Job 9 - New Century Version (NCV)

Job Answers Bildad

9 Then Job answered:

2 “Yes, I know that this is true,
but how can anyone be right in the presence of God?
3 Someone might want to argue with God,
but no one could answer God,
not one time out of a thousand.
4 God’s wisdom is deep, and his power is great;
no one can fight him without getting hurt.
5 God moves mountains without anyone knowing it
and turns them over when he is angry.
6 He shakes the earth out of its place
and makes its foundations tremble.
7 He commands the sun not to shine
and shuts off the light of the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the skies
and walks on the waves of the sea.
9 It is God who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades[a]
and the groups of stars in the southern sky.
10 He does wonders that cannot be understood;
he does so many miracles they cannot be counted.
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by me, I do not recognize him.
12 If he snatches something away, no one can stop him
or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 God will not hold back his anger.
Even the helpers of the monster Rahab lie at his feet in fear.
14 So how can I argue with God,
or even find words to argue with him?
15 Even if I were right, I could not answer him;
I could only beg God, my Judge, for mercy.
16 If I called to him and he answered,
I still don’t believe he would listen to me.
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 When it comes to strength, God is stronger than I;
when it comes to justice, no one can accuse him.
20 Even if I were right, my own mouth would say I was wrong;
if I were innocent, my mouth would say I was guilty.

21 “I am innocent,
but I don’t care about myself.
I hate my own life.
22 It is all the same. That is why I say,
‘God destroys both the innocent and the guilty.’
23 If the whip brings sudden death,
God will laugh at the suffering of the innocent.
24 When the land falls into the hands of evil people,
he covers the judges’ faces so they can’t see it.
If it is not God who does this, then who is it?

25 “My days go by faster than a runner;
they fly away without my seeing any joy.
26 They glide past like paper boats.
They attack like eagles swooping down to feed.
27 Even though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint;
I will change the look on my face and smile,’
28 I still dread all my suffering.
I know you will hold me guilty.
29 I have already been found guilty,
so why should I struggle for no reason?
30 I might wash myself with soap
and scrub my hands with strong soap,
31 but you would push me into a dirty pit,
and even my clothes would hate me.

32 “God is not human like me, so I cannot answer him.
We cannot meet each other in court.
33 I wish there were someone to make peace between us,
someone to decide our case.
34 Maybe he could remove God’s punishment
so his terror would no longer frighten me.
35 Then I could speak without being afraid,
but I am not able to do that.

Footnotes

  1. 9:9 Bear . . . Pleiades Names of well-known groups of stars.

You Might Also Like:

Job 9 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

9 And Job answereth and saith: -- 2 Truly I have known that [it is] so, And what -- is man righteous with God? 3 If he delight to strive with Him -- He doth not answer him one of a thousand. 4 Wise in heart and strong in power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace? 5 Who is removing mounta...
Read More

Job 9 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

9 And Job answered, and said, 2 Verily I know, that it is so, and that a man comparisoned to God shall not be made just. (Truly I know, that this is so, and that a man shall not be seen as just, when compared to God.) 3 If he will strive with God, he may not answer to God one for a thousand. (And if...
Read More

Job 9 - World English Bible (WEB)

9 Then Job answered, 2 “Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?3 If he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.4 God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against him and prospered?5 He removes the mountains, and t...
Read More

Job 9 - The Voice (VOICE)

Much like Eliphaz, Bildad believes people suffer as a result of their own sins. But his justification of that suffering is different. Bildad reasons that God is just; as God, He is justice personified. Because He is so perfectly just, God will not punish someone who is also just. Bildad’s logical bu...
Read More

Job 9 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Job: Who is Righteous Before God?9 Job responded and said: 2 “Truly I know it is so, but how can one be righteous before God?[a]3 If anyone wished to contend with Him, he could not answer Him once in a thousand.4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength.Who has resisted Him and come out whole? 5 “...
Read More

Job 9 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Job Replies: There Is No Mediator9 Then Job answered: 2 “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be just before God?3 If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times.4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and suc...
Read More

Job 9 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Job Replies: There Is No Mediator9 Then Job answered: 2 “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be just before God?3 If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times.4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and suc...
Read More

Job 9 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Job Replies: There Is No Mediator9 Then Job answered: 2 “Indeed I know that this is so; but how can a mortal be just before God?3 If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand.4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength—who has resisted him, and succeeded?—5 he who...
Read More

Job 9 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Job Replies: There Is No Mediator9 Then Job answered:2 ‘Indeed I know that this is so; but how can a mortal be just before God?3 If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand.4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength—who has resisted him, and succeeded?—5 he who ...
Read More

Job 9 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Job Replies: There Is No Mediator9 Then Job answered:2 “Indeed, I know that this is so, but how can a mortal be just before God?(A)3 If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand.(B)4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and succeeded?(C)5...
Read More

Job 9 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Job’s Third Speech: A Response to Bildad9 Then Job spoke again: 2 “Yes, I know all this is true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight?3 If someone wanted to take God to court,[a] would it be possible to answer him even once in a thousand times?4 For God is so wise an...
Read More

Job 9 - New Life Version (NLV)

Job Talks9 Then Job answered, 2 “Yes, I know this is true. But how can a man be right and good before God? 3 If one wished to argue with Him, he would not be able to answer one out of a thousand of His questions. 4 He is wise in heart and powerful in strength. Who has ever stood against Him witho...
Read More

Job 9 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Job: There Is No Mediator9 Then Job answered and said: 2 “Truly I know it is so,But how can a (A)man be (B)righteous before God?3 If one wished to [a]contend with Him,He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.4 (C)God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.Who has hardened himself against ...
Read More

Job 9 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Job9 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 once in a thousand times.4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?...
Read More

Job 9 - New International Version (NIV)

Job9 Then Job replied: 2 “Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?(A)3 Though they wished to dispute with him,(B) they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.(C)4 His wisdom(D) is profound, his power is vast.(E) Who has resisted(F) him and...
Read More

Job 9 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Job’s Reply9 Job replied, 2 “I’m sure that what you have said is true. But how can human beings prove to God they are not guilty?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...
Read More

Job 9 - New Century Version (NCV)

Job Answers Bildad9 Then Job answered: 2 “Yes, I know that this is true, but how can anyone be right in the presence of God?3 Someone might want to argue with God, but no one could answer God, not one time out of a thousand.4 God’s wisdom is deep, and his power is great; no one can fight him without...
Read More