Job’s Reply to Bildad⁶⁵

9:1 Then Job answered and said,
9:2 Truly,¹ I know that this is so;
but how² can a human³ be just with⁴ God?⁵
9:3 If he wishes⁶ to contend⁷ with him,
he cannot answer⁸ him one time in a thousand.
9:4 He is wise in heart⁹ and mighty¹⁰ in strength,¹¹
who has resisted¹² him and remained safe?¹³
9:5 He who removes mountains and they¹⁴ know not,
who overturns them in his anger;¹⁵
9:6 he who shakes the earth out of its place¹⁶
so that its pillars tremble;¹⁷
9:7 he who commands the sun and¹⁸ it does not shine¹⁹
and seals up²⁰ the stars;
9:8 he alone spreads out the heavens,
and treads upon the heights of the sea;²¹
9:9 he makes the Bear,²² Orion²³ and the Pleiades,²⁴
and the constellations²⁵ of the south,
9:10 he does great and unsearchable things²⁶
and wonderful things without number.
9:11 If²⁷ he passes by me, I cannot see²⁸ him,²⁹
if he goes by, I cannot perceive him.³⁰
9:12 If he snatches away,³¹ who can turn him back?³²
who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
9:13 God does not restrain his anger,³³
under him the helpers of Rahab³⁴ lie crushed.³⁵

The Impossibility of Facing God in Court

9:14 How much less,³⁶ then, can I answer him³⁷
and choose my words³⁸ to argue³⁹ with⁴⁰ him!⁴¹
9:15 Although⁴² I am innocent,⁴³
I could not answer him;⁴⁴
I could only plead⁴⁵ with my Judge⁴⁶ for mercy.
9:16 If I summoned him, and he answered me,⁴⁷
I would not believe⁴⁸
that he would be listening to my voice—
9:17 he who⁴⁹ crushes⁵⁰ me with a tempest,
and multiplies my wounds for no reason.⁵¹
9:18 He does not allow⁵² me to get⁵³ my breath
for he fills⁵⁴ me with bitterness.
9:19 If it is a matter of strength,⁵⁵
most certainly⁵⁶ he is the strong one;
and if it is a matter of justice,
he will say, who will summon me?⁵⁷
9:20 Although I am innocent,⁵⁸
my mouth⁵⁹ would condemn me,⁶⁰
although I am blameless,
it would declare me perverse.⁶¹
9:21 I am blameless.⁶² I do not know myself.⁶³
I despise my life.

Accusation of God’s Justice

9:22 It is all one;⁶⁴ that is why I say,⁶⁵
“He destroys the blameless and the guilty.”
9:23 If a scourge brings sudden death,⁶⁶
he mocks⁶⁷ at the despair⁶⁸ of the innocent.⁶⁹
9:24 If a land⁷⁰ has been given
into the hand of a wicked man,⁷¹
he covers⁷² the faces of its judges,⁷³
if it is not he, then who is it.⁷⁴

Renewed Complaint

9:25 My days⁷⁵ are swifter than a runner,⁷⁶
they speed by without seeing happiness.
9:26 They glide by⁷⁷ like reed⁷⁸ boats,
like an eagle that swoops⁷⁹ down on its prey.⁸⁰
9:27 If I say,⁸¹ “I will⁸² forget my complaint,
I will change my expression⁸³ and be cheerful,”⁸⁴
9:28 I dread⁸⁵ all my sufferings,⁸⁶
for⁸⁷ I know that you do not hold me blameless.⁸⁸
9:29 If I am guilty,⁸⁹
why then⁹⁰ weary myself⁹¹ in vain?⁹²
9:30 If I wash myself with snow water,⁹³
and make my hands clean with lye,⁹⁴
9:31 then you plunge me into slimy pit⁹⁵
and my own clothes abhor me.
9:32 For he⁹⁶ is not a man as I am
that⁹⁷ I might answer him,
that we might come⁹⁸ together in judgment.
9:33 Neither is there an arbiter⁹⁹ between us,
who¹⁰⁰ might lay¹⁰¹ his hand on us both,¹⁰²
9:34 who¹⁰³ would take his¹⁰⁴ rod¹⁰⁵ away from me
so that his terror¹⁰⁶ would not make me afraid.
9:35 Then¹⁰⁷ would I speak and not fear him,
but it is not so with me.¹⁰⁸