Job 9 | HCSB | STEP | Then Job answered :

‏ Job 9

Job’s Reply to Bildad

1 Then Job answered:

2 Yes, I know what you’ve said is true,
but how can a person be justified before God? ^a
3 If one wanted to take ^b Him to court,
he could not answer God ^{▼▼Or court, God would not answer him} once in a thousand times. ^d
4 God is wise ^e and all-powerful.
Who has opposed Him and come out unharmed?
5 He removes mountains without their knowledge,
overturning them in His anger. ^f
6 He shakes the earth from its place
so that its pillars tremble.
7 He commands the sun not to shine
and seals off the stars. ^g
8 He alone stretches out the heavens ^h
and treads on the waves of the sea. ^{▼▼Or and walks on the back of the sea god}
9 He makes the stars: the Bear, ^{▼▼Or Aldebaran} Orion,
the Pleiades, ^k and the constellations ^{▼▼Or chambers} of the southern sky.
10 He does great and unsearchable things,
wonders without number. ^m
11 If He passes by me, I wouldn’t see Him; ⁿ
if He goes right by, I wouldn’t recognize Him.
12 If He snatches something, who can stop ^{▼▼Or dissuade} Him?
Who can ask Him, “What are You doing?” ^p
13 God does not hold back His anger;
^{▼▼Rahab: Or boisterous one, a mythological sea serpent or dragon defeated at the time of creation. Scripture sometimes uses the name metaphorically to describe Egypt.}Rahab’s ^r assistants cringe in fear beneath Him!

14 How then can I answer Him
or choose my arguments against Him?
15 Even if I were in the right, I could not answer.
I could only beg my Judge for mercy. ^s
16 If I summoned Him and He answered me,
I do not believe He would pay attention to what I said.
17 He batters me with a whirlwind ^t
and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He doesn’t let me catch my breath
but soaks me with bitter experiences.
19 If it is a matter of strength, look, He is the Mighty One! ^u
If it is a matter of justice, who can summon ^v Him? ^{▼▼LXX; MT reads me}
20 Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; ^x
if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me ^{▼▼guilt/guilty: The liability to be punished for a fault, a sin, an act, or an omission unless there is forgiveness or atonement; the term normally concerns an objective fact, not a subjective feeling.}guilty.

21 Though I am blameless,
I no longer care about myself;
I renounce my life. ^z
22 It is all the same. Therefore I say,
“He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.” ^aa
23 When disaster brings sudden death,
He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth ^{▼▼Or land} is handed over to the wicked;
He blindfolds ^{▼▼Lit covers the faces of} its judges. ^ad
If it isn’t He, then who is it?

25 My days fly by faster than a runner; ^{▼▼= a royal messenger
,} ^af
they flee without seeing any good. ^ag
26 They sweep by like boats made of papyrus,
like an eagle swooping down on its prey. ^ah
27 If I said, “I will forget my complaint,
change my expression, and smile,”
28 I would still live in terror of all my pains. ^ai
I know You will not acquit me. ^aj
29 Since I will be found guilty, ^ak
why should I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow,
and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 then You dip me in a pit of mud,
and my own clothes despise me!

32 For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, ^al
that we can take each other to court.
33 There is no one to judge between us,
to lay his hand on both of us.
34 Let Him take His rod away from me
so His terror will no longer frighten me. ^am
35 Then I would speak and not fear Him.
But that is not the case; I am on my own.