Job 9:28–35

I become afraid of all my suffering,

for I know you will not hold me innocent.

I shall be condemned;

why then do I labor in vain?

If I wash myself with snow

and cleanse my hands with lye,

yet you will plunge me into a pit,

and my own clothes will abhor me.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him,

that we should come to trial together.

There is no arbiter between us,

who might lay his hand on us both.

Let him take his rod away from me,

and let not dread of him terrify me.

Then I would speak without fear of him,

for I am not so in myself.

I still dread all my sufferings,

for I know you will not hold me innocent.

Since I am already found guilty,

why should I struggle in vain?

Even if I washed myself with soap

and my hands with cleansing powder,

you would plunge me into a slime pit

so that even my clothes would detest me.

“He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,

that we might confront each other in court.

If only there were someone to mediate between us,

someone to bring us together,

someone to remove God’s rod from me,

so that his terror would frighten me no more.

Then I would speak up without fear of him,

but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

I would still live in terror of all my pains.

I know you will not acquit me.

Since I will be found guilty,

why should I struggle in vain?

If I wash myself with snow,

and cleanse my hands with lye,

then you dip me in a pit of mud,

and my own clothes despise me!

For he is not a man like me, that I can answer him,

that we can take each other to court.

There is no mediator between us,

to lay his hand on both of us.

Let him take his rod away from me

so his terror will no longer frighten me.

Then I would speak and not fear him.

But that is not the case; I am on my own.

I would still dread all the pain,

for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.

Whatever happens, I will be found guilty.

So what’s the use of trying?

Even if I were to wash myself with soap

and clean my hands with lye,

you would plunge me into a muddy ditch,

and my own filthy clothing would hate me.

“God is not a mortal like me,

so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.

If only there were a mediator between us,

someone who could bring us together.

The mediator could make God stop beating me,

and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.

Then I could speak to him without fear,

but I cannot do that in my own strength.

I become afraid of all my sufferings;

I know that you do not consider me innocent.

If I shall be declared guilty,

why then should I labor in vain?

If I wash myself with soap,

and I cleanse my hands with lye,

then you plunge me into the slime pit,

and my clothes abhor me.

“For he is not a mortal like me that I can answer him,

that we can come to trial together.

There is no arbiter between us

that he might lay his hand on both of us.

May he remove his rod from me,

and let his dread not terrify me;

then I would speak and not fear him,

for in myself I am not fearful.

I am afraid of all my sorrows,

I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

If I be wicked,

Why then labour I in vain?

If I wash myself with snow water,

And make my hands never so clean;

Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch,

And mine own clothes shall abhor me.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him,

And we should come together in judgment.

Neither is there any daysman betwixt us,

That might lay his hand upon us both.

Let him take his rod away from me,

And let not his fear terrify me:

Then would I speak, and not fear him;

But it is not so with me.