| Chapter 9 |
1 | And Job answered, and said:
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2 | Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with
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3 | If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
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4 | He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace ?
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5 | Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
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6 | Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
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7 | Who commandeth tile sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
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8 | Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
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9 | Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
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10 | Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
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11 | If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
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12 | If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
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13 | God, whose wrath no mall can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
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14 | What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
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15 | I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
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16 | And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
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17 | For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
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18 | He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
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19 | If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
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20 | If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
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21 | Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
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22 | One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
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23 | If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
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24 | The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
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25 | My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
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26 | They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
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27 | If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
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28 | I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
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29 | But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
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30 | If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean :
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31 | Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me,
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32 | For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
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33 | There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.
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34 | Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
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35 | I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
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