Job: No Arbiter Between God and Man
1Then Job answered and said,
2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which 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 spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had 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 I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh 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 not, where, and who is he?
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 hasteth to the prey.
27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31Yet shalt 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, and we should come together in judgment.
33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Job: How Can I Contend with God?
1 Then Job answered,
2 “Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?
3 If he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.
4 God who is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 He removes the mountains, and they don’t know it, when he overturns them in his anger.
6 He shakes the earth out of its place. Its pillars tremble.
7 He commands the sun, and it doesn’t rise, and seals up the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 He makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the rooms of the south.
10 He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.
11 Behold, he goes by me, and I don’t see him. He passes on also, but I don’t perceive him.
12 Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 “God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose my words to argue with him?
15 Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I wouldn’t believe that he listened to my voice.
17 For he breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
20 Though I am righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me. Though I am blameless, it shall prove me perverse.
21 I am blameless. I don’t respect myself. I despise my life.
22 “It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.
23 If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?
25 “Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away, they see no good,
26 They have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up;’
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.
29 I shall be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us, that might lay his hand on us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;
35 then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.
Job: How Can I Contend with God?
1 Then Job answered:
2 “Yes, I know that it is so,
but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
3 If one wished to contend with God, a
he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has resisted Him and prospered?
5 He moves mountains without their knowledge
and overturns them in His anger.
6 He shakes the earth from its place,
so that its foundations tremble.
7 He commands the sun not to shine; b
He seals off the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens
and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion,
of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 He does great things beyond searching out,
and wonders without number.
11 Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him;
were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
12 If He takes away, c who can stop Him?
Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 God does not restrain His anger;
the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
14 How then can I answer Him
or choose my arguments against Him?
15 For even if I were right, I could not answer.
I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
16 If I summoned Him and He answered me,
I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
17 For He would crush me with a tempest
and multiply my wounds without cause.
18 He does not let me catch my breath,
but overwhelms me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength,
He is indeed mighty!
If it is a matter of justice,
who can summon Him d?
20 Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty. e
21 Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself;
I despise my own life.
22 It is all the same, and so I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 When the scourge brings sudden death,
He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;
He blindfolds its judges.
If it is not He, then who is it?
25 My days are swifter than a runner;
they flee without seeing good.
26 They sweep by like boats of papyrus,
like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint
and change my expression and smile,’
28 I would still dread all my sufferings;
I know that You will not acquit me.
29 Since I am already found guilty,
why should I labor in vain?
30 If I should wash myself with snow f
and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 then You would plunge me into the pit,
and even my own clothes would despise me.
32 For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him,
that we can take each other to court.
33 Nor is there a mediator between us,
to lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let Him remove His rod from me,
so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
35 Then I would speak without fear of Him.
But as it is, I am on my own.
Footnotes:
3 a Or If God wished to contend with someone
7 b Or rise
12 c Or snatches someone in death
19 d See LXX; Hebrew me
20 e Or He would declare me guilty
30 f Or soap
Job: No Arbiter Between God and Man
1And Job answereth and saith: --
2Truly I have known that it is so, And what -- is man righteous with God?
3If he delight to strive with Him -- He doth not answer him one of a thousand.
4Wise in heart and strong in power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
5Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.
6Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
7Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.
8Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
9Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.
10Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.
11Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.
12Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, 'What dost Thou?'
13God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.
14How much less do I -- I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
15Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.
16Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear to my voice.
17Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.
18He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.
19If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment -- who doth convene me?
20If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse.
21Perfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life.
22It is the same thing, therefore I said, 'The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'
23If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.
24Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not -- where, who is he?
25My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
26They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.
27Though I say, 'I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'
28I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
29I -- I am become wicked; why is this? In vain I labour.
30If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,
31Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.
32But if a man like myself -- I answer him, We come together into judgment.
33If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.
34He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,
35I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.
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