Job 9Job9

King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

1. Job: How Can I Contend with God?

2. 1KJVThen Job answered and said,BSBBSB: Then Job answered:
3. 2KJVI know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?BSBBSB: “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
4. 3KJVIf he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.BSBBSB: If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
5. 4KJVHe is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?BSBBSB: God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
6. 5KJVWhich removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.BSBBSB: He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger.
7. 6KJVWhich shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.BSBBSB: He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
8. 7KJVWhich commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.BSBBSB: He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.
9. 8KJVWhich alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.BSBBSB: He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
10. 9KJVWhich maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.BSBBSB: He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
11. 10KJVWhich doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.BSBBSB: He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
12. 11KJVLo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.BSBBSB: Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.
13. 12KJVBehold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?BSBBSB: If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’
14. 13KJVIf God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.BSBBSB: God does not restrain His anger; the helpers of Rahab cower beneath Him.
15. 14KJVHow much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?BSBBSB: How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?
16. 15KJVWhom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.BSBBSB: For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
17. 16KJVIf I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.BSBBSB: If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
18. 17KJVFor he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.BSBBSB: For He would crush me with a tempest and multiply my wounds without cause.
19. 18KJVHe will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.BSBBSB: He does not let me catch my breath, but overwhelms me with bitterness.
20. 19KJVIf I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?BSBBSB: If it is a matter of strength, He is indeed mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
21. 20KJVIf I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.BSBBSB: Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
22. 21KJVThough I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.BSBBSB: Though I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
23. 22KJVThis is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.BSBBSB: It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
24. 23KJVIf the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.BSBBSB: When the scourge brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.
25. 24KJVThe earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?BSBBSB: The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
26. 25KJVNow my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.BSBBSB: My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
27. 26KJVThey are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.BSBBSB: They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
28. 27KJVIf I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:BSBBSB: If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’
29. 28KJVI am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.BSBBSB: I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.
30. 29KJVIf I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?BSBBSB: Since I am already found guilty, why should I labor in vain?
31. 30KJVIf I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;BSBBSB: If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
32. 31KJVYet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.BSBBSB: then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.
33. 32KJVFor he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.BSBBSB: For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
34. 33KJVNeither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.BSBBSB: Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.
35. 34KJVLet him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:BSBBSB: Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
36. 35KJVThen would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.BSBBSB: Then I would speak without fear of Him. But as it is, I am on my own.