Job 9

¹Then Job answered and said, ²Of a truth I know that it is so: but how can man be just with God? ³If he be pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. ⁴He iswise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered? ⁵Which removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger. ⁶Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. ⁷Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. ⁸Which alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. ⁹Which maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. ¹⁰Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvelous things without number. ¹¹Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. ¹²Behold, he seizeth the prey, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? ¹³God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab do stoop under him. ¹⁴How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reasonwith him? ¹⁵Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to mine adversary. ¹⁶If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice. ¹⁷For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. ¹⁸He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. ¹⁹If we speakof the strength of the mighty, lo, he is there! and if of judgment, who will appoint me a time? ²⁰Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse. ²¹I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life. ²²It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. ²³If the scourge slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent. ²⁴The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if it benot he, who then is it? ²⁵Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. ²⁶They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that swoopeth on the prey. ²⁷If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sadcountenance, and be of good cheer: ²⁸I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. ²⁹I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain? ³⁰If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; ³¹Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. ³²For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment. ³³There is no daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. ³⁴Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid: ³⁵Then would I speak, and not fear him; for I am not so in myself.