Job Deplores His Birth

After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job [a]spoke, and said:

“May(A) the day perish on which I was born,
And the night in which it was said,
‘A male child is conceived.’
May that day be darkness;
May God above not seek it,
Nor the light shine upon it.
May darkness and (B)the shadow of death claim it;
May a cloud settle on it;
May the blackness of the day terrify it.
As for that night, may darkness seize it;
May it not [b]rejoice among the days of the year,
May it not come into the number of the months.
Oh, may that night be barren!
May no joyful shout come into it!
May those curse it who curse the day,
Those (C)who are ready to arouse Leviathan.
May the stars of its morning be dark;
May it look for light, but have none,
And not see the [c]dawning of the day;
10 Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,
Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.

11 “Why(D) did I not die at birth?
Why did I not [d]perish when I came from the womb?
12 (E)Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13 For now I would have lain still and been quiet,
I would have been asleep;
Then I would have been at rest
14 With kings and counselors of the earth,
Who (F)built ruins for themselves,
15 Or with princes who had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver;
16 Or why was I not hidden (G)like a stillborn child,
Like infants who never saw light?
17 There the wicked cease from troubling,
And there the [e]weary are at (H)rest.
18 There the prisoners [f]rest together;
(I)They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and great are there,
And the servant is free from his master.

20 “Why(J) is light given to him who is in misery,
And life to the (K)bitter of soul,
21 Who (L)long[g] for death, but it does not come,
And search for it more than (M)hidden treasures;
22 Who rejoice exceedingly,
And are glad when they can find the (N)grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
(O)And whom God has hedged in?
24 For my sighing comes before [h]I eat,
And my groanings pour out like water.
25 For the thing I greatly (P)feared has come upon me,
And what I dreaded has happened to me.
26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest, for trouble comes.”

Eliphaz: Job Has Sinned

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
Surely you have instructed many,
And you (Q)have strengthened weak hands.
Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
And you (R)have strengthened the [i]feeble knees;
But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;
It touches you, and you are troubled.
Is not (S)your reverence (T)your confidence?
And the integrity of your ways your hope?

“Remember now, (U)who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright ever cut off?
Even as I have seen,
(V)Those who plow iniquity
And sow trouble reap the same.
By the blast of God they perish,
And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion,
The voice of the fierce lion,
And (W)the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 (X)The old lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was secretly brought to me,
And my ear received a whisper of it.
13 (Y)In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14 Fear came upon me, and (Z)trembling,
Which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair on my body stood up.
16 It stood still,
But I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence;
Then I heard a voice saying:
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 If He (AA)puts no trust in His servants,
If He charges His angels with error,
19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before a moth?
20 (AB)They are broken in pieces from morning till evening;
They perish forever, with no one regarding.
21 Does not their own excellence go away?
They die, even without wisdom.’

Eliphaz: Job Is Chastened by God

“Call out now;
Is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
For wrath kills a foolish man,
And envy slays a simple one.
(AC)I have seen the foolish taking root,
But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
His sons are (AD)far from safety,
They are crushed in the gate,
And (AE)there is no deliverer.
Because the hungry eat up his harvest,
[j]Taking it even from the thorns,
[k]And a snare snatches their [l]substance.
For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble spring from the ground;
Yet man is (AF)born to [m]trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.

“But as for me, I would seek God,
And to God I would commit my cause—
Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Marvelous things without number.
10 (AG)He gives rain on the earth,
And sends waters on the fields.
11 (AH)He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 (AI)He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.
13 He catches the (AJ)wise in their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime,
And grope at noontime as in the night.
15 But (AK)He saves the needy from the sword,
From the mouth of the mighty,
And from their hand.
16 (AL)So the poor have hope,
And injustice shuts her mouth.

17 “Behold,(AM) happy is the man whom God corrects;
Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18 (AN)For He bruises, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19 (AO)He shall deliver you in six troubles,
Yes, in seven (AP)no evil shall touch you.
20 (AQ)In famine He shall redeem you from death,
And in war from the [n]power of the sword.
21 (AR)You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine,
And (AS)you shall not be afraid of the (AT)beasts of the earth.
23 (AU)For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your tent is in peace;
You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.
25 You shall also know that (AV)your descendants shall be many,
And your offspring (AW)like the grass of the earth.
26 (AX)You shall come to the grave at a full age,
As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27 Behold, this we have (AY)searched out;
It is true.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”

Job: My Complaint Is Just

Then Job answered and said:

“Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—
Therefore my words have been rash.
(AZ)For the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
My spirit drinks in their poison;
(BA)The terrors of God are arrayed (BB)against me.
Does the (BC)wild donkey bray when it has grass,
Or does the ox low over its fodder?
Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
My soul refuses to touch them;
They are as loathsome food to me.

“Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and (BD)cut me off!
10 Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish I would exult,
He will not spare;
For (BE)I have not concealed the words of (BF)the Holy One.

11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
13 Is my help not within me?
And is success driven from me?

14 “To(BG) him who is [o]afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend,
Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 (BH)My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,
(BI)Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,
16 Which are dark because of the ice,
And into which the snow vanishes.
17 When it is warm, they cease to flow;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 The paths of their way turn aside,
They go nowhere and perish.
19 The caravans of (BJ)Tema look,
The travelers of (BK)Sheba hope for them.
20 They are (BL)disappointed[p] because they were confident;
They come there and are confused.
21 For now (BM)you are nothing,
You see terror and (BN)are afraid.
22 Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’?
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’?
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?

24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
26 Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?
27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you (BO)undermine your friend.
28 Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;
For I would never lie to your face.
29 (BP)Yield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my (BQ)righteousness [q]still stands!
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my [r]taste discern the unsavory?

Job: My Suffering Is Comfortless

Is there not (BR)a time of hard service for man on earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?
Like a servant who [s]earnestly desires the shade,
And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,
So I have been allotted (BS)months of futility,
And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
(BT)When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?’
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.
My flesh is (BU)caked with worms and dust,
My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.

“My(BV) days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
Oh, remember that (BW)my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
(BX)The eye of him who sees me will see me no more;
While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.
As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So (BY)he who goes down to the grave does not come up.
10 He shall never return to his house,
(BZ)Nor shall his place know him anymore.

11 “Therefore I will (CA)not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will (CB)complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea serpent,
That You set a guard over me?
13 (CC)When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
My couch will ease my complaint,’
14 Then You scare me with dreams
And terrify me with visions,
15 So that my soul chooses strangling
And death rather than [t]my body.
16 (CD)I loathe my life;
I would not live forever.
(CE)Let me alone,
For (CF)my days are but [u]a breath.

17 “What(CG) is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
18 That You should [v]visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
19 How long?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
20 Have I sinned?
What have I done to You, (CH)O watcher of men?
Why (CI)have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden [w]to myself?
21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression,
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust,
And You will seek me diligently,
But I will no longer be.

Bildad: Job Should Repent

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

“How long will you speak these things,
And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
(CJ)Does God subvert judgment?
Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
If (CK)your sons have sinned against Him,
He has cast them away [x]for their transgression.
(CL)If you would earnestly seek God
And make your supplication to the Almighty,
If you were pure and upright,
Surely now He would [y]awake for you,
And prosper your rightful dwelling place.
Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would (CM)increase abundantly.

“For(CN) inquire, please, of the former age,
And consider the things discovered by their fathers;
For (CO)we were born yesterday, and know [z]nothing,
Because our days on earth are a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their heart?

11 “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the reeds flourish without water?
12 (CP)While it is yet green and not cut down,
It withers before any other plant.
13 So are the paths of all who (CQ)forget God;
And the hope of the (CR)hypocrite shall perish,
14 Whose confidence shall be cut off,
And whose trust is [aa]a spider’s web.
15 (CS)He leans on his house, but it does not stand.
He holds it fast, but it does not endure.
16 He grows green in the sun,
And his branches spread out in his garden.
17 His roots wrap around the rock heap,
And look for a place in the stones.
18 (CT)If he is destroyed from his place,
Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’

19 “Behold, this is the joy of His way,
And (CU)out of the earth others will grow.
20 Behold, (CV)God will not [ab]cast away the blameless,
Nor will He uphold the evildoers.
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughing,
And your lips with [ac]rejoicing.
22 Those who hate you will be (CW)clothed with shame,
And the dwelling place of the wicked [ad]will come to nothing.”

Job: There Is No Mediator

Then Job answered and said:

“Truly I know it is so,
But how can a (CX)man be (CY)righteous before God?
If one wished to [ae]contend with Him,
He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
(CZ)God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
He removes the mountains, and they do not know
When He overturns them in His anger;
He (DA)shakes the earth out of its place,
And its (DB)pillars tremble;
He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
He seals off the stars;
(DC)He alone spreads out the heavens,
And [af]treads on the [ag]waves of the sea;
(DD)He made [ah]the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;
10 (DE)He does great things past finding out,
Yes, wonders without number.
11 (DF)If He goes by me, I do not see Him;
If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
12 (DG)If He takes away, [ai]who can hinder Him?
Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 God will not withdraw His anger,
(DH)The allies of [aj]the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.

14 “How then can I answer Him,
And choose my words to reason with Him?
15 (DI)For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him;
I would beg mercy of my Judge.
16 If I called and He answered me,
I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 For He crushes me with a tempest,
And multiplies my wounds (DJ)without cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath,
But fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong;
And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
20 Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me;
Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.

21 “I am blameless, yet I do not know myself;
I despise my life.
22 It is all one thing;
Therefore I say, (DK)‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’
23 If the scourge slays suddenly,
He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, who else could it be?

25 “Now (DL)my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, they see no good.
26 They pass by like [ak]swift ships,
(DM)Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
27 (DN)If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’
28 (DO)I am afraid of all my sufferings;
I know that You (DP)will not hold me innocent.
29 If I am condemned,
Why then do I labor in vain?
30 (DQ)If I wash myself with snow water,
And cleanse my hands with [al]soap,
31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes will [am]abhor me.

32 “For (DR)He is not a man, as I am,
That I may answer Him,
And that we should go to court together.
33 (DS)Nor is there any mediator between us,
Who may lay his hand on us both.
34 (DT)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.

Job: I Would Plead with God

10 “My (DU)soul loathes my life;
I will [an]give free course to my complaint,
(DV)I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Show me why You contend with me.
Does it seem good to You that You should oppress,
That You should despise the work of Your hands,
And smile on the counsel of the wicked?
Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or (DW)do You see as man sees?
Are Your days like the days of a mortal man?
Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,
That You should seek for my iniquity
And search out my sin,
Although You know that I am not wicked,
And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?

‘Your(DX) hands have made me and fashioned me,
An intricate unity;
Yet You would (DY)destroy me.
Remember, I pray, (DZ)that You have made me like clay.
And will You turn me into dust again?
10 (EA)Did You not pour me out like milk,
And curdle me like cheese,
11 Clothe me with skin and flesh,
And knit me together with bones and sinews?
12 You have granted me life and favor,
And Your care has preserved my spirit.

13 ‘And these things You have hidden in Your heart;
I know that this was with You:
14 If I sin, then (EB)You mark me,
And will not acquit me of my iniquity.
15 If I am wicked, (EC)woe to me;
(ED)Even if I am righteous, I [ao]cannot lift up my head.
I am full of disgrace;
(EE)See my misery!
16 If my head is exalted,
(EF)You hunt me like a fierce lion,
And again You show Yourself awesome against me.
17 You renew Your witnesses against me,
And increase Your indignation toward me;
Changes and war are ever with me.

18 ‘Why(EG) then have You brought me out of the womb?
Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!
19 I would have been as though I had not been.
I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 (EH)Are not my days few?
Cease! (EI)Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,
21 Before I go to the place from which I shall not return,
(EJ)To the land of darkness (EK)and the shadow of death,
22 A land as dark as darkness itself,
As the shadow of death, without any order,
Where even the light is like darkness.’ ”

Zophar Urges Job to Repent

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should [ap]a man full of talk be vindicated?
Should your empty talk make men [aq]hold their peace?
And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?
For you have said,
(EL)‘My doctrine is pure,
And I am clean in your eyes.’
But oh, that God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
That He would show you the secrets of wisdom!
For they would double your prudence.
Know therefore that (EM)God [ar]exacts from you
Less than your iniquity deserves.

“Can(EN) you search out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than [as]Sheol—what can you know?
Their measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.

10 “If(EO) He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment,
Then who can [at]hinder Him?
11 For (EP)He knows deceitful men;
He sees wickedness also.
Will He not then consider it?
12 For an (EQ)empty-headed man will be wise,
When a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.

13 “If you would (ER)prepare your heart,
And (ES)stretch out your hands toward Him;
14 If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away,
And (ET)would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;
15 (EU)Then surely you could lift up your face without spot;
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
16 Because you would (EV)forget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away,
17 And your life (EW)would be brighter than noonday.
Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
18 And you would be secure, because there is hope;
Yes, you would dig around you, and (EX)take your rest in safety.
19 You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid;
Yes, many would court your favor.
20 But (EY)the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And they shall not escape,
And (EZ)their hope—[au]loss of life!”

Job Answers His Critics

12 Then Job answered and said:

“No doubt you are the people,
And wisdom will die with you!
But I have [av]understanding as well as you;
I am not (FA)inferior to you.
Indeed, who does not know such things as these?

“I(FB) am one mocked by his friends,
Who (FC)called on God, and He answered him,
The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
A [aw]lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease;
It is made ready for (FD)those whose feet slip.
(FE)The tents of robbers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure—
In what God provides by His hand.

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
10 (FF)In whose hand is the [ax]life of every living thing,
And the (FG)breath of [ay]all mankind?
11 Does not the ear test words
And the [az]mouth taste its food?
12 Wisdom is with aged men,
And with [ba]length of days, understanding.

13 “With Him are (FH)wisdom and strength,
He has counsel and understanding.
14 If (FI)He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt;
If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
15 If He (FJ)withholds the waters, they dry up;
If He (FK)sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.
16 With Him are strength and prudence.
The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He leads counselors away plundered,
And makes fools of the judges.
18 He loosens the bonds of kings,
And binds their waist with a belt.
19 He leads [bb]princes away plundered,
And overthrows the mighty.
20 (FL)He deprives the trusted ones of speech,
And takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 (FM)He pours contempt on princes,
And [bc]disarms the mighty.
22 He (FN)uncovers deep things out of darkness,
And brings the shadow of death to light.
23 (FO)He makes nations great, and destroys them;
He [bd]enlarges nations, and guides them.
24 He takes away the [be]understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth,
And (FP)makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
25 (FQ)They grope in the dark without light,
And He makes them (FR)stagger like a drunken man.

Job Defends Himself

13 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
(FS)What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
(FT)But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
But you forgers of lies,
(FU)You are all worthless physicians.
Oh, that you would be silent,
And (FV)it would be your wisdom!
Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
(FW)Will you speak [bf]wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
10 He will surely rebuke you
If you secretly show partiality.
11 Will not His [bg]excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12 Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.

13 “Hold[bh] your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14 Why (FX)do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15 (FY)Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
(FZ)Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16 He also shall be my salvation,
For a (GA)hypocrite could not come before Him.
17 Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.
18 See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be (GB)vindicated.
19 (GC)Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.

Job’s Despondent Prayer

20 “Only(GD) two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide myself from You:
21 (GE)Withdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22 Then call, and I will (GF)answer;
Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24 (GG)Why do You hide Your face,
And (GH)regard me as Your enemy?
25 (GI)Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?
26 For You write bitter things against me,
And (GJ)make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 (GK)You put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You [bi]set a limit for the [bj]soles of my feet.

28 Man[bk] decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Job Speaks of Life’s Woes

14 “Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and (GL)full of [bl]trouble.
(GM)He comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
And (GN)do You open Your eyes on such a one,
And (GO)bring [bm]me to judgment with Yourself?
Who (GP)can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
No one!
(GQ)Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
(GR)Look away from him that he may [bn]rest,
Till (GS)like a hired man he finishes his day.

“For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that its tender shoots will not cease.
Though its root may grow old in the earth,
And its stump may die in the ground,
Yet at the scent of water it will bud
And bring forth branches like a plant.
10 But man dies and [bo]is laid away;
Indeed he [bp]breathes his last
And where is (GT)he?
11 As water disappears from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dries up,
12 So man lies down and does not rise.
(GU)Till the heavens are no more,
They will not awake
Nor be roused from their sleep.

13 “Oh, that You would hide me in the grave,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my hard service (GV)I will wait,
Till my change comes.
15 (GW)You shall call, and I will answer You;
You shall desire the work of Your hands.
16 For now (GX)You number my steps,
But do not watch over my sin.
17 (GY)My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
And You [bq]cover my iniquity.

18 “But as a mountain falls and crumbles away,
And as a rock is moved from its place;
19 As water wears away stones,
And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
So You destroy the hope of man.
20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes on;
You change his countenance and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and (GZ)he does not know it;
They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.
22 But his flesh will be in pain over it,
And his soul will mourn over it.”

Eliphaz Accuses Job of Folly

15 Then (HA)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

“Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge,
And fill [br]himself with the east wind?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk,
Or by speeches with which he can do no good?
Yes, you cast off fear,
And restrain [bs]prayer before God.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
And you choose the tongue of the crafty.
(HB)Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;
Yes, your own lips testify against you.

Are you the first man who was born?
(HC)Or were you made before the hills?
(HD)Have you heard the counsel of God?
Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
(HE)What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that is not in us?
10 (HF)Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Much older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you,
And the word spoken [bt]gently with you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away,
And [bu]what do your eyes wink at,
13 That you turn your spirit against God,
And let such words go out of your mouth?

14 “What(HG) is man, that he could be pure?
And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
15 (HH)If God puts no trust in His saints,
And the heavens are not pure in His sight,
16 (HI)How much less man, who is abominable and filthy,
(HJ)Who drinks iniquity like water!

17 “I will tell you, hear me;
What I have seen I will declare,
18 What wise men have told,
Not hiding anything received (HK)from their fathers,
19 To whom alone the [bv]land was given,
And (HL)no alien passed among them:
20 The wicked man writhes with pain all his days,
(HM)And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.
21 [bw]Dreadful sounds are in his ears;
(HN)In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.
22 He does not believe that he will (HO)return from darkness,
For a sword is waiting for him.
23 He (HP)wanders about for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?
He knows (HQ)that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Trouble and anguish make him afraid;
They overpower him, like a king ready for [bx]battle.
25 For he stretches out his hand against God,
And acts defiantly against the Almighty,
26 Running stubbornly against Him
With his strong, embossed shield.

27 “Though(HR) he has covered his face with his fatness,
And made his waist heavy with fat,
28 He dwells in desolate cities,
In houses which no one inhabits,
Which are destined to become ruins.
29 He will not be rich,
Nor will his wealth (HS)continue,
Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.
30 He will not depart from darkness;
The flame will dry out his branches,
And (HT)by the breath of His mouth he will go away.
31 Let him not (HU)trust in futile things, deceiving himself,
For futility will be his reward.
32 It will be accomplished (HV)before his time,
And his branch will not be green.
33 He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine,
And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.
34 For the company of hypocrites will be barren,
And fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 (HW)They conceive trouble and bring forth futility;
Their womb prepares deceit.”

Job Reproaches His Pitiless Friends

16 Then Job answered and said:

“I have heard many such things;
(HX)Miserable[by] comforters are you all!
Shall [bz]words of wind have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
I also could speak as you do,
If your soul were in my soul’s place.
I could heap up words against you,
And (HY)shake my head at you;
But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.

“Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
And if I remain silent, how am I eased?
But now He has (HZ)worn me out;
You (IA)have made desolate all my company.
You have shriveled me up,
And it is a (IB)witness against me;
My leanness rises up against me
And bears witness to my face.
(IC)He tears me in His wrath, and hates me;
He gnashes at me with His teeth;
(ID)My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.
10 They (IE)gape at me with their mouth,
They (IF)strike me reproachfully on the cheek,
They gather together against me.
11 God (IG)has delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He has (IH)shattered me;
He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces;
He has (II)set me up for His target,
13 His archers surround me.
He pierces my [ca]heart and does not pity;
He pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with wound upon wound;
He runs at me like a [cb]warrior.

15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin,
And (IJ)laid my [cc]head in the dust.
16 My face is [cd]flushed from weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although no violence is in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.

18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,
And (IK)let my cry have no resting place!
19 Surely even now (IL)my witness is in heaven,
And my evidence is on high.
20 My friends scorn me;
My eyes pour out tears to God.
21 (IM)Oh, that one might plead for a man with God,
As a man pleads for his [ce]neighbor!
22 For when a few years are finished,
I shall (IN)go the way of no return.

Job Prays for Relief

17 “My spirit is broken,
My days are extinguished,
(IO)The grave is ready for me.
Are not mockers with me?
And does not my eye [cf]dwell on their (IP)provocation?

“Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself.
Who is he who (IQ)will shake hands with me?
For You have hidden their heart from (IR)understanding;
Therefore You will not exalt them.
He who speaks flattery to his friends,
Even the eyes of his children will (IS)fail.

“But He has made me (IT)a byword of the people,
And I have become one in whose face men spit.
(IU)My eye has also grown dim because of sorrow,
And all my members are like shadows.
Upright men are astonished at this,
And the innocent stirs himself up against the hypocrite.
Yet the righteous will hold to his (IV)way,
And he who has (IW)clean hands will be stronger and stronger.

10 “But please, (IX)come back again, [cg]all of you,
For I shall not find one wise man among you.
11 (IY)My days are past,
My purposes are broken off,
Even the [ch]thoughts of my heart.
12 They change the night into day;
‘The light is near,’ they say, in the face of darkness.
13 If I wait for the grave as my house,
If I make my bed in the darkness,
14 If I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’
And to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’
15 Where then is my (IZ)hope?
As for my hope, who can see it?
16 Will they go down (JA)to the gates of [ci]Sheol?
Shall we have (JB)rest together in the dust?”

Bildad: The Wicked Are Punished

18 Then (JC)Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

“How long till you put an end to words?
Gain understanding, and afterward we will speak.
Why are we counted (JD)as beasts,
And regarded as stupid in your sight?
(JE)You[cj] who tear yourself in anger,
Shall the earth be forsaken for you?
Or shall the rock be removed from its place?

“The(JF) light of the wicked indeed goes out,
And the flame of his fire does not shine.
The light is dark in his tent,
(JG)And his lamp beside him is put out.
The steps of his strength are shortened,
And (JH)his own counsel casts him down.
For (JI)he is cast into a net by his own feet,
And he walks into a snare.
The net takes him by the heel,
And (JJ)a snare lays hold of him.
10 A noose is hidden for him on the ground,
And a trap for him in the road.
11 (JK)Terrors frighten him on every side,
And drive him to his feet.
12 His strength is starved,
And (JL)destruction is ready at his side.
13 It devours patches of his skin;
The firstborn of death devours his [ck]limbs.
14 He is uprooted from (JM)the shelter of his tent,
And they parade him before the king of terrors.
15 They dwell in his tent who are none of his;
Brimstone is scattered on his dwelling.
16 (JN)His roots are dried out below,
And his branch withers above.
17 (JO)The memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name [cl]among the renowned.
18 [cm]He is driven from light into darkness,
And chased out of the world.
19 (JP)He has neither son nor posterity among his people,
Nor any remaining in his dwellings.
20 Those [cn]in the west are astonished (JQ)at his day,
As those [co]in the east are frightened.
21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who (JR)does not know God.”

Job Trusts in His Redeemer

19 Then Job answered and said:

“How long will you torment my soul,
And break me in pieces with words?
These ten times you have [cp]reproached me;
You are not ashamed that you [cq]have wronged me.
And if indeed I have erred,
My error remains with me.
If indeed you (JS)exalt yourselves against me,
And plead my disgrace against me,
Know then that (JT)God has wronged me,
And has surrounded me with His net.

“If I cry out concerning [cr]wrong, I am not heard.
If I cry aloud, there is no justice.
(JU)He has [cs]fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass;
And He has set darkness in my paths.
(JV)He has stripped me of my glory,
And taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaks me down on every side,
And I am gone;
My (JW)hope He has uprooted like a tree.
11 He has also kindled His wrath against me,
And (JX)He counts me as one of His enemies.
12 His troops come together
And build up their road against me;
They encamp all around my tent.

13 “He(JY) has removed my brothers far from me,
And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14 My relatives have failed,
And my close friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants,
Count me as a stranger;
I am an alien in their sight.
16 I call my servant, but he gives no answer;
I beg him with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife,
And I am [ct]repulsive to the children of my own body.
18 Even (JZ)young children despise me;
I arise, and they speak against me.
19 (KA)All my close friends abhor me,
And those whom I love have turned against me.
20 (KB)My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh,
And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

21 “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends,
For the hand of God has struck me!
22 Why do you (KC)persecute me as God does,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?

23 “Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That they were engraved on a rock
With an iron pen and lead, forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
26 And after my skin is [cu]destroyed, this I know,
That (KD)in my flesh I shall see God,
27 Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my [cv]heart yearns within me!
28 If you should say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’—
Since the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be afraid of the sword for yourselves;
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
That you may know there is a judgment.”

Zophar’s Sermon on the Wicked Man

20 Then (KE)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer,
Because of the turmoil within me.
I have heard the rebuke [cw]that reproaches me,
And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.

“Do you not know this of (KF)old,
Since man was placed on earth,
(KG)That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a (KH)moment?
(KI)Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens,
And his head reaches to the clouds,
Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
He will fly away (KJ)like a dream, and not be found;
Yes, he (KK)will be chased away like a vision of the night.
The eye that saw him will see him no more,
Nor will his place behold him anymore.
10 His children will seek the favor of the poor,
And his hands will restore his wealth.
11 His bones are full of (KL)his youthful vigor,
(KM)But it will lie down with him in the dust.

12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he spares it and does not forsake it,
But still keeps it in his [cx]mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach turns sour;
It becomes cobra venom within him.
15 He swallows down riches
And vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16 He will suck the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue will slay him.
17 He will not see (KN)the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18 He will restore that for which he labored,
And will not swallow it down;
From the proceeds of business
He will get no enjoyment.
19 For he has [cy]oppressed and forsaken the poor,
He has violently seized a house which he did not build.

20 “Because(KO) he knows no quietness in his [cz]heart,
He will not save anything he desires.
21 Nothing is left for him to eat;
Therefore his well-being will not last.
22 In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress;
Every hand of [da]misery will come against him.
23 When he is about to fill his stomach,
God will cast on him the fury of His wrath,
And will rain it on him while he is eating.
24 (KP)He will flee from the iron weapon;
A bronze bow will pierce him through.
25 It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
Yes, (KQ)the glittering point comes out of his [db]gall.
(KR)Terrors come upon him;
26 Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.
(KS)An unfanned fire will consume him;
It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent.
27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house will depart,
And his goods will flow away in the day of His (KT)wrath.
29 (KU)This is the portion from God for a wicked man,
The heritage appointed to him by God.”

Job’s Discourse on the Wicked

21 Then Job answered and said:

“Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your [dc]consolation.
Bear with me that I may speak,
And after I have spoken, keep (KV)mocking.

“As for me, is my complaint against man?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
Look at me and be astonished;
(KW)Put your hand over your mouth.
Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
(KX)Why do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
Their houses are safe from fear,
(KY)Neither is [dd]the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves (KZ)without miscarriage.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
13 They (LA)spend their days in wealth,
And [de]in a moment go down to the [df]grave.
14 (LB)Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 (LC)Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And (LD)what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
16 Indeed [dg]their prosperity is not in their hand;
(LE)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
How often does their destruction come upon them,
The sorrows God (LF)distributes in His anger?
18 (LG)They are like straw before the wind,
And like chaff that a storm [dh]carries away.
19 They say, ‘God [di]lays up [dj]one’s iniquity (LH)for his children’;
Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.
20 Let his eyes see his destruction,
And (LI)let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household after him,
When the number of his months is cut in half?

22 “Can(LJ) anyone teach God knowledge,
Since He judges those on high?
23 One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and secure;
24 His [dk]pails are full of milk,
And the marrow of his bones is moist.
25 Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
Never having eaten with pleasure.
26 They (LK)lie down alike in the dust,
And worms cover them.

27 “Look, I know your thoughts,
And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
28 For you say,
‘Where is the house of the prince?
And where is [dl]the tent,
The dwelling place of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the road?
And do you not know their signs?
30 (LL)For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom;
They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
31 Who condemns his way to his face?
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 Yet he shall be brought to the grave,
And a vigil kept over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him;
(LM)Everyone shall follow him,
As countless have gone before him.
34 How then can you comfort me with empty words,
Since [dm]falsehood remains in your answers?”

Eliphaz Accuses Job of Wickedness

22 Then (LN)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

“Can(LO) a man be profitable to God,
Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous?
Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?

“Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you,
And enters into judgment with you?
Is not your wickedness great,
And your iniquity without end?
For you have (LP)taken pledges from your brother for no reason,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
You have not given the weary water to drink,
And you (LQ)have withheld bread from the hungry.
But the [dn]mighty man possessed the land,
And the honorable man dwelt in it.
You have sent widows away empty,
And the [do]strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Therefore snares are all around you,
And sudden fear troubles you,
11 Or darkness so that you cannot see;
And an abundance of (LR)water covers you.

12 “Is not God in the height of heaven?
And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 And you say, (LS)‘What does God know?
Can He judge through the deep darkness?
14 (LT)Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see,
And He walks above the circle of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
Which wicked men have trod,
16 Who (LU)were cut down before their time,
Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 (LV)They said to God, ‘Depart from us!
What can the Almighty do to [dp]them?’
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things;
But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19 “The(LW) righteous see it and are glad,
And the innocent laugh at them:
20 ‘Surely our [dq]adversaries are cut down,
And the fire consumes their remnant.’

21 “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and (LX)be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive, please, (LY)instruction from His mouth,
And (LZ)lay up His words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;
You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
24 Then you will (MA)lay your gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 Yes, the Almighty will be your [dr]gold
And your precious silver;
26 For then you will have your (MB)delight in the Almighty,
And lift up your face to God.
27 (MC)You will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also declare a thing,
And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways.
29 When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!
Then (MD)He will save the humble person.
30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent;
Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”

Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments

23 Then Job answered and said:

“Even today my (ME)complaint is bitter;
[ds]My hand is listless because of my groaning.
(MF)Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
I would present my case before Him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know the words which He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
(MG)Would He contend with me in His great power?
No! But He would take note of me.
There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

“Look,(MH) I go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
10 But (MI)He knows the way that I take;
When (MJ)He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 (MK)My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the (ML)commandment of His lips;
(MM)I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my [dt]necessary food.

13 “But He is unique, and who can make Him change?
And whatever (MN)His soul desires, that He does.
14 For He performs what is (MO)appointed for me,
And many such things are with Him.
15 Therefore I am terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am afraid of Him.
16 For God (MP)made my heart weak,
And the Almighty terrifies me;
17 Because I was not (MQ)cut off [du]from the presence of darkness,
And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.

Job Complains of Violence on the Earth

24 Since (MR)times are not hidden from the Almighty,
Why do those who know Him see not His (MS)days?

Some remove (MT)landmarks;
They seize flocks violently and feed on them;
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless;
They (MU)take the widow’s ox as a pledge.
They push the needy off the road;
All the (MV)poor of the land are forced to hide.
Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert,
They go out to their work, searching for food.
The wilderness yields food for them and for their children.
They gather their fodder in the field
And glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
They (MW)spend the night naked, without clothing,
And have no covering in the cold.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains,
And (MX)huddle around the rock for want of shelter.

Some snatch the fatherless from the breast,
And take a pledge from the poor.
10 They cause the poor to go naked, without (MY)clothing;
And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.
11 They press out oil within their walls,
And tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst.
12 The dying groan in the city,
And the souls of the wounded cry out;
Yet God does not charge them with wrong.

13 “There are those who rebel against the light;
They do not know its ways
Nor abide in its paths.
14 (MZ)The murderer rises with the light;
He kills the poor and needy;
And in the night he is like a thief.
15 (NA)The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight,
(NB)Saying, ‘No eye will see me’;
And he [dv]disguises his face.
16 In the dark they break into houses
Which they marked for themselves in the daytime;
(NC)They do not know the light.
17 For the morning is the same to them as the shadow of death;
If someone recognizes them,
They are in the terrors of the shadow of death.

18 “They should be swift on the face of the waters,
Their portion should be cursed in the earth,
So that no one would turn into the way of their vineyards.
19 As drought and heat [dw]consume the snow waters,
So [dx]the grave consumes those who have sinned.
20 The womb should forget him,
The worm should feed sweetly on him;
(ND)He should be remembered no more,
And wickedness should be broken like a tree.
21 For he [dy]preys on the barren who do not bear,
And does no good for the widow.

22 “But God draws the mighty away with His power;
He rises up, but no man is sure of life.
23 He gives them security, and they rely on it;
Yet (NE)His eyes are on their ways.
24 They are exalted for a little while,
Then they are gone.
They are brought low;
They are [dz]taken out of the way like all others;
They dry out like the heads of grain.

25 “Now if it is not so, who will prove me a liar,
And make my speech worth nothing?”

Bildad: How Can Man Be Righteous?

25 Then (NF)Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

“Dominion and fear belong to Him;
He makes peace in His high places.
[ea]Is there any number to His armies?
Upon whom does (NG)His light not rise?
(NH)How then can man be righteous before God?
Or how can he be (NI)pure who is born of a woman?
If even the moon does not shine,
And the stars are not pure in His (NJ)sight,
How much less man, who is (NK)a maggot,
And a son of man, who is a worm?”

Job: Man’s Frailty and God’s Majesty

26 But Job answered and said:

“How have you helped him who is without power?
How have you saved the arm that has no strength?
How have you counseled one who has no wisdom?
And how have you declared sound advice to many?
To whom have you uttered words?
And whose spirit came from you?

“The dead tremble,
Those under the waters and those inhabiting them.
(NL)Sheol is naked before Him,
And Destruction has no covering.
(NM)He stretches out the north over empty space;
He hangs the earth on nothing.
(NN)He binds up the water in His thick clouds,
Yet the clouds [eb]are not broken under it.
He covers the face of His throne,
And spreads His cloud over it.
10 (NO)He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters,
At the boundary of light and darkness.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble,
And are [ec]astonished at His rebuke.
12 (NP)He stirs up the sea with His power,
And by His understanding He breaks up [ed]the storm.
13 (NQ)By His Spirit He adorned the heavens;
His hand pierced (NR)the fleeing serpent.
14 Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

Job Maintains His Integrity

27 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:

As God lives, (NS)who has taken away my justice,
And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
As long as my breath is in me,
And the breath of God in my nostrils,
My lips will not speak wickedness,
Nor my tongue utter deceit.
Far be it from me
That I should say you are right;
Till I die (NT)I will not put away my integrity from me.
My righteousness I (NU)hold fast, and will not let it go;
(NV)My heart shall not [ee]reproach me as long as I live.

“May my enemy be like the wicked,
And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
(NW)For what is the hope of the hypocrite,
Though he may gain much,
If God takes away his life?
(NX)Will God hear his cry
When trouble comes upon him?
10 (NY)Will he delight himself in the Almighty?
Will he always call on God?

11 “I will teach you [ef]about the hand of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Surely all of you have seen it;
Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?

13 “This(NZ) is the portion of a wicked man with God,
And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty:
14 (OA)If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword;
And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15 Those who survive him shall be buried in death,
And (OB)their[eg] widows shall not weep,
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust,
And piles up clothing like clay—
17 He may pile it up, but (OC)the just will wear it,
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He builds his house like a [eh]moth,
(OD)Like a [ei]booth which a watchman makes.
19 The rich man will lie down,
[ej]But not be gathered up;
He opens his eyes,
And he is (OE)no more.
20 (OF)Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A tempest steals him away in the night.
21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone;
It sweeps him out of his place.
22 It hurls against him and does not (OG)spare;
He flees desperately from its [ek]power.
23 Men shall clap their hands at him,
And shall hiss him out of his place.

Job’s Discourse on Wisdom

28 “Surely there is a mine for silver,
And a place where gold is refined.
Iron is taken from the [el]earth,
And copper is smelted from ore.
Man puts an end to darkness,
And searches every recess
For ore in the darkness and the shadow of death.
He breaks open a shaft away from people;
In places forgotten by feet
They hang far away from men;
They swing to and fro.
As for the earth, from it comes bread,
But underneath it is turned up as by fire;
Its stones are the source of sapphires,
And it contains gold dust.
That path no bird knows,
Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it.
The [em]proud lions have not trodden it,
Nor has the fierce lion passed over it.
He puts his hand on the flint;
He overturns the mountains [en]at the roots.
10 He cuts out channels in the rocks,
And his eye sees every precious thing.
11 He dams up the streams from trickling;
What is hidden he brings forth to light.

12 “But(OH) where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13 Man does not know its (OI)value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 (OJ)The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;
And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15 It (OK)cannot be purchased for gold,
Nor can silver be weighed for its price.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx or sapphire.
17 Neither (OL)gold nor crystal can equal it,
Nor can it be exchanged for [eo]jewelry of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of [ep]coral or quartz,
For the price of wisdom is above (OM)rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
Nor can it be valued in pure (ON)gold.

20 “From(OO) where then does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living,
And concealed from the birds of the [eq]air.
22 (OP)Destruction[er] and Death say,
‘We have heard a report about it with our ears.’
23 God understands its way,
And He knows its place.
24 For He looks to the ends of the earth,
And (OQ)sees under the whole heavens,
25 (OR)To establish a weight for the wind,
And apportion the waters by measure.
26 When He (OS)made a law for the rain,
And a path for the thunderbolt,
27 Then He saw [es]wisdom and declared it;
He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.
28 And to man He said,
‘Behold, (OT)the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

Job’s Summary Defense

29 Job further continued his discourse, and said:

“Oh, that I were as in months (OU)past,
As in the days when God (OV)watched over me;
(OW)When His lamp shone upon my head,
And when by His light I walked through darkness;
Just as I was in the days of my prime,
When (OX)the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;
When the Almighty was yet with me,
When my children were around me;
When (OY)my steps were bathed with [et]cream,
And (OZ)the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!

“When I went out to the gate by the city,
When I took my seat in the open square,
The young men saw me and hid,
And the aged arose and stood;
The princes refrained from talking,
And (PA)put their hand on their mouth;
10 The voice of nobles was hushed,
And their (PB)tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, then it blessed me,
And when the eye saw, then it approved me;
12 Because (PC)I delivered the poor who cried out,
The fatherless and the one who had no helper.
13 The blessing of a perishing man came upon me,
And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 (PD)I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was (PE)eyes to the blind,
And I was feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor,
And (PF)I searched out the case that I did not know.
17 I broke (PG)the fangs of the wicked,
And plucked the victim from his teeth.

18 “Then I said, (PH)‘I shall die in my nest,
And multiply my days as the sand.
19 (PI)My root is spread out (PJ)to the waters,
And the dew lies all night on my branch.
20 My glory is fresh within me,
And my (PK)bow is renewed in my hand.’

21 Men listened to me and waited,
And kept silence for my counsel.
22 After my words they did not speak again,
And my speech settled on them as dew.
23 They waited for me as for the rain,
And they opened their mouth wide as for (PL)the spring rain.
24 If I mocked at them, they did not believe it,
And the light of my countenance they did not cast down.
25 I chose the way for them, and sat as chief;
So I dwelt as a king in the army,
As one who comforts mourners.

Job’s Wealth Now Poverty

30 “But now they mock at me, men [eu]younger than I,
Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.
Indeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me?
Their vigor has perished.
They are gaunt from want and famine,
Fleeing late to the wilderness, desolate and waste,
Who pluck [ev]mallow by the bushes,
And broom tree roots for their food.
They were driven out from among men,
They shouted at them as at a thief.
They had to live in the clefts of the [ew]valleys,
In [ex]caves of the earth and the rocks.
Among the bushes they brayed,
Under the nettles they nestled.
They were sons of fools,
Yes, sons of vile men;
They were scourged from the land.

“And(PM) now I am their taunting song;
Yes, I am their byword.
10 They abhor me, they keep far from me;
They do not hesitate (PN)to spit in my face.
11 Because (PO)He has loosed [ey]my bowstring and afflicted me,
They have cast off restraint before me.
12 At my right hand the rabble arises;
They push away my feet,
And (PP)they raise against me their ways of destruction.
13 They break up my path,
They promote my calamity;
They have no helper.
14 They come as broad breakers;
Under the ruinous storm they roll along.
15 Terrors are turned upon me;
They pursue my honor as the wind,
And my prosperity has passed like a cloud.

16 “And(PQ) now my soul is (PR)poured out because of my plight;
The days of affliction take hold of me.
17 My bones are pierced in me at night,
And my gnawing pains take no rest.
18 By great force my garment is disfigured;
It binds me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He has cast me into the mire,
And I have become like dust and ashes.

20 “I (PS)cry out to You, but You do not answer me;
I stand up, and You regard me.
21 But You have become cruel to me;
With the strength of Your hand You (PT)oppose me.
22 You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride on it;
You spoil my success.
23 For I know that You will bring me to death,
And to the house (PU)appointed for all living.

24 “Surely He would not stretch out His hand against a heap of ruins,
If they cry out when He destroys it.
25 (PV)Have I not wept for him who was in trouble?
Has not my soul grieved for the poor?
26 (PW)But when I looked for good, evil came to me;
And when I waited for light, then came darkness.
27 [ez]My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest;
Days of affliction confront me.
28 (PX)I go about mourning, but not in the sun;
I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help.
29 (PY)I am a brother of jackals,
And a companion of ostriches.
30 (PZ)My skin grows black and falls from me;
(QA)My bones burn with fever.
31 My harp is turned to mourning,
And my flute to the voice of those who weep.

Job Defends His Righteousness

31 “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I [fa]look upon a (QB)young woman?
For what is the (QC)allotment of God from above,
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
Is it not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
(QD)Does He not see my ways,
And count all my steps?

“If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,
[fb]Let me be weighed on honest scales,
That God may know my (QE)integrity.
If my step has turned from the way,
Or (QF)my heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands,
Then (QG)let me sow, and another eat;
Yes, let my harvest be [fc]rooted out.

“If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 Then let my wife grind for (QH)another,
And let others bow down over her.
11 For that would be wickedness;
Yes, (QI)it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.
12 For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction,
And would root out all my increase.

13 “If I have (QJ)despised the cause of my male or female servant
When they complained against me,
14 What then shall I do when (QK)God rises up?
When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?
15 (QL)Did not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?

16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to (QM)fail,
17 Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it
18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father,
And from my mother’s womb I guided [fd]the widow);
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;
20 If his [fe]heart has not (QN)blessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have raised my hand (QO)against the fatherless,
When I saw I had help in the gate;
22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder,
Let my arm be torn from the socket.
23 For (QP)destruction from God is a terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.

24 “If(QQ) I have made gold my hope,
Or said to fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’;
25 (QR)If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had gained much;
26 (QS)If I have observed the [ff]sun when it shines,
Or the moon moving in brightness,
27 So that my heart has been secretly enticed,
And my mouth has kissed my hand;
28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment,
For I would have denied God who is above.

29 “If(QT) I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,
Or lifted myself up when evil found him
30 (QU)(Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for a curse on his [fg]soul);
31 If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’
32 (QV)(But no sojourner had to lodge in the street,
For I have opened my doors to the [fh]traveler);
33 If I have covered my transgressions (QW)as[fi] Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34 Because I feared the great (QX)multitude,
And dreaded the contempt of families,
So that I kept silence
And did not go out of the door—
35 (QY)Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh, (QZ)that the Almighty would answer me,
That my [fj]Prosecutor had written a book!
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
And bind it on me like a crown;
37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.

38 “If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If (RA)I have eaten its [fk]fruit without money,
Or (RB)caused its owners to lose their lives;
40 Then let (RC)thistles grow instead of wheat,
And weeds instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

Footnotes

  1. Job 3:2 Lit. answered
  2. Job 3:6 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. be joined
  3. Job 3:9 eyelids of the dawn
  4. Job 3:11 expire
  5. Job 3:17 Lit. weary of strength
  6. Job 3:18 are at ease
  7. Job 3:21 Lit. wait
  8. Job 3:24 Lit. my bread
  9. Job 4:4 Lit. bending
  10. Job 5:5 LXX They shall not be taken from evil men; Vg. And the armed man shall take him by violence
  11. Job 5:5 LXX The might shall draw them off; Vg. And the thirsty shall drink up their riches
  12. Job 5:5 wealth
  13. Job 5:7 labor
  14. Job 5:20 Lit. hand
  15. Job 6:14 Or despairing
  16. Job 6:20 Lit. ashamed
  17. Job 6:29 Lit. is in it
  18. Job 6:30 palate
  19. Job 7:2 Lit. pants for
  20. Job 7:15 Lit. my bones
  21. Job 7:16 Without substance, futile
  22. Job 7:18 attend to
  23. Job 7:20 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Jewish tradition to You
  24. Job 8:4 Lit. into the hand of their transgression
  25. Job 8:6 arise
  26. Job 8:9 Lit. not
  27. Job 8:14 Lit. a spider’s house
  28. Job 8:20 reject
  29. Job 8:21 Lit. shouts of joy
  30. Job 8:22 Lit. will not be
  31. Job 9:3 argue
  32. Job 9:8 walks
  33. Job 9:8 Lit. heights
  34. Job 9:9 Heb. Ash, Kesil, and Kimah
  35. Job 9:12 Lit. who can turn Him back?
  36. Job 9:13 Heb. rahab
  37. Job 9:26 Lit. ships of reeds
  38. Job 9:30 lye
  39. Job 9:31 loathe
  40. Job 10:1 Lit. leave on myself
  41. Job 10:15 Lit. will not
  42. Job 11:2 Lit. a man of lips
  43. Job 11:3 be silent
  44. Job 11:6 Lit. forgets some of your iniquity for you
  45. Job 11:8 The abode of the dead
  46. Job 11:10 restrain
  47. Job 11:20 Lit. the breathing out of life
  48. Job 12:3 Lit. a heart
  49. Job 12:5 Or disaster
  50. Job 12:10 Or soul
  51. Job 12:10 Lit. all flesh of men
  52. Job 12:11 palate
  53. Job 12:12 Long life
  54. Job 12:19 Lit. priests, but not in a technical sense
  55. Job 12:21 loosens the belt of
  56. Job 12:23 Lit. spreads out
  57. Job 12:24 Lit. heart
  58. Job 13:7 unrighteously
  59. Job 13:11 Lit. exaltation
  60. Job 13:13 Be silent
  61. Job 13:27 Lit. inscribe a print
  62. Job 13:27 Lit. roots
  63. Job 13:28 Lit. He
  64. Job 14:1 turmoil
  65. Job 14:3 LXX, Syr., Vg. him
  66. Job 14:6 Lit. cease
  67. Job 14:10 lies prostrate
  68. Job 14:10 expires
  69. Job 14:17 Lit. plaster over
  70. Job 15:2 Lit. his belly
  71. Job 15:4 meditation or complaint
  72. Job 15:11 Or a secret thing
  73. Job 15:12 Or why do your eyes flash
  74. Job 15:19 Or earth
  75. Job 15:21 Terrifying
  76. Job 15:24 attack
  77. Job 16:2 Troublesome
  78. Job 16:3 Empty words
  79. Job 16:13 Lit. kidneys
  80. Job 16:14 Vg. giant
  81. Job 16:15 Lit. horn
  82. Job 16:16 Lit. red
  83. Job 16:21 friend
  84. Job 17:2 Lit. lodge
  85. Job 17:10 So with some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg.; MT, Tg. all of them
  86. Job 17:11 desires
  87. Job 17:16 The abode of the dead
  88. Job 18:4 Lit. one who tears his soul
  89. Job 18:13 parts
  90. Job 18:17 Lit. before the outside, i.e., the distinguished or famous
  91. Job 18:18 Or They drive him
  92. Job 18:20 Lit. who came after
  93. Job 18:20 Lit. who have gone before
  94. Job 19:3 shamed or disgraced
  95. Job 19:3 A Jewish tradition make yourselves strange to me
  96. Job 19:7 violence
  97. Job 19:8 walled off my way
  98. Job 19:17 Lit. strange
  99. Job 19:26 Lit. struck off
  100. Job 19:27 Lit. kidneys
  101. Job 20:3 Lit. of my insulting correction
  102. Job 20:13 Lit. palate
  103. Job 20:19 crushed
  104. Job 20:20 Lit. belly
  105. Job 20:22 Or the wretched or sufferer
  106. Job 20:25 Gallbladder
  107. Job 21:2 comfort
  108. Job 21:9 The rod of God’s chastisement
  109. Job 21:13 Without lingering
  110. Job 21:13 Or Sheol
  111. Job 21:16 Lit. their goal
  112. Job 21:18 steals away
  113. Job 21:19 stores up
  114. Job 21:19 Lit. his
  115. Job 21:24 LXX, Vg. bowels; Syr. sides; Tg. breasts
  116. Job 21:28 Vg. omits the tent
  117. Job 21:34 faithlessness
  118. Job 22:8 Lit. man of arm
  119. Job 22:9 Lit. arms
  120. Job 22:17 LXX, Syr. us
  121. Job 22:20 LXX substance is
  122. Job 22:25 Ancient vss. suggest defense; MT gold, as in v. 24
  123. Job 23:2 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Syr. His
  124. Job 23:12 Lit. appointed portion
  125. Job 23:17 Or by or before
  126. Job 24:15 Lit. puts a covering on his face
  127. Job 24:19 Lit. seize
  128. Job 24:19 Or Sheol
  129. Job 24:21 Lit. feeds on
  130. Job 24:24 Lit. gathered up
  131. Job 25:3 Can His armies be counted?
  132. Job 26:8 do not break
  133. Job 26:11 amazed
  134. Job 26:12 Heb. rahab
  135. Job 27:6 reprove
  136. Job 27:11 Or by
  137. Job 27:15 Lit. his
  138. Job 27:18 So with MT, Vg.; LXX, Syr. spider (cf. 8:14); Tg. decay
  139. Job 27:18 Temporary shelter
  140. Job 27:19 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr. But shall not add (i.e., do it again); Vg. But take away nothing
  141. Job 27:22 Lit. hand
  142. Job 28:2 Lit. dust
  143. Job 28:8 Lit. sons of pride, figurative of the great lions
  144. Job 28:9 At the base
  145. Job 28:17 vessels
  146. Job 28:18 Heb. ramoth
  147. Job 28:21 heaven
  148. Job 28:22 Heb. Abaddon
  149. Job 28:27 Lit. it
  150. Job 29:6 So with ancient vss. and a few Heb. mss. (cf. Job 20:17); MT wrath
  151. Job 30:1 Lit. of fewer days
  152. Job 30:4 A plant of the salty marshes
  153. Job 30:6 wadis
  154. Job 30:6 Lit. holes
  155. Job 30:11 So with MT, Syr., Tg.; LXX, Vg. His
  156. Job 30:27 I seethe inside
  157. Job 31:1 look intently or gaze
  158. Job 31:6 Lit. Let Him weigh me
  159. Job 31:8 uprooted
  160. Job 31:18 Lit. her
  161. Job 31:20 Lit. loins
  162. Job 31:26 Lit. light
  163. Job 31:30 Or life
  164. Job 31:32 So with LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT road
  165. Job 31:33 Or as men do
  166. Job 31:35 Lit. Accuser
  167. Job 31:39 Lit. strength

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