Job
9
- Then Job replied:
- "Indeed, I know that this is true. But
how can a mortal be righteous before God ?
- Though one wished to dispute with him, he
could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
- His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.
Who has resisted him and come out unscathed ?
- He moves mountains without their knowing
it and overturns them in his anger.
- He shakes the earth from its place and makes
its pillars tremble.
- He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;
he seals off the light of the stars.
- He alone stretches out the heavens and treads
on the waves of the sea.
- He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the
Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
- He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.
- When he passes me, I cannot see him; when
he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
- If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who
can say to him, 'What are you doing ?'
- God does not restrain his anger; even the
cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.
- "How then can I dispute with him? How
can I find words to argue with him ?
- Though I were innocent, I could not answer
him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
- Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
- He would crush me with a storm and multiply
my wounds for no reason.
- He would not let me regain my breath but
would overwhelm me with misery.
- If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!
And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon him ?
- Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn
me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.
- "Although I am blameless, I have no
concern for myself; I despise my own life.
- It is all the same; that is why I say, 'He
destroys both the blameless and the wicked.'
- When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks
the despair of the innocent.
- When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,
he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it ?
- "My days are swifter than a runner;
they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
- They skim past like boats of papyrus, like
eagles swooping down on their prey.
- If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I
will change my expression, and smile,'
- I still dread all my sufferings, for I know
you will not hold me innocent.
- Since I am already found guilty, why should
I struggle in vain ?
- Even if I washed myself with soap and my
hands with washing soda,
- you would plunge me into a slime pit so that
even my clothes would detest me.
- "He is not a man like me that I might
answer him, that we might confront each other in court.
- If only there were someone to arbitrate between
us, to lay his hand upon us both,
- someone to remove God's rod from me, so that
his terror would frighten me no more.
- Then I would speak up without fear of him,
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.
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