Job 9 · Verse 20

Job 9:20

If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
Job 9:20, King James Version

Job 9:20 in other translations

BSBEven if I were righteous, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would declare me guilty.
WEBThough I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me. Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.
ASVThough I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
YLTIf I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! --it declareth me perverse.
DARBYIf I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
BBEThough I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.
WebsterIf I justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, that also will prove me perverse.

What does Job 9:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. it--(Job 15:6; Lu 19:22); or "He," God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 If I justify myself - God must have some reason for his conduct towards me; I therefore do not pretend to justify myself; the attempt to do it would be an insult to his majesty and justice. Though I am conscious of none of the crimes of which you accuse me; and know not why he contends with me; yet he must have some reason, and that reason he does not choose to explain.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 9:14-21

Job is still righteous in his own eyes, ch. 32:1, and this answer, though it sets forth the power and majesty of God, implies that the question between the afflicted and the Lord of providence, is a question of might, and not of right; and we begin to discover the evil fruits of pride and of a self-righteous spirit. Job begins to manifest a disposition to condemn God, that he may justify himself, for which he is…

Read the full comment on Job 9:14-21 →

Job 9:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אִם\־'im-thoughH518
אֶ֭צְדָּק'Etz.dokI am righteousH6663
פִּ֣יpiown mouth myH6310
יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִיyar.shi.'E.niit will condemn as guilty meH7561
תָּֽם\־tam-[am] blamelessH8535
אָ֝֗נִי'A.niIH589
וַֽיַּעְקְשֵֽׁנִי\׃Vai.ya'.ke.She.niand it declared guilty meH6140

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 9:20

  • Psalms 143:2

    And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

  • Job 34:35

    Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.

  • Job 9:2

    I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

  • Psalms 130:3

    If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

  • Philippians 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. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

  • Job 15:5-6

    For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

  • Job 32:1-2

    So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

  • Job 4:17

    Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

  • Job 1:1

    There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

  • Proverbs 17:20

    He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

  • James 3:2

    For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

  • Luke 16:15

    And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
justify.
2; 4:17; 32:1,2; Ps 130:3; 143:2; Lu 10:29; 16:15
mine.
15:5,6; 34:35; 35:16; Pr 10:19; Isa 6:5; Mt 12:36,37; Jas 3:2
I am perfect.
1:1; Php 3:12-15
it shall.
33:8-13; Pr 17:20; 1Ti 6:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 9:19

    If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

  • Job 9:20

    If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

  • Job 9:21

    Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

Read all of Job 9

Job 9:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Si yo me justificare, me condenará mi boca; si me dijere perfecto, esto me hará inicuo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Si je me justifiais, ma bouche me condamnerait; si j’étais parfait, il me montrerait pervers.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wenn ich auch gerecht wäre, so würde mein Mund mich doch verdammen; wäre ich vollkommen, so würde er mich für verkehrt erklären.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si justificare me voluero, os meum condemnabit me; si innocentem ostendero, pravum me comprobabit.