Bible Stories: Job (Chapter Ix) Poem by Dr John Celes

Then Job said, ‘I know truth is so.
But can man justify with God?
By arguments, he can’t win God;
God’s wise in heart and almighty.’

Who dares the Lord and be unscathed?
God moves mountains before we know;
God overturns them in anger!
He shakes the earth out of her place.

Pillars beneath tremble thereof;
He orders sun and it doesn’t rise;
He seals up stars, stretching heavens;
He treads upon crests of sea-waves;

He made the Bear, Orion, Pleiades,
And constellations of the south;
He does great things ‘’yond reckoning’
He goes by me, I see Him not.

He passes by, I perceive not;
Should He seize me, who can ask why?
Who dare ask him, what do You do?
If God relents not, who can ask?

The proud helpers stoop under Him;
How shall I answer him much less?
Or enter into argument?
Though I be right, I couldn’t answer.

But make my supplication plea;
Had I called Him and He answered;
I couldn’t believe He’d heard my voice;
For, tempest-like, He o’er-whelms me.

He multiples my wounds sans cause;
He won’t wish me to take my breath,
But fills me with bitterness, griefs;
In strength, He’s strong and Almighty.

If I am right, I still can’t prove;
In Judgment, who can dare question?
If right, my mouth shall condemn me;
If innocent, He proves me wrong;

If perfect ev’n, yet, I wouldn’t know;
And then I would despise my life;
He destroys righteous and those wrong;
If scourge suddenly slays, He laughs;

He gives the earth to wicked hands;
He covers faces of judges;
My days are swifter than a post;
They flee away sans happiness.

Like eagle that hastens to prey;
If I can forget my complaint,
I’ll be less sad and in more cheer;
I am afraid of all my pains.

If I be washed with snow-water
And cleanse my hands so clean with lye,
Yet, you would plunge me in the ditch
And my own clothes shall abhor me;

For, He is not a man like me,
That I should answer him better,
And should we come in judgment both,
There’s no arbiter to deal alike!

I know I’m held not innocent;
If I’m wicked, why strive in vain?
O let Him take His rod from me,
And let His fear not frighten me;
So that, I may speak without fear,
But this is not the case with me.