Job 9:1-21 ▼

1 Then Job answered and said,

2 “Yes, I know it is true. But how can a mortal man be right before God?

3 “If one should want to contend or dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

4 “God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; Who has [ever] defied or challenged Him and remained unharmed?

5 “It is God who removes the mountains, and they do not know it, When He overturns them in His anger;

6 Who shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;

7 Who commands the sun, and it does not shine; Who seals up the stars [from view];

8 Who alone stretches out the heavens And tramples down the waves of the sea;

9 Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the [vast starry] spaces of the south;

10 Who does great things, [beyond understanding,] unfathomable, Yes, marvelous and wondrous things without number.

11 “Behold, He passes by me, and I do not see Him; He moves past me, but I do not perceive Him.

12 “Behold, He snatches away; who can restrain or turn Him back? Who will say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13 “God will not turn back His anger; The [proud] helpers of Rahab [the arrogant monster of the sea] bow under Him.

14 “How can I answer Him [and plead my case], Choosing my words [to reason] with Him?

15 “For though I were righteous, I could not answer. I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge.

16 “If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.

17 “For He bruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause.

18 “He will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills and saturates me with bitterness.

19 “If it is a matter of strength and power, behold, He is mighty! And if of justice, who can summon and challenge Him?

20 “Though I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty; Though I am blameless, He would denounce me as guilty.

21 “[Though] I am blameless, I do not care about myself; I despise my life.