Job 9 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 9 ▼
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1 Then Job replied: Then Job answered: Then Job answered and said:
2 “Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God? “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God? “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?
3 Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand. If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times.
4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered? He is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—
5 He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger. He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger. he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger,
6 He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble. He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble. who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars. He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars. who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars;
8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea;
9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;
10 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number. who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number.
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him. Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him. Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’ Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet. God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him. “God will not turn back his anger; beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab.
14 “How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him? How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him?
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy. Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice. If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.
17 He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason. For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause. For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause;
18 He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery. He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness. he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him? If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him? If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty. Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty. Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse.
21 “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life. I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life.
22 It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent. When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent. When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity of the innocent.
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it? The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds 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?
25 “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy. My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good. “My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good.
26 They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey. They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey. They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’ If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’ If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’
28 I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent. I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me. I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know you will not hold me innocent.
29 Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain? Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain? I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain?
30 Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with cleansing powder, 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,
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me. then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me. yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me.
32 “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court. For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together.
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both. There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both.
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me. Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me.
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot. Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own. Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.
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