Job: There is No Mediator

9 Then Job answered and said:

2 “Truly I know it is so,

But how can a aman be brighteous before God?

3 If one wished to 1contend with Him,

He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.

4 cGod is wise in heart and mighty in strength.

Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?

5 He removes the mountains, and they do not know

When He overturns them in His anger;

6 He dshakes the earth out of its place,

And its epillars tremble;

7 He commands the sun, and it does not rise;

He seals off the stars;

8 fHe alone spreads out the heavens,

And 2treads on the 3waves of the sea;

9 gHe made 4the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,

And the chambers of the south;

10 hHe does great things past finding out,

Yes, wonders without number.

11 iIf He goes by me, I do not see Him;

If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;

12 jIf He takes away, 5who can hinder Him?

Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13 God will not withdraw His anger,

kThe allies of 6the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.

14 “How then can I answer Him,

And choose my words to reason with Him?

15 lFor though I were righteous, I could not answer Him;

I would beg mercy of my Judge.

16 If I called and He answered me,

I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.

17 For He crushes me with a tempest,

And multiplies my wounds mwithout cause.

18 He will not allow me to catch my breath,

But fills me with bitterness.

19 If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong;

And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?

20 Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me;

Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.

21 “I am blameless, yet I do not know myself;

I despise my life.

22 It is all one thing;

Therefore I say, n‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’

23 If the scourge slays suddenly,

He laughs at the plight of the innocent.

24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.

He covers the faces of its judges.

If it is not He, who else could it be?

25 “Now omy days are swifter than a runner;

They flee away, they see no good.

26 They pass by like 7swift ships,

pLike an eagle swooping on its prey.

27 qIf I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’

28 rI am afraid of all my sufferings;

I know that You swill not hold me innocent.

29 If I am condemned,

Why then do I labor in vain?

30 tIf I wash myself with snow water,

And cleanse my hands with 8soap,

31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit,

And my own clothes will 9abhor me.

32 “For uHe is not a man, as I am,

That I may answer Him,

And that we should go to court together.

33 vNor is there any mediator between us,

Who may lay his hand on us both.

34 wLet Him take His rod away from me,

And do not let dread of Him terrify me.

35 Then I would speak and not fear Him,

But it is not so with me.