[[Job 8|<< Job 8]] | [[Job|Job]] | [[Job 10|Job 10 >>]] ### Job 9 1 THEN Job answered and said, ^1 2 I know _it_ _is_ so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? ^2 3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. ^3 4 _He_ _is_ wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened _himself_ against him, and has prospered? ^4 5 Which removes the mountains, and they know not: which overturns them in his anger. ^5 6 Which shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. ^6 7 Which commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars. ^7 8 Which alone spreads out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea. ^8 9 Which makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. ^9 10 Which does great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. ^10 11 Lo, he goes by me, and I see _him_ not: he passes on also, but I perceive him not. ^11 12 Behold, he takes away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? ^12 13 _If_ God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. ^13 14 How much less shall I answer him, _and_ choose out my words _to_ _reason_ with him? ^14 15 Whom, though I were righteous, _yet_ would I not answer, _but_ I would make supplication to my judge. ^15 16 If I had called, and he had answered me; _yet_ would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. ^16 17 For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause. ^17 18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness. ^18 19 If _I_ _speak_ of strength, lo, _he_ _is_ strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time _to_ _plead?_ ^19 20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: _if_ _I_ _say_, I _am_ perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. ^20 21 _Though_ I _were_ perfect, _yet_ would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. ^21 22 This _is_ one _thing_, therefore I said _it_, He destroys the perfect and the wicked. ^22 23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. ^23 24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, _and_ who _is_ he? ^24 25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. ^25 26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle _that_ hastens to the prey. ^26 27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort _myself:_ ^27 28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. ^28 29 _If_ I be wicked, why then labor I in vain? ^29 30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; ^30 31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. ^31 32 For _he_ _is_ not a man, as I _am_, _that_ I should answer him, _and_ we should come together in judgment. ^32 33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, _that_ might lay his hand upon us both. ^33 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: ^34 35 _Then_ would I speak, and not fear him; but _it_ _is_ not so with me. ^35