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 “In truth I know that this is so; But how can a man be in the right before 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 one desired to contend with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times. 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 Wise in heart and mighty in power, Who has stiffened his neck against Him and been at 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 God is the One who removes the mountains, they know not how, When He overturns 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 The One who shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars 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 The One who says for the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon 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 stretches out the heavens, And tramples down 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 Who makes 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 does great things, unsearchable, And wondrous works, innumerable. 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 Were He to sweep by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him. 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 Were He to snatch away, who could turn Him back? Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’ 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 turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab. “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 then can I answer Him, And choose my words before 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 For though I were right, I could not answer; I would have to plead for the grace of 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 called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was giving ear 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 For He bruises me with a tempest And multiplies 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 allow me to get my breath, But saturates 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 it is a matter of power, behold, He is the mighty one! And if it is a matter of justice, who can make Him testify? 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 am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am blameless, He will declare 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 blameless; I do not know my soul; I reject 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 consumes the blameless 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 puts to death suddenly, He mocks the despair 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 covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who 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 runner; They flee away; they do not see 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 sweep by like reed boats, Like an eagle that swoops on its food. 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 Though I say, ‘I will forget my musing, I will forsake my sad countenance and be cheerful,’ 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 pains; I know that You will not acquit me. 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 am accounted wicked; Why then should I toil 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 should wash myself with snow And cleanse my hands with lye, 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 You would plunge me into the pit, And my 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 may answer Him, That we may go to court for judgment together. 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 adjudicator between us, Who may 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 remove His rod from me, And let not dread of Him terrify me. 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 would speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that 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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