9:1  Then Job answered,

9:2  "In truth I know that this is so; But how can a man be in the right before God?

9:3  "If one wished to dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand {times.}

9:4  "Wise in heart and mighty in strength, Who has defied Him without harm?

9:5  "{It is God} who removes the mountains, they know not {how,} When He overturns them in His anger;

9:6  Who shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;

9:7  Who commands the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars;

9:8  Who alone stretches out the heavens And tramples down the waves of the sea;

9:9  Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;

9:10  Who does great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number.

9:11  "Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past {me,} I would not perceive Him.

9:12  "Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, `What are You doing?'

9:13  "God will not turn back His anger; Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab.

9:14  "How then can I answer Him, {And} choose my words before Him?

9:15  "For though I were right, I could not answer; I would have to implore the mercy of my judge.

9:16  "If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.

9:17  "For He bruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause.

9:18  "He will not allow me to get my breath, But saturates me with bitterness.

9:19  "If {it is a matter} of power, behold, {He is} the strong one! And if {it is a matter} of justice, who can summon Him?

9:20  "Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.

9:21  "I am guiltless; I do not take notice of myself; I despise my life.

9:22  "It is {all} one; therefore I say, `He destroys the guiltless and the wicked.'

9:23  "If the scourge kills suddenly, He mocks the despair of the innocent.

9:24  "The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If {it is} not {He,} then who is it?

9:25  "Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good.

9:26  "They slip by like reed boats, Like an eagle that swoops on its prey.

9:27  "Though I say, `I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my {sad} countenance and be cheerful,'

9:28  I am afraid of all my pains, I know that You will not acquit me.

9:29  "I am accounted wicked, Why then should I toil in vain?

9:30  "If I should wash myself with snow And cleanse my hands with lye,

9:31  Yet You would plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes would abhor me.

9:32  "For {He is} not a man as I am that I may answer Him, That we may go to court together.

9:33  "There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.

9:34  "Let Him remove His rod from me, And let not dread of Him terrify me.

9:35  "{Then} I would speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.