Jó 9
Så tog Job til Orde og svarede:
Vilde Gud gå i Rette med ham, kan han ikke svare på et af tusind!
Viis af Hjerte og vældig i Kraft hvo trodsede ham og slap vel derfra?
Han flytter Bjerge så let som intet, vælter dem om i sin Vrede,
ryster Jorden ud af dens Fuger, så dens Grundstøtter bæver;
han taler til solen, så skinner den ikke, for Stjernerne sætter han Segl,
han udspænder Himlen ene, skrider hen over Havets Kamme,
han skabte Bjørnen, Orion, Syvstjernen og Sydens Kamre,
han øver ufattelig Vælde og Undere uden Tal!
Går han forbi mig, ser jeg ham ikke, farer han hen, jeg mærker ham ikke;
Gud lægger ikke Bånd på sin Vrede, Rahabs Hjælpere bøjed sig under ham;
hvor kan jeg da give ham Svar og rettelig føje min Tale for ham!
Har jeg end Ret, jeg kan dog ej svare, må bede min Dommer om Nåde!
Nævned jeg ham, han svared mig ikke, han hørte, tror jeg, ikke min Røst,
han, som river mig bort i Stormen, giver mig - Sår på Sår uden Grund,
ikke lader mig drage Ånde, men lader mig mættes med beskeing.
Gælder det Kæmpekraft, melder han sig! Gælder det Ret, hvo stævner ham da!
Har jeg end Ret, må min Mund dog fælde mig, er jeg end skyldfri, han gør mig dog vrang!
Skyldfri er jeg, ser bort fra min Sjæl og agter mit Liv for intet!
Lige meget; jeg påstår derfor: Skyldfri og skyldig gør han til intet!
Når Svøben kommer med Død i et Nu, så spotter han skyldfries Hjertekval;
Jorden gav han i gudløses Hånd, hylder dens Dommeres Øjne til, hvem ellers, om ikke han?
Raskere end Løberen fløj mine Dage, de svandt og så ikke Lykke,
gled hen som Både af Si, som en Ørn, der slår ned på Bytte.
må jeg dog grue for al min Smerte, jeg ved, du kender mig ikke fri.
Jeg skal nu engang være skyldig, hvorfor da slide til ingen Nytte?
Toed jeg mig i Sne og tvætted i Lud mine Hænder,
du dypped mig dog i Pølen, så Klæderne væmmedes ved mig.
Thi du er ikke en Mand som jeg, så jeg kunde svare, så vi kunde gå for Retten sammen;
vi savner en Voldgiftsmand til at lægge sin Hånd på os begge!
Fried han mig for sin Stok, og skræmmed hans Rædsler mig ikke,
da talte jeg uden at frygte ham, thi min Dom om mig selv er en anden!
Then Job answered and said,
I know {it is} so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? {with God: or, before God?}
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
{He is} wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened {himself} against him, and hath prospered?
Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. {waves: Heb. heights}
Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. {Arcturus...: Heb. Ash, Cesil, and Cimah}
Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see {him} not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? {hinder...: Heb. turn him away?}
{If} God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. {proud...: Heb. helpers of pride, or, strength}
How much less shall I answer him, {and} choose out my words {to reason} with him?
Whom, though I were righteous, {yet} would I not answer, {but} I would make supplication to my judge.
If I had called, and he had answered me; {yet} would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
If {I speak} of strength, lo, {he is} strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time {to plead}?
If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: {if I say}, I {am} perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
{Though} I {were} perfect, {yet} would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
This {is} one {thing}, therefore I said {it}, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, {and} who {is} he?
Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle {that} hasteth to the prey. {swift...: or, ships of Ebeh: Heb. ships of desire}
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort {myself}:
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. {abhor...: or, make me to be abhorred}
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. {any...: Heb. one that should argue} {daysman: or, umpire}
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. {it is...: Heb. I am not so with myself}