25 "My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy. 26 They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey. 27 If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,' 28 I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent. 29 Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain? 30 Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with cleansing powder, 31 you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me. 32 "He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. 33 If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, 34 someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. 35 Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.
25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. 26 They are passed away as the swift
25 "My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good. 26 They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey. 27 If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,' 28 I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know you will not hold me innocent. 29 I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain? 30 If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, 31 yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me. 32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. 33 There is no
25 "My time is short - what's left of my life races off too fast for me to even glimpse the good. 26 My life is going fast, like a ship under full sail, like an eagle plummeting to its prey. 27 Even if I say, 'I'll put all this behind me, I'll look on the bright side and force a smile,' 28 All these troubles would still be like grit in my gut since it's clear you're not going to let up. 29 The verdict has already been handed down - 'Guilty!' - so what's the use of protests or appeals? 30 Even if I scrub myself all over and wash myself with the strongest soap I can find, 31 It wouldn't last - you'd push me into a pigpen, or worse, so nobody could stand me for the stink. 32 "God and I are not equals; I can't bring a case against him. We'll never enter a courtroom as peers. 33 How I wish we had an arbitrator to step in and let me get on with life - 34 To break God's death grip on me, to free me from this terror so I could breathe again. 35 Then I'd speak up and state my case boldly. As things stand, there is no way I can do it.
25 "Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good. 26 They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey. 27 If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,' 28 I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent. 29 If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain? 30 If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap, 31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes will abhor me. 32 "For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. 33 Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both. 34 Let 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.
25 "My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away without a glimpse of happiness. 26 It disappears like a swift papyrus boat, like an eagle swooping down on its prey. 27 If I decided to forget my complaints, to put away my sad face and be cheerful, 28 I would still dread all the pain, for I know you will not find me innocent, OÂ God. 29 Whatever happens, I will be found guilty. So what's the use of trying? 30 Even if I were to wash myself with soap and clean my hands with lye, 31 you would plunge me into a muddy ditch, and my own filthy clothing would hate me. 32 "God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial. 33 If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together. 34 The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. 35 Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 9:25-35
Commentary on Job 9:25-35
(Read Job 9:25-35)
What little need have we of pastimes, and what great need to redeem time, when it runs on so fast towards eternity! How vain the enjoyments of time, which we may quite lose while yet time continues! The remembrance of having done our duty will be pleasing afterwards; so will not the remembrance of having got worldly wealth, when it is all lost and gone. Job's complaint of God, as one that could not be appeased and would not relent, was the language of his corruption. There is a Mediator, a Daysman, or Umpire, for us, even God's own beloved Son, who has purchased peace for us with the blood of his cross, who is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God through him. If we trust in his name, our sins will be buried in the depths of the sea, we shall be washed from all our filthiness, and made whiter than snow, so that none can lay any thing to our charge. We shall be clothed with the robes of righteousness and salvation, adorned with the graces of the Holy Spirit, and presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. May we learn the difference between justifying ourselves, and being thus justified by God himself. Let the tempest-tossed soul consider Job, and notice that others have passed this dreadful gulf; and though they found it hard to believe that God would hear or deliver them, yet he rebuked the storm, and brought them to the desired haven. Resist the devil; give not place to hard thoughts of God, or desperate conclusions about thyself. Come to Him who invites the weary and heavy laden; who promises in nowise to cast them out.