks the despair of the innocent {ones}. 24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not, then who {is} it? \* 25 And my days are swifter than a runner, they flee. They do not see good. 26 They glide with boats of papyrus, as an eagle pounces on food. \* 27 If I said, ‘Let me forget my complaint, let me change my face, let me be cheerful,’ 28 I would fear all my sorrows; I know that you would not acquit me. 29 I am wicked; why, then, would I toil in vain? \* 30 If I washed myself with water of snow and cleansed my hands with lye, 31 then you would plunge me into a ditch, and my clothes would abhor me. \* 32 For I would not be answering a man like me, we would {not} be coming together into judgment. 33 There would be no judge between us who would lay his hand upon the two of us, \* 34 who would turn from upon me his rod, and his terror, may it not frighten me. 35 I would speak and I would not fear him. But I {am} not thus with me. \*