Job 9 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 9 ▼
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Smith's Literal Translation
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English Standard Version
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1 And Job will answer and say, Then Job answered and said: Then Job replied:
2 I knew that so the truth: and how shall 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 desire to contend with him, he shall not answer him one from 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 Wise of heart and strong of power: who was hard before him and shall be requited? 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 Removing the mountains and they knew not: who overturned 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 Moving the earth from her place, and her pillars will 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 Saying to the sun, and it shall not rise; and for the stars he will seal them up. 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 He alone spread out the heavens and he trod upon the heights 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 He made Ash-Chesil and Cimah, 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 He did great things even not searched out; and wonders even no 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 Behold, he will pass by me, and I shall not see: and he will glide on and I shall not understand for 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 Behold, he will catch and who shall turn him? and who shall say to him, What wilt thou do? 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, the helpers of pride bowed down 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, shall I choose my words 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, if I was just, I shall not answer; I will 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 called and he will answer me, I shall not believe that he will give 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 Who will assail me with tempest, and he multiplied 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 give me to draw in my spirit, for he will fill 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 for strength, behold him strong: if for judgment, who shall arraign me. 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 shall be just, my mouth shall condemn me: I am blameless, and 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 shall not know my soul: I shall 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 one: for this, I said, The blameless one and the unjust one he finishes. 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 shall fall suddenly, he will deride 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 was given into the hand of the unjust one: he will cover the faces of her judges; if not now, 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 My days were swift above a runner: they fled, they saw not 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 glided along with the ships of desire: as the eagle will pounce upon 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 If my saying, I will forget my complaint, I will let go my face, and I will 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 was afraid of all my pains, I knew that thou wilt 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 Shall I do evil, wherefore this shall I labor 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 in snow-water, and cleansed my hands 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 Then thou wilt immerse me in the ditch, and my garments abhorred 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 not a man as I; I shall answer him, we shall 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 between us a reprover; he will put his hand upon us two. 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 He will take away his rod from me, and his truth shall not 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 I will speak, and I shall not fear him; but not so am I with 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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