Job 9 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 9 ▼
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1 And Job answered and said, Then Job answered and said: Then Job replied:
2 Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God? “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God? “Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?
3 If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand. If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times. Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace? He is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?— His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
5 Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger; he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.
6 Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble; who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.
7 Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars; who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.
8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea; who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea; He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south; who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south; He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
10 Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number. who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not. Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him. When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
12 Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou? Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 +God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him: “God will not turn back his anger; beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab. God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.
14 How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him? How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him? “How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge. Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser. Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, -- If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
17 He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause; He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason.
18 He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses. he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness. He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.
19 Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time? If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him? If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him?
20 If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse. Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse. Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.
21 Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life. “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
22 It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent. When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity of the innocent. When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it? The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it? When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?
25 And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good. “My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good. “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
26 They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey. They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey. They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up, If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’ If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know you will not hold me innocent. I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent.
29 Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain? I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain? Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?
30 If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity, If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with cleansing powder,
31 Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me. yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me. you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment. For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court.
33 There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both. There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together,
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid, Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.
35 [Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me. Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.
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