CPDV - Job - 9

9:1  And Job, responding, said:

9:2  Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.

9:3  If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.

9:4  He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?

9:5  He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.

9:6  He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.

9:7  He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.

9:8  He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.

9:9  He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.

9:10  He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.

9:11  If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.

9:12  If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”

9:13  God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,

9:14  what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?

9:15  And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.

9:16  And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.

9:17  For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.

9:18  He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.

9:19  If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.

9:20  If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.

9:21  And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.

9:22  There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.

9:23  If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent.

9:24  Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?

9:25  My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.

9:26  They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.

9:27  If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.

9:28  I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.

9:29  Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?

9:30  If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,

9:31  yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me.

9:32  For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.

9:33  There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.

9:34  Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.

9:35  I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.