Job 9
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Job

Job: How Can I Contend with God?

1Then Job answered and said,+ 2Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?+ 3If he be pleased to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand.+ 4[He is] wise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?—+ 5[Him] that removeth the mountains, and they know it not, When he overturneth them in his anger;+ 6That shaketh the earth out of its place, And the pillars thereof tremble;+ 7That commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And sealeth up the stars;+ 8That alone stretcheth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea;+ 9That maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;+ 10That doeth great things past finding out, Yea, marvellous things without number.+ 11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: He passeth on also, but I perceive him not.+ 12Behold, he seizeth [the prey], who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?+ 13God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.+ 14How much less shall I answer him, And choose out my words [to reason] with him?+ 15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.+ 16If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.+ 17For he breaketh me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause.+ 18He will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness.+ 19If [we speak] of strength, lo, [he is] mighty! And if of justice, Who, [saith he], will summon me?+ 20Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.+ 21I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.+ 22It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.+ 23If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the trial of the innocent.+ 24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covereth the faces of the judges thereof: If [it be] not [he], who then is it?+ 25Now my days are swifter than a post: They flee away, they see no good.+ 26They are passed away as the swift ships; As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.+ 27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my [sad] countenance, and be of good cheer;+ 28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.+ 29I shall be condemned; Why then do I labor in vain?+ 30If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean;+ 31Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.+ 32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, That we should come together in judgment.+ 33There is no umpire betwixt us, That might lay his hand upon us both.+ 34Let him take his rod away from me, And let not his terror make me afraid:+ 35Then would I speak, and not fear him; For I am not so in myself.

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