THE BOOK OF
JOB
Job 9 ©
Job confesses the righteousness of God, v. 1, etc. He shows that it is neither lawful nor profitable for any to contend with God, 3. To this end he rehearses some of the Divine attributes and operations, 4. He confesses himself unfit to stand before God, 14. He complains that the godly are punished, together with the ungodly, 22. That the wicked fare the best here, and not the godly, 24. That the awareness of his sufferings brought him to an extreme astonishment, 27. He is ready to maintain his innocence before God against his friends, 34.
THEN Job answered and said,
I know it is 1so of a truth: but how should mana be just 2with God?
If he will contend with him, he 3cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4He is wise 5in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
Which removeth the mountains, and they know 6not: which overturneth them in his anger.
Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the 7pillars thereof 8tremble.
Which commandeth 9the sun, and 10it riseth not; and 11sealeth up the stars.
Which alone spreadeth out the heavens,b and treadeth upon the 12waves of the sea.
Which maketh 13Arcturus, 14Orion, and 15Pleiades, and the 16chambers of the south.
17Whichc doeth great things 18past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
Lo, he 19goeth by me, and I see him not: he 20passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
21Behold, he 22taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
If God will not withdraw 23his anger, the 24proud helpers do stoop under him.
How much less shall I 25answer him, and choose out my words to reason 26with him?
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I 27not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
For he breaketh me with a 28tempest, and multiplieth my 29wounds 30without cause.
He will not suffer me to take 31my breath, but filleth me with 32bitterness.
33If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall 34set me a time to plead?
35If I justify myself, 36mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, 37it shall also prove me perverse.
Though I were perfect, yet would I not 38know my 39soul: I would despise my life.
40This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfectd and the wicked.
If the scourgee41slay suddenly, he will 42laugh at the 43trial of the innocent.
The earth is 44given 45into the hand of the wicked: 46he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and 47who is he?
48Nowf my days are 49swifter than a post:g they flee away, they see 50no good.
They are passed away 51as the 52swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my 53heaviness, and comfort myself:
I am afraid of all my 54sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me 55innocent.
If I be 56wicked, why then labour I in 57vain?
Ifh I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never 58so clean;
Yet shalt thou plunge me in the 59ditch, and mine own 60clothes shall abhor me.
Forihe is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
Neither is there any 61days-manj betwixt us, that might lay 62his hand upon us both.
63Letk him take his 64rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
Then would I speak, and not fear him; but 65it is not so 66with me.