Job 9:1-35 ERV

[1] Then Job answered: [2] "Of course, I know that this is true. But how can a human being win an argument with God? [3] Anyone who chose to argue with him could not answer one question in a thousand! [4] God is so wise and powerful that no one could oppose him and survive. [5] When God is angry, he moves mountains before they know what happened. [6] He can shake the earth, and it will tremble down to its foundations. [7] With one command he can stop the sun from rising. He can lock up the stars and keep them from shining. [8] He alone made the skies, and he walks on the ocean waves. [9] "God made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades. He made the planets that cross the southern sky. [10] He does things too marvelous for people to understand. He does too many miracles to count! [11] When he passes by, I cannot see him. He goes right past me, and I don't notice. [12] If he takes something away, no one can stop him. No one can say to him, 'What are you doing?' [13] God will not hold back his anger. Even Rahab's helpers are afraid of him. [14] So I cannot argue with God. I would not know what to say to him. [15] I am innocent, but I cannot give him an answer. All I can do is beg my Judge for mercy. [16] Even if I called and he answered, I cannot believe he would listen to me. [17] He would just send storms to crush me. He would give me more wounds for no reason. [18] He would not let me catch my breath again. He would just give me more trouble. [19] I cannot defeat God. He is too powerful! I cannot take him to court for justice. Who could force him to come? [20] I am innocent, but anything I say makes me seem guilty. I am innocent, but if I speak, my mouth proves me wrong. [21] I am innocent, but I don't know what to think. I hate my own life. [22] So I say, 'Does it make any difference? God destroys the innocent as well as the guilty.' [23] Is it God who laughs when a disaster kills innocent people? [24] Is it God who keeps the leaders from seeing when an evil person takes control? If it is not God, then who is it? [25] "My days are passing faster than a runner. They are flying by without any joy. [26] They go by as quickly as papyrus boats, as fast as an eagle swooping down on its prey. [27] "I could say, 'I will not complain. I will forget my pain and put a smile on my face.' [28] But the suffering still frightens me. I know that God will not see me as innocent. [29] I will be found guilty, so why should I even think about it? [30] Even if I scrubbed my hands with soap and washed myself whiter than snow, [31] God would still push me into the slime pit, and even my clothes would hate to touch me. [32] God is not a human like me, so I cannot argue with him. I cannot take him to court. [33] I wish there were someone who could listen to both sides, someone to judge both of us in a fair way. [34] I wish someone could take away the threat of God's punishment. Then he would not frighten me anymore. [35] Then I could say what I want without being afraid of him. But I cannot do that now.