9:1 Then Job answered:
9:2 “Truly,1 I know that this is so.
But how2 can a human3 be just before4 God?5
9:3 If someone wishes6 to contend7 with him,
he cannot answer8 him one time in a thousand.
9:4 He is wise in heart9 and mighty10 in strength11—
who has resisted12 him and remained safe?13
9:5 He who removes mountains suddenly,14
who overturns them in his anger;15
9:6 he who shakes the earth out of its place16
so that its pillars tremble;17
9:7 he who commands the sun and18 it does not shine19
and seals up20 the stars;
9:8 he alone spreads out the heavens,
and treads21 upon the waves of the sea;22
9:9 he makes the Bear,23 Orion,24 and the Pleiades,25
and the constellations26 of the south;
9:10 he does great and unsearchable things,27
and wonderful things without number.
9:11 If28 he passes by me, I cannot see29 him,30
if he goes by, I cannot perceive him.31
9:12 If he snatches away,32 who can turn him back?33
Who dares to say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
9:13 God does not restrain his anger;34
under him the helpers of Rahab35 lie crushed.36
The Impossibility of Facing God in Court
9:14 “How much less,37 then, can I answer him38
and choose my words39 to argue40 with41 him!42
9:15 Although43 I am innocent,44
I could not answer him;45
I could only plead46 with my judge47 for mercy.
9:16 If I summoned him, and he answered me,48
I would not believe49
that he would be listening to my voice—
9:17 he who50 crushes51 me with a tempest,
and multiplies my wounds for no reason.52
9:18 He does not allow53 me to recover54 my breath,
for he fills55 me with bitterness.
9:19 If it is a matter of strength,56
most certainly57 he is the strong one!
And if it is a matter of justice,
he will say, ‘Who will summon me?’58
9:20 Although I am innocent,59
my mouth60 would condemn me;61
although I am blameless,
it would declare me perverse.62
9:21 I am blameless.63 I do not know myself.64
I despise my life.
Accusation of God’s Justice
9:22 “It is all one!65 That is why I say,66
‘He destroys the blameless and the guilty.’
9:23 If a scourge brings sudden death,67
he mocks68 at the despair69 of the innocent.70
9:24 If a land71 has been given
into the hand of a wicked man,72
he covers73 the faces of its judges;74
if it is not he, then who is it?75
Renewed Complaint
9:25 “My days76 are swifter than a runner,77
they speed by without seeing happiness.
9:26 They glide by78 like reed79 boats,
like an eagle that swoops80 down on its prey.81
9:27 If I say,82 ‘I will83 forget my complaint,
I will change my expression84 and be cheerful,’85
9:28 I dread86 all my sufferings,87
for88 I know that you do not hold me blameless.89
why then91 weary myself92 in vain?93
9:30 If I wash myself with snow water,94
and make my hands clean with lye,95
9:31 then you plunge me into a slimy pit96
and my own clothes abhor me.
9:32 For he97 is not a human being like I am,
that98 I might answer him,
that we might come99 together in judgment.
9:33 Nor is there an arbiter100 between us,
who101 might lay102 his hand on us both,103
9:34 who104 would take his105 rod106 away from me
so that his terror107 would not make me afraid.
9:35 Then108 would I speak and not fear him,
but it is not so with me.109
An Appeal for Revelation