Job 9

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Then Job answered and said:	1 And Job, responding, said:
2 I know well that it is so; but how can a man be justified before God?	2 Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 Should one wish to contend with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times.	3 If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.
4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has withstood him and remained unscathed?	4 He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?
5 He removes the mountains before they know it; he overturns them in his anger.	5 He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.
6 He shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars beneath it tremble.	6 He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.
7 He commands the sun, and it rises not; he seals up the stars.	7 He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the crests of the sea.	8 He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.
9 He made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south;	9 He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.
10 He does great things past finding out, marvelous things beyond reckoning.	10 He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.
11 Should he come near me, I see him not; should he pass by, I am not aware of him;	11 If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.
12 Should he seize me forcibly, who can say him nay? Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"	12 If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”
13 He is God and he does not relent; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.	13 God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,
14 How much less shall I give him any answer, or choose out arguments against him!	14 what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?
15 Even though I were right, I could not answer him, but should rather beg for what was due me.	15 And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.
16 If I appealed to him and he answered my call, I could not believe that he would hearken to my words;	16 And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 With a tempest he might overwhelm me, and multiply my wounds without cause;	17 For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.
18 He need not suffer me to draw breath, but might fill me with bitter griefs.	18 He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.
19 If it be a question of strength, he is mighty; and if of judgment, who will call him to account?	19 If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.
20 Though I were right, my own mouth might condemn me; were I innocent, he might put me in the wrong.	20 If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.
21 Though I am innocent, I myself cannot know it; I despise my life.	21 And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.
22 It is all one! therefore I say: Both the innocent and the wicked he destroys.	22 There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.
23 When the scourge slays suddenly, he laughs at the despair of the innocent.	23 If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges. If it is not he, who then is it?	24 Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?
25 My days are swifter than a runner, they flee away; they see no happiness;	25 My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.
26 They shoot by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping upon its prey.	26 They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.
27 If I say: I will forget my complaining, I will lay aside my sadness and be of good cheer,	27 If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.
28 Then I am in dread of all my pains; I know that you will not hold me innocent.	28 I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.
29 If I must be accounted guilty, why then should I strive in vain?	29 Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?
30 If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,	30 If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,
31 Yet you would plunge me in the ditch, so that my garments would abhor me.	31 yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me.
32 For he is not a man like myself, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.	32 For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 Would that there were an arbiter between us, who could lay his hand upon us both	33 There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.
34 and withdraw his rod from me. Would that his terrors did not frighten me;	34 Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.
35 that I might speak without being afraid of him. Since this is not the case with me,	35 I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.