Job 9 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 9 ▼
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1 Then Job answered and said, Then Job answered and said: Then Job replied:
2 Of a truth I know that 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 be pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one 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 prospered? 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 Which removeth the 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 Which shaketh the earth out of her 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 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and 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 Which alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the 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 Which 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 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvelous things 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: he passeth on also, but 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 seizeth the prey, who can 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 will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab do 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, and choose out my words to reason 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 mine adversary. 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; yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto 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 For he breaketh 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 will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. 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 If we speak of the strength of the mighty, lo, he is there! and if of judgment, who will appoint 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 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: though I be perfect, it shall 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 I am perfect; I regard not myself; I 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 say, 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 slay suddenly, he will mock 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 into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if it be not he, 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 Now my days are swifter than a post: 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 are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that swoopeth on 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 put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer: 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 I shall be condemned; 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 wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; 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 Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall 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 no daysman betwixt us, that might 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 would I speak, and not fear him; for I am not so in myself. 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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