Job 9-12

Job 9

¹And Job answereth and saith: --

²Truly I have known that it is so, And what -- is man righteous with God?

³If he delight to strive with Him -- He doth not answer him one of a thousand.

⁴Wise in heart and strong in power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?

⁵Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.

⁶Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.

⁷Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.

⁸Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,

⁹Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.

¹⁰Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.

¹¹Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.

¹²Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, ‘What dost Thou?'

¹³God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.

¹⁴How much less do I -- I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?

¹⁵Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.

¹⁶Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear to my voice.

¹⁷Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.

¹⁸He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.

¹⁹If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment -- who doth convene me?

²⁰If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse.

²¹Perfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life.

²²It is the same thing, therefore I said, ‘The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'

²³If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.

²⁴Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not -- where, who is he?

²⁵My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,

²⁶They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.

²⁷Though I say, ‘I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'

²⁸I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.

²⁹I -- I am become wicked; why is this? In vain I labour.

³⁰If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,

³¹Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.

³²But if a man like myself -- I answer him, We come together into judgment.

³³If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.

³⁴He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,

³⁵I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.

Job 10

¹My soul hath been weary of my life, I leave off my talking to myself, I speak in the bitterness of my soul.

²I say unto God, ‘Do not condemn me, Let me know why Thou dost strive with me.

³Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

⁴Eyes of flesh hast Thou? As man seeth -- seest Thou?

⁵As the days of man are Thy days? Thy years as the days of a man?

⁶That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?

⁷For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.

⁸Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up!

⁹Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

¹⁰Dost Thou not as milk pour me out? And as cheese curdle me?

¹¹Skin and flesh Thou dost put on me, And with bones and sinews dost fence me.

¹²Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit.

¹³And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this is with Thee.

¹⁴If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,

¹⁵If I have done wickedly -- wo to me, And righteously -- I lift not up my head, Full of shame -- then see my affliction,

¹⁶And it riseth -- as a lion Thou huntest me. And Thou turnest back -- Thou shewest Thyself wonderful in me.

¹⁷Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, And dost multiply Thine anger with me, Changes and warfare are with me.

¹⁸And why from the womb Hast Thou brought me forth? I expire, and the eye doth not see me.

¹⁹As I had not been, I am, From the belly to the grave I am brought,

²⁰Are not my days few? Cease then, and put from me, And I brighten up a little,

²¹Before I go, and return not, Unto a land of darkness and death-shade,

²²A land of obscurity as thick darkness, Death-shade -- and no order, And the shining is as thick darkness.'

Job 11

¹And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --

²Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?

³Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

⁴And thou sayest, ‘Pure is my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.'

⁵And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

⁶And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, Some of thine iniquity.

⁷By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

⁸Heights of the heavens! -- what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! -- what knowest thou?

⁹Longer than earth is its measure, And broader than the sea.

¹⁰If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?

¹¹For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider it!

¹²And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

¹³If thou -- thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

¹⁴If iniquity is in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.

¹⁵For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

¹⁶For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

¹⁷And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest -- as the morning thou art.

¹⁸And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched -- in confidence thou liest down,

¹⁹And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

²⁰And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope is a breathing out of soul!

Job 12

¹And Job answereth and saith: --

²Truly -- ye are the people, And with you doth wisdom die.

³I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?

⁴A laughter to his friend I am: ‘He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter is the perfect righteous one.

⁵A torch -- despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.

⁶At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.

⁷And yet, ask, I pray thee, One of the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.

⁸Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

⁹‘Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?

¹⁰In whose hand is the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'

¹¹Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

¹²With the very aged is wisdom, And with length of days understanding.

¹³With Him are wisdom and might, To him are counsel and understanding.

¹⁴Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.

¹⁵Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.

¹⁶With Him are strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

¹⁷Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

¹⁸The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.

¹⁹Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

²⁰Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.

²¹Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.

²²Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.

²³Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.

²⁴Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy -- no way!

²⁵They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.