9
Job Says There Is No Arbitrator between God and Man
1 Then Job 1Lit answered and saidanswered,
2 “In truth I know that this is so;
But how can a AJob 4:17; 25:4man be in the right 1Lit withbefore God?
3 “If one wished to AJob 10:2; 13:19; 23:6; 40:2dispute with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
Who has 1Lit stiffened his neck againstC2 Chr 13:12; Prov 29:1defied Him 2Lit and remained safewithout harm?
When He overturns them in His anger;
6 Who AIs 2:19, 21; 13:13; Hag 2:6shakes the earth out of its place,
And its BPs 75:3pillars tremble;
And sets a seal upon the stars;
8 Who alone AGen 1:1; Job 37:18; Ps 104:2; Is 40:22stretches out the heavens
And 1Lit treads upon the heights ofBJob 38:16; Ps 77:19tramples down the waves of the sea;
9 Who makes the AJob 38:31, 32; Amos 5:8Bear, Orion and the Pleiades,
And the BJob 37:9chambers of the south;
And wondrous works without number.
11 “Were He to pass by me, AJob 23:8, 9; 35:14I would not see Him;
Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
12 “Were He to snatch away, who could AJob 10:7; 11:10restrain Him?
Who could say to Him, ‘BIs 45:9What are You doing?’
13 “God will not turn back His anger;
Beneath Him crouch the helpers of AJob 26:12; Ps 89:10; Is 30:7; 51:9Rahab.
And choose my words 2Lit withbefore Him?
I would have to BJob 8:5implore the mercy of my judge.
16 “If I called and He answered me,
I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 “For He AJob 16:12, 14; 30:22bruises me with a tempest
And multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 “He will AJob 7:19; 10:20not allow me to get my breath,
But saturates me with BJob 13:26; 27:2bitterness.
And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon 1So with Gr; Heb meHim?
Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.
21 “I am AJob 1:1; 12:4; 13:18guiltless;
I do not take notice of myself;
I BJob 7:16despise my life.
22 “It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He AJob 10:7, 8destroys the guiltless and the wicked.’
23 “If the scourge kills suddenly,
He AJob 24:12mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 “The earth AJob 10:3; 12:6; 16:11is given into the hand of the wicked;
He BJob 12:17covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, then who is it?
25 “Now AJob 7:6my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, BJob 7:7they see no good.
26 “They slip by like AIs 18:2reed boats,
Like an BJob 39:29; Hab 1:8eagle that swoops on 1Lit foodits prey.
27 “Though I say, ‘I will forget AJob 7:11my complaint,
I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,’
28 I am AJob 3:25afraid of all my pains,
I know that BJob 7:21; 10:14You will not acquit me.
29 “I am accounted AJob 10:2; Ps 37:33wicked,
Why then should I toil in vain?
30 “If I should AJer 2:22wash myself with snow
And cleanse BJob 31:7my hands with lye,
31 Yet You would plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes would abhor me.
That we may go to 1Lit judgmentcourt together.
33 “There is no A1 Sam 2:25; Job 9:19; Is 1:18umpire between us,
Who may lay his hand upon us both.
34 “Let Him AJob 13:21remove His rod from me,
And let not dread of Him terrify me.
But I am not like that in myself.
19:1 Lit answered and said
19:2 Lit with
A9:3 Job 10:2; 13:19; 23:6; 40:2
A9:4 Job 11:6; 12:13; 28:23; 38:36, 37
19:4 Lit stiffened his neck against
29:4 Lit and remained safe
A9:5 Job 9:5-10; 26:6-14; 41:11
A9:6 Is 2:19, 21; 13:13; Hag 2:6
A9:7 Is 13:10; Ezek 32:7, 8
19:7 Lit and it does not shine
A9:8 Gen 1:1; Job 37:18; Ps 104:2; Is 40:22
19:8 Lit treads upon the heights of
A9:9 Job 38:31, 32; Amos 5:8
19:10 Lit until there is no searching out
A9:13 Job 26:12; Ps 89:10; Is 30:7; 51:9
19:14 Or plead my case
29:14 Lit with
19:15 Or plead my case
A9:17 Job 16:12, 14; 30:22
19:19 So with Gr; Heb me
19:26 Lit food
19:32 Lit judgment
A9:33 1 Sam 2:25; Job 9:19; Is 1:18