Job 9:20
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
19 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.
21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Even if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
- KJV
- If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
- WEB
- Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me. Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.
- ASV
- Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
- DARBY
- If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
- BLB
- If I were righteous, my own mouth would declare me wicked; if I were blameless, then it would declare me perverse.
- ÅB
- Hadde jeg enn rett, skulle dog min egen munn dømme meg skyldig; var jeg enn uskyldig, ville han dog si at jeg hadde urett.
- OTB
- Selv om jeg var rettferdig, ville min egen munn fordømme meg;
hvis jeg var skyldfri, ville den erklære meg skyldig. - B1930
- Hadde jeg enn rett, skulde dog min egen munn dømme mig skyldig; var jeg enn uskyldig, vilde han dog si at jeg hadde urett.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Psalms 143:2
And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Read in contextJob 34:35
Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.
Read in contextJob 9:2
I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
Read in contextPsalms 130:3
If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Read in contextPhilippians 3:12–15
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Read in contextJob 15:5–6
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
Read in contextJob 32:1–2
So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Read in contextJob 4:17
Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Read in context