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Job 9

King James Version

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. 

King James Bible (1769). Public Domain.
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Job 9

English Standard Version



1 Then Job answered and said: 2 “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God? (Job 4:17) 3 If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times. (Job 10:2; Ps 143:2; Ro 3:20) 4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?— (Ex 7:13; Ex 32:9; Job 12:13; Job 36:5) 5 he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, 6 who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; (Job 26:11; Ps 75:3; Isa 2:19; Isa 2:21; Isa 13:13; Hag 2:6; Hag 2:21; Heb 12:26) 7 who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; 8 who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea; (Job 26:7; Ps 104:2; Jer 10:12; Jer 51:15; Zec 12:1) 9 who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south; (Ge 1:16; Job 37:9; Job 38:31; Job 38:32; Am 5:8) 10 who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number. (Job 5:9) 11 Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him. (Job 23:8) 12 Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ (Job 11:10; Job 23:13; Isa 45:9; Jer 18:6; Ro 9:20) 13 “God will not turn back his anger; beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab. (Job 26:12; Ps 87:4; Ps 89:10; Isa 30:7; Isa 51:9) 14 How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him? (Job 9:3; Job 15:16) 15 Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.[1] (Job 8:5; Job 10:15) 16 If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. 17 For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause; (Job 2:3; Job 34:6) 18 he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness. 19 If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?[2] (Job 9:4; Jer 49:19; Jer 50:44) 20 Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse. (Job 15:6) 21 I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life. (Job 1:1; Job 7:16; Job 10:1) 22 It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ (Ec 9:2; Eze 21:3) 23 When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity[3] of the innocent. (Isa 10:26) 24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it? (Job 10:3; Job 12:17; Job 24:25) 25 “My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good. (2Ch 30:6; Job 7:6; Jer 51:31) 26 They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey. (Isa 18:2; Hab 1:8) 27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’ (Job 7:13; Ps 39:13) 28 I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know you will not hold me innocent. (Job 10:14; Ps 119:120) 29 I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain? (Job 10:2) 30 If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, (Job 22:30; Isa 1:25; Jer 2:22) 31 yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me. (Job 19:19; Job 30:10) 32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. (Ec 6:10; Ro 9:20) 33 There is no[4] arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. (1Sa 2:25; Job 9:19; Job 16:21) 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. (Job 13:21; Job 21:9; Job 33:7; Ps 39:10; Ps 89:32; Isa 10:24) 35 Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself. 

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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.