Parallel Bible results for "job 9"

Job 9

New International Version NIV

1 Then Job replied:

2 “Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?

3 Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.

4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?

5 He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.

6 He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.

7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.

8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.

9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

10 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.

11 When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.

12 If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

13 God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.

14 “How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him?

15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.

16 Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing.

17 He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason.

18 He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.

19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him ?

20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

21 “Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.

22 It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

23 When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.

24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?

25 “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.

26 They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.

27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’

28 I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent.

29 Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?

30 Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with cleansing powder,

31 you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me.

32 “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court.

33 If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together,

34 someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.

35 Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

New International Reader's Version NIRV

1 Job replied,

2 "I'm sure that what you have said is true. But how can human beings be right with God?

3 They might wish to argue with him. But they couldn't answer him even once in a thousand times.

4 His wisdom is deep. His power is great. No one opposes him and comes away unharmed.

5 He moves mountains, and they don't even know it. When he is angry, he turns them upside down.

6 He shakes the earth loose from its place. He makes its pillars tremble.

7 When he tells the sun not to shine, it doesn't. He turns off the light of the stars.

8 He's the only one who can spread the heavens out. He alone can walk on the waves of the ocean.

9 He made the Big Dipper and Orion. He created the Pleiades and the southern stars.

10 He does wonderful things that can't be understood. He does miracles that can't even be counted.

11 When he passes by me, I can't see him. When he goes past me, I can't recognize him.

12 If he takes something, who can stop him? Who would dare to ask him, 'What are you doing?'

13 God doesn't hold back his anger. Even the helpers of the sea monster Rahab bowed in fear at his feet.

14 "So how can I disagree with God? How can I possibly argue with him?

15 Even if I hadn't done anything wrong, I couldn't answer him. I could only beg my Judge to have mercy on me.

16 Suppose I called out to him and he answered. I don't believe he'd listen to me.

17 He would send a storm to crush me. He'd increase my wounds without any reason.

18 He wouldn't let me catch my breath. He'd make my life very bitter.

19 If it's a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it's a matter of being fair, who would dare to bring charges against him?

20 Even if I hadn't sinned, what I said would prove me guilty. Even if I were honest, my words would show that I'm wrong.

21 "Even though I'm honest, I'm not concerned about myself. I hate my own life.

22 It all amounts to the same thing. That's why I say, 'God destroys honest people and sinful people alike.'

23 Suppose a plague brings sudden death. Then he laughs when those who haven't sinned lose hope.

24 Suppose a nation falls into the power of sinful people. Then God makes its judges blind to the truth. If he isn't the one doing it, who is?

25 "God, my days race by like a runner. They fly away without seeing any joy.

26 They speed along like papyrus boats. They are like eagles swooping down on their food.

27 Suppose I say, 'I'll forget about all of my problems. I'll change my frown into a smile.'

28 Then I'd still be afraid I'd go on suffering. That's because I know you would say I had done something wrong.

29 In fact, you have already said I'm guilty. So why should I struggle without any reason?

30 Suppose I clean myself with soap. Suppose I wash my hands with cleanser.

31 Even then you would throw me into a muddy pit. And even my clothes would hate me.

32 "God isn't a man like me. I can't answer him. We can't take each other to court.

33 I wish someone would settle matters between us. I wish someone would force us to work things out.

34 I wish someone would keep God from punishing me. Then his terror wouldn't frighten me anymore.

35 I would speak up without being afraid of him. But as things stand now, I can't do that.