Job 9-10

Job 9

¹And Job answereth and saith: --

²Truly I have known that it is so, And what -- is man righteous with God?

³If he delight to strive with Him -- He doth not answer him one of a thousand.

⁴Wise in heart and strong in power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?

⁵Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.

⁶Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.

⁷Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.

⁸Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,

⁹Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.

¹⁰Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.

¹¹Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.

¹²Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, ‘What dost Thou?'

¹³God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.

¹⁴How much less do I -- I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?

¹⁵Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.

¹⁶Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear to my voice.

¹⁷Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.

¹⁸He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.

¹⁹If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment -- who doth convene me?

²⁰If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse.

²¹Perfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life.

²²It is the same thing, therefore I said, ‘The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'

²³If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.

²⁴Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not -- where, who is he?

²⁵My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,

²⁶They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.

²⁷Though I say, ‘I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'

²⁸I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.

²⁹I -- I am become wicked; why is this? In vain I labour.

³⁰If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,

³¹Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.

³²But if a man like myself -- I answer him, We come together into judgment.

³³If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.

³⁴He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,

³⁵I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.

Job 10

¹My soul hath been weary of my life, I leave off my talking to myself, I speak in the bitterness of my soul.

²I say unto God, ‘Do not condemn me, Let me know why Thou dost strive with me.

³Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

⁴Eyes of flesh hast Thou? As man seeth -- seest Thou?

⁵As the days of man are Thy days? Thy years as the days of a man?

⁶That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?

⁷For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.

⁸Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up!

⁹Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

¹⁰Dost Thou not as milk pour me out? And as cheese curdle me?

¹¹Skin and flesh Thou dost put on me, And with bones and sinews dost fence me.

¹²Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit.

¹³And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this is with Thee.

¹⁴If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,

¹⁵If I have done wickedly -- wo to me, And righteously -- I lift not up my head, Full of shame -- then see my affliction,

¹⁶And it riseth -- as a lion Thou huntest me. And Thou turnest back -- Thou shewest Thyself wonderful in me.

¹⁷Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, And dost multiply Thine anger with me, Changes and warfare are with me.

¹⁸And why from the womb Hast Thou brought me forth? I expire, and the eye doth not see me.

¹⁹As I had not been, I am, From the belly to the grave I am brought,

²⁰Are not my days few? Cease then, and put from me, And I brighten up a little,

²¹Before I go, and return not, Unto a land of darkness and death-shade,

²²A land of obscurity as thick darkness, Death-shade -- and no order, And the shining is as thick darkness.'