The Book of Job Chapters 9-14

Chapter 9

1Then Job answered and said,

2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

6Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers 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, but I would make supplication to my judge.

16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had 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 I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh 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 not, where, and who is he?

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 hasteth to the prey.

27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

31Yet shalt 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, and we should come together in judgment.

33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

Chapter 10

1My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

2I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

3Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

4Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

5Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,

6That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?

7Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

8Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

9Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

10Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

11Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

12Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

13And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

14If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

15If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;

16For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

17Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

18Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

19I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

20Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

21Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

22A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

Chapter 11

1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

3Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

4For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

5But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

6And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

7Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

8It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

9The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

10If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

11For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

12For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

13If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

14If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

15For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

16Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

17And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

18And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

19Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

20But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

Chapter 12

1And Job answered and said,

2No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

4I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

5He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

6The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

7But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

9Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

11Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

12With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

13With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

14Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

15Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

16With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

17He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

18He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

19He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

20He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

21He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

22He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

24He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

25They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

Chapter 13

1Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

2What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

3Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

4But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

5O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

6Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

7Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

8Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

9Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

10He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

11Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

12Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

13Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

14Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

15Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

16He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

17Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

18Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

19Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

20Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

21Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

22Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

23How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

25Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

26For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

27Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

28And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Chapter 14

1Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

3And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

6Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

7For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

11As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

13O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

14If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

15Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

16For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

18And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

19The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

20Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

21His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

22But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.