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Job 1-21
Contemporary English Version
Job 1-21
Contemporary English Version
Job and His Family
1 Many years ago, a man named Job lived in the land of Uz.[a] He was a truly good person, who respected God and refused to do evil.
2 Job had 7 sons and 3 daughters. 3 He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 pair of oxen, 500 donkeys, and a large number of servants. He was the richest person in the East.
4 Job's sons took turns having feasts in their homes, and they always invited their three sisters to join in the eating and drinking. 5 After each feast, Job would send for his children and perform a ceremony, as a way of asking God to forgive them of any wrongs they may have done. He would get up early the next morning and offer a sacrifice for each of them, just in case they had sinned or silently cursed God.
Angels, the Lord, and Satan
6 (A) One day, when the angels[b] had gathered around the Lord, and Satan[c] was there with them, 7 the Lord asked, “Satan, where have you been?”
Satan replied, “I have been going all over the earth.”
8 Then the Lord asked, “What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him—he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil.”
9 (B) “Why shouldn't he respect you?” Satan remarked. 10 “You are like a wall protecting not only him, but his entire family and all his property. You make him successful in whatever he does, and his flocks and herds are everywhere. 11 Try taking away everything he owns, and he will curse you to your face.”
12 The Lord replied, “All right, Satan, do what you want with anything that belongs to him, but don't harm Job.”
Then Satan left.
Job Loses Everything
13 Job's sons and daughters were having a feast in the home of his oldest son, 14 when someone rushed up to Job and said, “While your servants were plowing with your oxen, and your donkeys were nearby eating grass, 15 a gang of Sabeans[d] attacked and stole the oxen and donkeys! Your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
16 That servant was still speaking, when a second one came running and said, “God sent down a fire that killed your sheep and your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
17 Before that servant finished speaking, a third one raced up and said, “Three gangs of Chaldeans[e] attacked and stole your camels! All of your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
18 That servant was still speaking, when a fourth one dashed up and said, “Your children were having a feast and drinking wine at the home of your oldest son, 19 when suddenly a windstorm from the desert blew the house down, crushing all of your children. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
20 When Job heard this, he tore his clothes and shaved his head because of his great sorrow. He knelt on the ground, then worshiped God 21 (C) and said:
“We bring nothing at birth;
we take nothing
with us at death.
The Lord alone gives and takes.
Praise the name of the Lord!”
22 In spite of everything, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing wrong.
Job Loses His Health
2 When the angels[f] gathered around the Lord again, Satan[g] was there with them, 2 and the Lord asked, “Satan, where have you been?”
Satan replied, “I have been going all over the earth.”
3 Then the Lord asked, “What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him—he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil. And he hasn't changed, even though you persuaded me to destroy him for no reason.”
4 Satan answered, “There's no pain like your own.[h] People will do anything to stay alive. 5 Try striking Job's own body with pain, and he will curse you to your face.”
6 “All right!” the Lord replied. “Make Job suffer as much as you want, but just don't kill him.” 7 Satan left and caused painful sores to break out all over Job's body—from head to toe.
8 Then Job sat on the ash-heap to show his sorrow. And while he was scraping his sores with a broken piece of pottery, 9 his wife asked, “Why do you still trust God? Why don't you curse him and die?”
10 Job replied, “Don't talk like a fool! If we accept blessings from God, we must accept trouble as well.” In all that happened, Job never once said anything against God.
Job's Three Friends
11 Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah[i] were three of Job's friends, and they heard about his troubles. So they agreed to visit Job and comfort him. 12 When they came near enough to see Job, they could hardly recognize him. And in their great sorrow, they tore their clothes, then sprinkled dust on their heads and cried bitterly. 13 For seven days and nights, they sat silently on the ground beside him, because they realized what terrible pain he was in.
Job's First Speech
Blot Out the Day of My Birth
3 (D) Finally, Job cursed the day
of his birth
2 by saying to God:
3 Blot out the day of my birth
and the night when my parents
created a son.
4 Forget about that day,
cover it with darkness,
5 and send thick, gloomy shadows
to fill it with dread.
6 Erase that night from the calendar
and conceal it with darkness.
7 Don't let children be created
or joyful shouts be heard
ever again in that night.
8 Let those with magic powers[j]
place a curse on that day.
9 Darken its morning stars
and remove all hope of light,
10 because it let me be born
into a world of trouble.
Why Didn't I Die at Birth?
11 Why didn't I die at birth?
12 Why was I accepted[k]
and allowed to nurse
at my mother's breast?
13 Now I would be at peace
in the silent world below
14 with kings and their advisors
whose palaces lie in ruins,
15 and with rulers once rich
with silver and gold.
16 I wish I had been born dead
and then buried, never to see
the light of day.
17 In the world of the dead,
the wicked and the weary rest
without a worry.
* 18 Everyone is there—
19 where captives and slaves
are free at last.
Why Does God Let Me Live?
20 Why does God let me live
when life is miserable
and so bitter?
21 (E) I keep longing for death
more than I would seek
a valuable treasure.
22 Nothing could make me happier
than to be in the grave.
23 Why do I go on living
when God has me surrounded,
and I can't see the road?
24 Moaning and groaning
are my food and drink,
25 and my worst fears
have all come true.
26 I have no peace or rest—
only troubles and worries.
Eliphaz's First Speech
Please Be Patient and Listen
4 Eliphaz from Teman[l] said:
2 Please be patient and listen
to what I have to say.
* 3 Remember how your words
4 have guided and encouraged
many in need.
5 But now you feel discouraged
when struck by trouble.
6 You respect God and live right,
so don't lose hope!
7 No truly innocent person
has ever died young.
8 In my experience, only those
who plant seeds of evil
harvest trouble,
9 and then they are swept away
by the angry breath of God.
10 They may roar and growl
like powerful lions.
But when God breaks their teeth,
11 they starve, and their children
are scattered.
A Secret Was Told to Me
12 A secret was told to me
in a faint whisper—
13 (F) I was overcome by sleep,
but disturbed by dreams;
14 I trembled with fear,
15 and my hair stood on end,
as a wind blew past my face.
16 It stopped and stood still.
Then a form appeared—
a shapeless form.
And from the silence,
I heard a voice say,
17 “No humans are innocent
in the eyes of God
their Creator.
18 He finds fault with his servants
and even with his angels.
19 Humans are formed from clay
and are fragile as moths,
so what chance do you have?
20 Born after daybreak,
you die before nightfall
and disappear forever.
21 Your tent pegs are pulled up,
and you leave this life,
having gained no wisdom.”
Eliphaz Continues
Call Out for Help
5 Job, call out for help
and see if an angel comes!
2 Envy and jealousy
will kill a stupid fool.
3 I have seen fools take root.
But God sends a curse,
suddenly uprooting them
4 and leaving their children
helpless in court.
5 Then hungry and greedy people
gobble up their crops
and grab their wealth.[m]
6 Our suffering isn't caused
by the failure of crops;
7 it's all part of life,
like sparks shooting skyward.
8 Job, if I were you,
I would ask God for help.
9 (G) His miracles are marvelous,
more than we can count.
10 God sends showers on earth
and waters the fields.
11 He protects the sorrowful
and lifts up those
who have been disgraced.
* 12 God swiftly traps the wicked
13 (H) in their own evil schemes,
and their wisdom fails.
14 Darkness is their only companion,
hiding their path at noon.
15 God rescues the needy
from the words of the wicked
and the fist of the mighty.
16 The poor are filled with hope,
and injustice is silenced.
Consider Yourself Fortunate
17 (I) Consider yourself fortunate
if God All-Powerful
chooses to correct you.
18 (J) He may cause injury and pain,
but he will bandage and heal
your cuts and bruises.
19 God will protect you from harm,
no matter how often
trouble may strike.
20 In times of war and famine,
God will keep you safe.
21 You will be sheltered,
without fear of hurtful words
or any other weapon.
22 You will laugh at the threat
of destruction and famine.
And you won't be afraid
of wild animals—
23 they will no longer be fierce,
and your rocky fields
will become friendly.
24 Your home will be secure,
and your sheep will be safe.
25 You will have more descendants
than there are blades of grass
on the face of the earth.
26 You will live a very long life,
and your body will be strong
until the day you die.
27 Our experience has proven
these things to be true,
so listen and learn.
Job's Reply to Eliphaz
It's Impossible
6 Job said:
2 It's impossible to weigh
my misery and grief!
3 They outweigh the sand
along the beach,
and that's why I have spoken
without thinking first.
4 The fearsome arrows
of God All-Powerful
have filled my soul
with their poison.
5 Do oxen and wild donkeys
cry out in distress
unless they are hungry?
6 What is food without salt?
What is more tasteless
than the white of an egg?[n]
7 That's how my food tastes,
and my appetite is gone.
* 8 How I wish that God
would answer my prayer
9 and do away with me.
10 Then I would be comforted,
knowing that in all of my pain
I have never disobeyed God.
11 Why should I patiently hope
when my strength is gone?
12 I am not strong as stone
or bronze,
13 and I have finally reached
the end of my rope.
My Friends, I Am Desperate
14 My friends, I am desperate,
and you should help me,
even if I no longer respect
God All-Powerful.[o]
* 15 But you are treacherous
16 like streams that swell
with melting snow,
17 then suddenly disappear
in the summer heat.
18 I am like a caravan,
lost in the desert
while searching for water.
19 Caravans from Tema and Sheba[p]
20 thought they would find water.
But they were disappointed,
21 just as I am with you.[q]
Only one look at my suffering,
and you run away scared.
What Have I Done Wrong?
22 Have I ever asked any of you
to give me a gift
23 or to purchase my freedom
from brutal enemies?
24 What have I done wrong?
Show me,
and I will keep quiet.
25 The truth is always painful,
but your arguments
prove nothing.
26 Here I am desperate,
and you consider my words
as worthless as wind.
27 Why, you would sell an orphan
or your own neighbor!
28 Look me straight in the eye;
I won't lie to you.
29 Stop accusing me falsely;
my reputation is at stake.
30 I know right from wrong,
and I am not telling lies.
Job Continues
Why Is Life So Hard?
7 Why is life so hard?
Why do we suffer?
2 We are slaves in search of shade;
we are laborers longing
for our wages.
3 God has made my days drag on
and my nights miserable.
4 I pray for night to end,
but it stretches out
while I toss and turn.
5 My parched skin is covered
with worms, dirt, and sores,
6 and my days are running out
quicker than the thread
of a fast-moving needle.
Don't Forget!
7 I beg you, God, don't forget!
My life is just a breath,
and trouble lies ahead.
8 I will vanish from sight,
and no one, including you,
will ever see me again.
9 (K) I will disappear in the grave
or vanish from sight
like a passing cloud.
10 Never will I return home;
soon I will be forgotten.
11 And so, I cry out to you
in agony and distress.
12 Am I the sea or a sea monster?
Is that why you imprison me?[r]
13 I go to bed, hoping for rest,
14 but you torture me
with terrible dreams.
* 15 I'd rather choke to death
than live in this body.
16 Leave me alone and let me die;
my life has no meaning.[s]
17 (L) What makes you so concerned
about us humans?
18 Why do you test us
from sunrise to sunset?
19 Won't you look away
just long enough
for me to swallow?
20 Why do you watch us so closely?
What's it to you, if I sin?
Why am I your target
and such a heavy burden?
21 Why do you refuse to forgive?
Soon you won't find me,
because I'll be dead.
Bildad's First Speech
How Long Will You Talk?
8 Bildad from Shuah[t] said:
2 How long will you talk
and keep saying nothing?
3 Does God All-Powerful
stand in the way of justice?
4 He made your children pay
for their sins.
5 So why don't you turn to him
6 and start living right?
Then he will decide
to rescue and restore you
to your place of honor.
7 Your future will be brighter
by far than your past.
Our Ancestors Were Wise
8 (M) Our ancestors were wise,
so learn from them.
9 Our own time has been short,
like a fading shadow,
and we know very little.
10 But they will instruct you
with great understanding.
11 Papyrus reeds grow healthy
only in a swamp,
12 and if the water dries up,
they die sooner than grass.
13 Such is the hopeless future
of all who turn from God
14 and trust in something as frail
as a spider's web—
15 they take hold and fall
because it's so flimsy.
16 Sinful people are like plants
with spreading roots and plenty
of sun and water.
17 They wrap their roots tightly
around rocks.[u]
18 But once they are pulled up,
they have no more place;
19 their life slips away,[v]
and other plants grow there.
20 We know God doesn't reject
an innocent person
or help a sinner.
21 And so, he will make you happy
and give you something
to smile about.
22 But your evil enemies
will be put to shame
and disappear forever.
Job's Reply to Bildad
What You Say Is True
9 Job said:
2 (N) What you say is true.
No human is innocent
in the sight of God.
3 Not once in a thousand times
could we win our case
if we took him to court.
4 God is wise and powerful—
who could possibly
oppose him and win?
5 When God becomes angry,
he can move mountains
before they even know it.
6 God can shake the earth loose
from its foundations
7 (O) or command the sun and stars
to hold back their light.
8 God alone stretched out the sky,
stepped on the sea,[w]
9 (P) and set the stars in place—
the Big Dipper and Orion,
the Pleiades and the stars
in the southern sky.
10 Of all the miracles God works,
we cannot understand a one.
11 God walks right past me,
without making a sound.
12 And if he grabs something,
who can stop him
or raise a question?
13 When God showed his anger,
the servants of the sea monster[x]
fell at his feet.
14 How, then, could I possibly
argue my case with God?
Though I Am Innocent
15 Even though I am innocent,
I can only beg for mercy.
16 And if God came into court
when I called him,
he would not hear my case.
17 He would strike me with a storm[y]
and increase my injuries
for no reason at all.
18 Before I could get my breath,
my miseries would multiply.
19 God is much stronger than I am,
and who would call me into court
to give me justice?
20 Even if I were innocent,
God would prove me wrong.[z]
21 I am not guilty,
but I no longer care
what happens to me.
22 What difference does it make?
God destroys the innocent
along with the guilty.
23 When a good person dies
a sudden death,
God sits back and laughs.
24 And who else but God
blindfolds the judges,
then lets the wicked
take over the earth?
My Life Is Speeding By
25 My life is speeding by,
without a hope of happiness.
26 Each day passes swifter
than a sailing ship
or an eagle swooping down.
27 Sometimes I try to be cheerful
and to stop complaining,
28 but my sufferings frighten me,
because I know that God
still considers me guilty.
29 So what's the use of trying
to prove my innocence?
30 Even if I washed myself
with the strongest soap,
31 God would throw me into a pit
of stinking slime, leaving me
disgusting to my clothes.
32 God isn't a mere human like me.
I can't put him on trial.
33 Who could possibly judge
between the two of us?
34 Can someone snatch away
the stick God carries
to frighten me?
35 Then I could speak up
without fear of him,
but for now, I cannot speak.[aa]
Job Complains to God
I Am Sick of Life!
10 I am sick of life!
And from my deep despair,
I complain to you, my God.
2 Don't just condemn me!
Point out my sin.
3 Why do you take such delight
in destroying those you created
and in smiling on sinners?
4 Do you look at things
the way we humans do?
5 Is your life as short as ours?
6 Is that why you are so quick
to find fault with me?
7 (Q) You know I am innocent,
but who can defend me
against you?
8 Will you now destroy
someone you created?
9 Remember that you molded me
like a piece of clay.
So don't turn me back
into dust once again.
10 (R) As cheese is made from milk,
you created my body
from a tiny drop.
11 Then you tied my bones together
with muscles and covered them
with flesh and skin.
12 You, the source of my life,
showered me with kindness
and watched over me.
You Have Not Explained
13 You have not explained
all of your mysteries,
14 but you catch and punish me
each time I sin.
15 Guilty or innocent,
I am condemned and ashamed
because of my troubles.
16 No matter how hard I try,
you keep hunting me down
like a powerful lion.[ab]
17 You never stop accusing me;
you become furious and attack
over and over again.
18 Why did you let me be born?
I would rather have died
before birth
19 and been carried to the grave
without ever breathing.
20 I have only a few days left.
Why don't you leave me alone?[ac]
Let me find some relief,
* 21 before I travel to the land
22 of darkness and despair,
the place of no return.
Zophar's First Speech
So Much Foolish Talk
11 Zophar from Naamah[ad] said:
2 So much foolish talk
cannot go unanswered.
3 Your words have silenced others
and made them ashamed;
now it is only right for you
to be put to shame.
4 You claim to be innocent
and argue that your beliefs
are acceptable to God.
5 But I wish God would speak
6 and let you know that wisdom
has many different sides.
You would then discover
that God has punished you
less than you deserve.
7 Can you understand the mysteries
surrounding God All-Powerful?
8 They are higher than the heavens
and deeper than the grave.
So what can you do
when you know so little,
9 and these mysteries outreach
the earth and the ocean?
10 If God puts you in prison
or drags you to court,
what can you do?
11 God has the wisdom to know
when someone is worthless
and sinful,
12 but it's easier to tame
a wild donkey
than to make a fool wise.[ae]
Surrender Your Heart to God
13 Surrender your heart to God,
turn to him in prayer,
14 and give up your sins—
even those you do in secret.
15 Then you won't be ashamed;
you will be confident
and fearless.
16 Your troubles will go away
like water beneath a bridge,
17 and your darkest night
will be brighter than noon.
18 You will rest safe and secure,
filled with hope
and emptied of worry.
19 You will sleep without fear
and be greatly respected.
20 But those who are evil
will go blind and lose their way.
Their only escape is death!
Job's Reply to Zophar
You Think You Are So Great
* 12 1 Job said to his friends:
2 You think you are so great,
with all the answers.
3 But I know as much as you do,
and so does everyone else.
4 I have always lived right,
and God answered my prayers;
now friends make fun of me.
5 It's easy to condemn
those who are suffering,
when you have no troubles.
6 Robbers and other godless people
live safely at home and say,
“God is in our hands!”[af]
If You Want To Learn
7 If you want to learn,
then go and ask
the wild animals and the birds,
8 the flowers and the fish.
9 Any of them can tell you
what the Lord has done.[ag]
10 Every living creature
is in the hands of God.
11 We hear with our ears,
taste with our tongues,
12 and gain some wisdom from those
who have lived a long time.
13 But God is the real source
of wisdom and strength.
14 No one can rebuild
what he destroys, or release
those he has imprisoned.
15 God can hold back the rain
or send a flood,
16 just as he rules over liars
and those they lie to.
17 God shames counselors,
turns judges into fools,
18 and makes slaves of kings.
19 God removes priests and others
who have great power—
20 he confuses wise,
experienced advisors,
21 puts mighty kings to shame,
and takes away their power.
22 God turns darkness to light;
23 he makes nations strong,
then shatters their strength.
24 God strikes their rulers senseless,
then leaves them to roam
through barren deserts,
25 lost in the dark, staggering
like someone drunk.
Job Continues
I Know and Understand
13 I know and understand
every bit of this.
2 None of you are smarter
than I am;
there's nothing you know
that I don't.
3 But I prefer to argue my case
with God All-Powerful—
4 you are merely useless doctors,
who treat me with lies.
5 The wisest thing you can do
is to keep quiet 6 and listen
to my argument.
7 Are you telling lies for God
8 and not telling the whole truth
when you argue his case?
9 If he took you to court,
could you fool him,
just as you fool others?
10 If you were secretly unfair,
he would correct you,
11 and his glorious splendor
would make you terrified.
12 Your wisdom and arguments
will blow away like dust.
Be Quiet While I Speak
13 Be quiet while I speak,
and we'll see what happens.
14 I will be responsible
for what happens to me.
15 God may kill me, but still
I will trust him[ah]
and offer my defense.
16 This may be what saves me,
because no guilty person
would come to his court.
17 Listen carefully to my words!
18 I have prepared my case well,
and I am certain to win.
19 If you can prove me guilty,
I will give up and die.
Job Prays
I Ask Only Two Things
20 I ask only two things
of you, my God,
and I will no longer
hide from you—
21 stop punishing
and terrifying me!
22 Then speak, and I will reply;
or else let me speak,
and you reply.
23 Please point out my sins,
so I will know them.
24 Why have you turned your back
and count me your enemy?
25 Do you really enjoy
frightening a fallen leaf?
26 Why do you accuse me
of horrible crimes
and make me pay for sins
I did in my youth?
27 (S) You have tied my feet down
and keep me surrounded;
28 I am rotting away like cloth
eaten by worms.
Job Continues His Prayer
Life Is Short and Sorrowful
14 (T) Life is short and sorrowful
for every living soul.
2 We are flowers that fade
and shadows that vanish.
3 And so, I ask you, God,
why pick on me?
4 There's no way a human
can be completely pure.
5 Our time on earth is brief;
the number of our days
is already decided by you.
6 Why don't you leave us alone
and let us find some happiness
while we toil and labor?
When a Tree Is Chopped Down
7 When a tree is chopped down,
there is always the hope
that it will sprout again.
8 Its roots and stump may rot,
9 but at the touch of water,
it sprouts once again.
10 Humans are different—
we die, and that's the end.
11 We are like streams and lakes
after the water has gone;
12 we fall into the sleep of death,
never to rise again,
until the sky disappears.
13 Please hide me, God,
deep in the ground—
and when you are angry no more,
remember to rescue me.
Will We Humans Live Again?
14 Will we humans live again?
I would gladly suffer
and wait for my time.
15 My Creator, you would want me;
you would call out,
and I would answer.
16 You would take care of me,
but not count my sins—
17 you would put them in a bag,
tie it tight,
and toss them away.
18 But in the real world,
mountains tumble,
and rocks crumble;
19 streams wear away stones
and wash away soil.
And you destroy our hopes!
20 You change the way we look,
then send us away,
wiped out forever.
21 We never live to know
if our children are praised
or disgraced.
22 We feel no pain but our own,
and when we mourn,
it's only for ourselves.
Eliphaz's Second Speech
If You Had Any Sense
15 Eliphaz from Teman[ai] said:
* 2 Job, if you had any sense,
3 you would stop spreading
all of this hot air.
4 Your words are enough
to make others turn from God
and lead them to doubt.
5 And your sinful, scheming mind
is the source of all you say.
6 I am not here as your judge;
your own words are witnesses
against you.
7 Were you the first human?
Are you older than the hills?
8 Have you ever been present
when God's council[aj] meets?
Do you alone have wisdom?
9 Do you know and understand
something we don't?
10 We have the benefit of wisdom
older than your father.
11 And you have been offered
comforting words from God.
Isn't this enough?
12 Your emotions are out of control,
making you look fierce;
13 that's why you attack God
with everything you say.
14 (U) No human is pure and innocent,
15 and neither are angels—
not in the sight of God.
If God doesn't trust his angels,
16 what chance do humans have?
We are so terribly evil
that we thirst for sin.
Just Listen to What I Know
17 Just listen to what I know,
and you will learn
18 wisdom known by others
since ancient times.
19 Those who gained such insights
also gained the land,
and they were not influenced
by foreign teachings.
20 But suffering is in store
each day for those who sin.
21 Even in times of success,
they constantly hear
the threat of doom.
22 Darkness, despair, and death
are their destiny.
23 They scrounge around for food,
all the while dreading
the approaching darkness.
24 They are overcome with despair,
like frightened soldiers facing
a fearsome king in battle.
25 This is because they rebelled
against God All-Powerful
26 and have attacked him
with their weapons.
27 They may be rich and fat,
28 but they will live in the ruins
of deserted towns.
29 Their property and wealth
will shrink and disappear.
30 They won't escape the darkness,
and the blazing breath of God
will set their future aflame.
* 31 They have put their trust
in something worthless;
now they will become worthless
32 like a date palm tree
without a leaf.[ak]
33 Or like vineyards or orchards
whose blossoms and unripe fruit
drop to the ground.
34 Yes, the godless and the greedy
will have nothing but flames
feasting on their homes,
35 because they are the parents
of trouble and vicious lies.
Job's Reply to Eliphaz
I Have Often Heard This
16 Job said:
2 I have often heard this,
and it offers no comfort.
3 So why don't you keep quiet?
What's bothering you?
4 If I were in your place,
it would be easy to criticize
or to give advice.
5 But I would offer hope
and comfort instead.
6 If I speak, or if I don't,
I hurt all the same.
My torment continues.
7 God has worn me down
and destroyed my family;
8 my shriveled up skin proves
that I am his prisoner.
9 God is my hateful enemy,
glaring at me and attacking
with his sharp teeth.
10 Everyone is against me;
they sneer and slap my face.
11 And God is the one
who handed me over
to this merciless mob.
Everything Was Going Well
12 Everything was going well,
until God grabbed my neck
and shook me to pieces.
God set me up as the target
13 for his arrows,
and without showing mercy,
he slashed my stomach open,
spilling out my insides.
14 God never stops attacking,
15 and so, in my sorrow
I dress in sackcloth[al]
and sit in the dust.
16 My face is red with tears,
and dark shadows
circle my eyes,
17 though I am not violent,
and my prayers are sincere.
18 If I should die,
I beg the earth not to cover
my cry for justice.
19 (V) Even now, God in heaven
is both my witness
and my protector.
20 My friends have rejected me,
but God is the one I beg[am]
21 to show that I am right,
just as a friend should.
22 Because in only a few years,
I will be dead and gone.
Job Complains to God
My Hopes Have Died
17 My hopes have died,
my time is up,
and the grave is ready.
2 All I can see are angry crowds,
making fun of me.
3 If you, Lord, don't help,
who will pay the price
for my release?
4 My friends won't really listen,
all because of you,
and so you must be the one
to prove them wrong.
5 They have condemned me,
just to benefit themselves;
now blind their children.
6 You, God, are the reason
I am insulted and spit on.
7 I am almost blind with grief;
my body is a mere shadow.
8 People who are truly good
would feel so alarmed,
that they would become angry
with my worthless friends.
9 They would do the right thing
and because they did,
they would grow stronger.[an]
10 But none of my friends
show any sense.
11 My life is drawing to an end;
hope has disappeared.
12 But all my friends can do
is offer empty hopes.[ao]
13 I could tell the world below
to prepare me a bed.
14 Then I could greet the grave
as my father
and say to the worms,
“Hello, mother and sisters!”
15 But what kind of hope is that?
16 Will it keep me company
in the world of the dead?
Bildad's Second Speech
How Long Will You Talk?
18 Bildad from Shuah[ap] said:
2 How long will you talk?
Be sensible! Let us speak.
3 Or do you think that we
are dumb animals?
4 You cut yourself in anger.
Will that shake the earth
or even move the rocks?
* 5 (W) The lamps of sinful people
soon are snuffed out,
6 leaving their tents dark.
7 Their powerful legs become weak,
and they stumble on schemes
of their own doing.
* 8 Before they know it,
9 they are trapped in a net,
10 hidden along the path.
11 Terror strikes and pursues
from every side.
12 Starving, they run,
only to meet disaster,
13 then afterwards to be eaten alive
by death itself.
14 Those sinners are dragged
from the safety of their tents
to die a gruesome death.
15 Then their tents and possessions
are burned to ashes,
16 and they are left like trees,
dried up from the roots.
17 They are gone and forgotten,
18 thrown far from the light
into a world of darkness,
19 without any children
to carry on their name.
20 Everyone, from east to west,
is overwhelmed with horror.
21 Such is the fate of sinners
and their families
who don't know God.
Job's Reply to Bildad
How Long Will You Torture Me?
19 Job said:
2 How long will you torture me
with your words?
3 Isn't ten times enough
for you to accuse me?
Aren't you ashamed?
4 Even if I have sinned,
you haven't been harmed.
5 You boast of your goodness,
claiming I am suffering
because I am guilty.
6 But God is the one at fault
for finding fault with me.
7 Though I pray to be rescued
from this torment,
no whisper of justice
answers me.
8 God has me trapped
with a wall of darkness
9 and stripped of respect.
10 God rips me apart,
uproots my hopes,
11 and attacks with fierce anger,
as though I were his enemy.
12 His entire army advances,
then surrounds my tent.
I Am Forgotten
* 13 God has turned relatives
and friends against me,
14 and I am forgotten.
15 My guests and my servants
consider me a stranger,
16 and when I call my servants,
they pay no attention.
17 My breath disgusts my wife;
everyone in my family
turns away.
18 Young children can't stand me,
and when I come near,
they make fun.
19 (X) My best friends and loved ones
have turned from me.
20 I am skin and bones—
just barely alive.
21 My friends, I beg you for pity!
God has made me his target.
22 Hasn't he already done enough?
Why do you join the attack?
23 I wish that my words
could be written down
24 or chiseled into rock.
25 I know that my Protector[aq] lives,
and at the end
he will stand on this earth.
26 My flesh may be destroyed,
yet from this body
I will see God.[ar]
27 Yes, I will see him for myself,
and I long for that moment.
28 My friends, you think up ways
to blame and torment me, saying
I brought it on myself.
29 But watch out for the judgment,
when God will punish you!
Zophar's Second Speech
Your Words Are Disturbing
20 Zophar from Naamah[as] said:
2 Your words are disturbing;
now I must speak.
3 You have accused
and insulted me,
and reason requires a reply.
4 Since the time of creation,
everyone has known
5 that sinful people are happy
for only a while.
6 Though their pride and power
may reach to the sky,
7 they will disappear like dust,
and those who knew them
will wonder what happened.
8 (Y) They will be forgotten
like a dream
9 and vanish from the sight
of family and friends.
10 Their children will have to repay
what the parents took
from the poor.
11 Indeed, the wicked will die
and go to their graves
in the prime of life.
Sinners Love the Taste of Sin
12 Sinners love the taste of sin;
they relish every bite
13 and swallow it slowly.
14 But their food will turn sour
and poison their stomachs.
15 Then God will make them lose
the wealth they gobbled up.
16 They will die from the fangs
of poisonous snakes
17 and never enjoy rivers flowing
with milk and honey.
18 Their hard work will result
in nothing gained,
19 because they cheated the poor
and took their homes.
20 Greedy people want everything
and are never satisfied.[at]
21 But when nothing remains
for them to grab,
they will be nothing.
22 Once they have everything,
distress and despair
will strike them down,
23 and God will make them swallow
his blazing anger.[au]
24 (Z) While running from iron spears,
they will be killed
by arrows of bronze,
25 whose shining tips go straight
through their bodies.
They will be trapped by terror,
26 and what they treasure most
will be lost in the dark.
God will send flames
to destroy them in their tents
with all their property.
27 The heavens and the earth
will testify against them,
28 and all their possessions
will be dragged off
when God becomes angry.
29 This is what God has decided
for those who are evil.
Job's Reply to Zophar
If You Want To Offer Comfort
21 Job said:
2 If you want to offer comfort,
then listen to me.
3 And when I have finished,
you can start your insults
all over again.
4 My complaint is against God;
that's why I am impatient.
5 Just looking at me is enough
to make you sick,
6 and the very thought of myself
fills me with disgust.
7 Why do evil people live so long
and gain such power?
8 Why are they allowed to see
their children grow up?[av]
9 They have no worries at home,
and God never punishes them.
10 Their cattle have lots of calves
without ever losing one;
11 their children play and dance
safely by themselves.
12 These people sing and celebrate
to the sound of tambourines,
small harps, and flutes,
13 and they are successful,
without a worry,
until the day they die.
Leave Us Alone!
14 Those who are evil say
to God All-Powerful,
“Leave us alone! Don't bother us
with your teachings.
Footnotes
- 1.1 Uz: The exact location of this place is unknown, though it was possibly somewhere in northwest Arabia.
- 1.6 angels: See the note at 15.8.
- 1.6 Satan: Hebrew “the accuser.”
- 1.15 Sabeans: Perhaps the people of Sheba in what is now southwest Arabia (see Isaiah 60.6).
- 1.17 Chaldeans: People from the region of Babylonia, northeast of Palestine.
- 2.1 angels: See the note at 15.8.
- 2.1 Satan: See the note at 1.6.
- 2.4 There's no pain like your own: The Hebrew text has “Skin for skin,” which was probably a popular saying.
- 2.11 Teman … Shuah … Naamah: Teman was a place in northern Edom; Shuah may have been a town on the Euphrates River or else further south, near the towns of Dedan and Sheba; Naamah may have been located on the road between Beirut and Damascus, though its exact location is unknown.
- 3.8 those with magic powers: The Hebrew text has “those who can place a curse on the day and rouse up Leviathan,” which was some kind of sea monster. God's victory over this monster sometimes stood for God's power over all creation and sometimes for his defeat of his enemies (see Isaiah 27.1). In Job 41.1, Leviathan is either a sea monster or a crocodile with almost supernatural powers.
- 3.12 Why was I accepted: The Hebrew text has “Why were there knees to receive me,” which may refer either to Job's mother or to his father, who would have placed Job on his knees to show that he had accepted him as his child.
- 4.1 Teman: See the note at 2.11.
- 5.5 wealth: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 5.
- 6.6 What is more tasteless … egg: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 6.14 and you should help me … God All-Powerful: Or “and if you don't help me, you no longer respect God All-Powerful.”
- 6.19 Tema and Sheba: Tema was a region in northwest Arabia, and Sheba was probably a region in southwest Arabia.
- 6.21 just … you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 7.12 sea monster … imprison me: “Sea monster” translates the Hebrew word “Tannin,” which was possibly a sea monster similar to Leviathan (3.8), Rahab (9.13), and Behemoth (40.15). According to 38.8-11, God makes the sea his prisoner by setting its boundaries.
- 7.16 my life … meaning: Or “my life will soon be over.”
- 8.1 Shuah: See the note at 2.11.
- 8.17 rocks: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 17.
- 8.19 their … away: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 9.8 sea: Or “sea monster” (see verse 13 and the note there).
- 9.13 the sea monster: The Hebrew text has “Rahab,” which was some kind of sea monster with supernatural powers (see the notes at 3.8 and 26.12).
- 9.17 strike … storm: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 9.20 God … wrong: Or “my own words would prove me wrong.”
- 9.35 but … speak: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 10.16 lion: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 16.
- 10.20 I have only … alone: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 11.1 Naamah: See the note at 2.11.
- 11.12 it's … wise: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 12.6 God is in our hands: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 12.9 Any … done: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 13.15 God … trust him: Or “God will surely kill me; I have lost all hope.”
- 15.1 Teman: See the note at 2.11.
- 15.8 God's council: The angels and others who gather to discuss matters with God (see 1.6; 2.1).
- 15.32 leaf: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 32.
- 16.15 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.
- 16.20 My friends … beg: Or “God is my friend, and he is the one I beg.”
- 17.9 stronger: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verses 8,9.
- 17.12 hopes: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 12.
- 18.1 Shuah: See the note at 2.11.
- 19.25 Protector: Or “Defender” or “Savior.”
- 19.26 God: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verses 25,26.
- 20.1 Naamah: See the note at 2.11.
- 20.20 are never satisfied: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 20.23 anger: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 23.
- 21.8 up: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 8.
Job 1-11
New International Version
Job 1-11
New International Version
Prologue
1 In the land of Uz(A) there lived a man whose name was Job.(B) This man was blameless(C) and upright;(D) he feared God(E) and shunned evil.(F) 2 He had seven sons(G) and three daughters,(H) 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys,(I) and had a large number of servants.(J) He was the greatest man(K) among all the people of the East.(L)
4 His sons used to hold feasts(M) in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified.(N) Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering(O) for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned(P) and cursed God(Q) in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
6 One day the angels[a](R) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b](S) also came with them.(T) 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”(U)
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?(V) There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God(W) and shuns evil.”(X)
9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?”(Y) Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge(Z) around him and his household and everything he has?(AA) You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.(AB) 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,(AC) and he will surely curse you to your face.”(AD)
12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has(AE) is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”(AF)
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters(AG) were feasting(AH) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing(AI) nearby, 15 and the Sabeans(AJ) attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens(AK) and burned up the sheep and the servants,(AL) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans(AM) formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters(AN) were feasting(AO) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind(AP) swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead,(AQ) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!(AR)”
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe(AS) and shaved his head.(AT) Then he fell to the ground in worship(AU) 21 and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.[c](AV)
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;(AW)
may the name of the Lord be praised.”(AX)
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.(AY)
2 On another day the angels[d](AZ) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them(BA) to present himself before him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”(BB)
3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.(BC) And he still maintains his integrity,(BD) though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”(BE)
4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has(BF) for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones,(BG) and he will surely curse you to your face.”(BH)
6 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands;(BI) but you must spare his life.”(BJ)
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.(BK) 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.(BL)
9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity?(BM) Curse God and die!”(BN)
10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[e] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”(BO)
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.(BP)
11 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite,(BQ) Bildad the Shuhite(BR) and Zophar the Naamathite,(BS) heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.(BT) 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him;(BU) they began to weep aloud,(BV) and they tore their robes(BW) and sprinkled dust on their heads.(BX) 13 Then they sat on the ground(BY) with him for seven days and seven nights.(BZ) No one said a word to him,(CA) because they saw how great his suffering was.
Job Speaks
3 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.(CB) 2 He said:
3 “May the day of my birth perish,
and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’(CC)
4 That day—may it turn to darkness;
may God above not care about it;
may no light shine on it.
5 May gloom and utter darkness(CD) claim it once more;
may a cloud settle over it;
may blackness overwhelm it.
6 That night—may thick darkness(CE) seize it;
may it not be included among the days of the year
nor be entered in any of the months.
7 May that night be barren;
may no shout of joy(CF) be heard in it.
8 May those who curse days[f] curse that day,(CG)
those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.(CH)
9 May its morning stars become dark;
may it wait for daylight in vain
and not see the first rays of dawn,(CI)
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me
to hide trouble from my eyes.
11 “Why did I not perish at birth,
and die as I came from the womb?(CJ)
12 Why were there knees to receive me(CK)
and breasts that I might be nursed?
13 For now I would be lying down(CL) in peace;
I would be asleep and at rest(CM)
14 with kings and rulers of the earth,(CN)
who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,(CO)
15 with princes(CP) who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.(CQ)
16 Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,(CR)
like an infant who never saw the light of day?(CS)
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,(CT)
and there the weary are at rest.(CU)
18 Captives(CV) also enjoy their ease;
they no longer hear the slave driver’s(CW) shout.(CX)
19 The small and the great are there,(CY)
and the slaves are freed from their owners.
20 “Why is light given to those in misery,
and life to the bitter of soul,(CZ)
21 to those who long for death that does not come,(DA)
who search for it more than for hidden treasure,(DB)
22 who are filled with gladness
and rejoice when they reach the grave?(DC)
23 Why is life given to a man
whose way is hidden,(DD)
whom God has hedged in?(DE)
24 For sighing(DF) has become my daily food;(DG)
my groans(DH) pour out like water.(DI)
25 What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded(DJ) has happened to me.(DK)
26 I have no peace,(DL) no quietness;
I have no rest,(DM) but only turmoil.”(DN)
Eliphaz
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(DO) replied:
2 “If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
But who can keep from speaking?(DP)
3 Think how you have instructed many,(DQ)
how you have strengthened feeble hands.(DR)
4 Your words have supported those who stumbled;(DS)
you have strengthened faltering knees.(DT)
5 But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;(DU)
it strikes(DV) you, and you are dismayed.(DW)
6 Should not your piety be your confidence(DX)
and your blameless(DY) ways your hope?
7 “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?(DZ)
Where were the upright ever destroyed?(EA)
8 As I have observed,(EB) those who plow evil(EC)
and those who sow trouble reap it.(ED)
9 At the breath of God(EE) they perish;
at the blast of his anger they are no more.(EF)
10 The lions may roar(EG) and growl,
yet the teeth of the great lions(EH) are broken.(EI)
11 The lion perishes for lack of prey,(EJ)
and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.(EK)
12 “A word(EL) was secretly brought to me,
my ears caught a whisper(EM) of it.(EN)
13 Amid disquieting dreams in the night,
when deep sleep falls on people,(EO)
14 fear and trembling(EP) seized me
and made all my bones shake.(EQ)
15 A spirit glided past my face,
and the hair on my body stood on end.(ER)
16 It stopped,
but I could not tell what it was.
A form stood before my eyes,
and I heard a hushed voice:(ES)
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?(ET)
Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker?(EU)
18 If God places no trust in his servants,(EV)
if he charges his angels with error,(EW)
19 how much more those who live in houses of clay,(EX)
whose foundations(EY) are in the dust,(EZ)
who are crushed(FA) more readily than a moth!(FB)
20 Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces;
unnoticed, they perish forever.(FC)
21 Are not the cords of their tent pulled up,(FD)
so that they die(FE) without wisdom?’(FF)
5 “Call if you will, but who will answer you?(FG)
To which of the holy ones(FH) will you turn?
2 Resentment(FI) kills a fool,
and envy slays the simple.(FJ)
3 I myself have seen(FK) a fool taking root,(FL)
but suddenly(FM) his house was cursed.(FN)
4 His children(FO) are far from safety,(FP)
crushed in court(FQ) without a defender.(FR)
5 The hungry consume his harvest,(FS)
taking it even from among thorns,
and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6 For hardship does not spring from the soil,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground.(FT)
7 Yet man is born to trouble(FU)
as surely as sparks fly upward.
8 “But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
I would lay my cause before him.(FV)
9 He performs wonders(FW) that cannot be fathomed,(FX)
miracles that cannot be counted.(FY)
10 He provides rain for the earth;(FZ)
he sends water on the countryside.(GA)
11 The lowly he sets on high,(GB)
and those who mourn(GC) are lifted(GD) to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans(GE) of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.(GF)
13 He catches the wise(GG) in their craftiness,(GH)
and the schemes of the wily are swept away.(GI)
14 Darkness(GJ) comes upon them in the daytime;
at noon they grope as in the night.(GK)
15 He saves the needy(GL) from the sword in their mouth;
he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.(GM)
16 So the poor(GN) have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.(GO)
17 “Blessed is the one whom God corrects;(GP)
so do not despise the discipline(GQ) of the Almighty.[g](GR)
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;(GS)
he injures, but his hands also heal.(GT)
19 From six calamities he will rescue(GU) you;
in seven no harm will touch you.(GV)
20 In famine(GW) he will deliver you from death,
and in battle from the stroke of the sword.(GX)
21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,(GY)
and need not fear(GZ) when destruction comes.(HA)
22 You will laugh(HB) at destruction and famine,(HC)
and need not fear the wild animals.(HD)
23 For you will have a covenant(HE) with the stones(HF) of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.(HG)
24 You will know that your tent is secure;(HH)
you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.(HI)
25 You will know that your children will be many,(HJ)
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.(HK)
26 You will come to the grave in full vigor,(HL)
like sheaves gathered in season.(HM)
Job
6 Then Job replied:
2 “If only my anguish could be weighed
and all my misery be placed on the scales!(HP)
3 It would surely outweigh the sand(HQ) of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.(HR)
4 The arrows(HS) of the Almighty(HT) are in me,(HU)
my spirit drinks(HV) in their poison;(HW)
God’s terrors(HX) are marshaled against me.(HY)
5 Does a wild donkey(HZ) bray(IA) when it has grass,
or an ox bellow when it has fodder?(IB)
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow[h]?(IC)
7 I refuse to touch it;
such food makes me ill.(ID)
8 “Oh, that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for,(IE)
9 that God would be willing to crush(IF) me,
to let loose his hand and cut off my life!(IG)
10 Then I would still have this consolation(IH)—
my joy in unrelenting pain(II)—
that I had not denied the words(IJ) of the Holy One.(IK)
11 “What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
What prospects, that I should be patient?(IL)
12 Do I have the strength of stone?
Is my flesh bronze?(IM)
13 Do I have any power to help myself,(IN)
now that success has been driven from me?
14 “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend(IO)
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.(IP)
15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,(IQ)
as the streams that overflow
16 when darkened by thawing ice
and swollen with melting snow,(IR)
17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,
and in the heat(IS) vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;
they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema(IT) look for water,
the traveling merchants of Sheba(IU) look in hope.
20 They are distressed, because they had been confident;
they arrive there, only to be disappointed.(IV)
21 Now you too have proved to be of no help;
you see something dreadful and are afraid.(IW)
22 Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
pay a ransom(IX) for me from your wealth,(IY)
23 deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?(IZ)
24 “Teach me, and I will be quiet;(JA)
show me where I have been wrong.(JB)
25 How painful are honest words!(JC)
But what do your arguments prove?
26 Do you mean to correct what I say,
and treat my desperate words as wind?(JD)
27 You would even cast lots(JE) for the fatherless(JF)
and barter away your friend.
28 “But now be so kind as to look at me.
Would I lie to your face?(JG)
29 Relent, do not be unjust;(JH)
reconsider, for my integrity(JI) is at stake.[i](JJ)
30 Is there any wickedness on my lips?(JK)
Can my mouth not discern(JL) malice?
7 “Do not mortals have hard service(JM) on earth?(JN)
Are not their days like those of hired laborers?(JO)
2 Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,(JP)
or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,(JQ)
3 so I have been allotted months of futility,
and nights of misery have been assigned to me.(JR)
4 When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’(JS)
The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.(JT)
5 My body is clothed with worms(JU) and scabs,
my skin is broken and festering.(JV)
6 “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,(JW)
and they come to an end without hope.(JX)
7 Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;(JY)
my eyes will never see happiness again.(JZ)
8 The eye that now sees me will see me no longer;
you will look for me, but I will be no more.(KA)
9 As a cloud vanishes(KB) and is gone,
so one who goes down to the grave(KC) does not return.(KD)
10 He will never come to his house again;
his place(KE) will know him no more.(KF)
11 “Therefore I will not keep silent;(KG)
I will speak out in the anguish(KH) of my spirit,
I will complain(KI) in the bitterness of my soul.(KJ)
12 Am I the sea,(KK) or the monster of the deep,(KL)
that you put me under guard?(KM)
13 When I think my bed will comfort me
and my couch will ease my complaint,(KN)
14 even then you frighten me with dreams
and terrify(KO) me with visions,(KP)
15 so that I prefer strangling and death,(KQ)
rather than this body of mine.(KR)
16 I despise my life;(KS) I would not live forever.(KT)
Let me alone;(KU) my days have no meaning.(KV)
17 “What is mankind that you make so much of them,
that you give them so much attention,(KW)
18 that you examine them every morning(KX)
and test them(KY) every moment?(KZ)
19 Will you never look away from me,(LA)
or let me alone even for an instant?(LB)
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you,(LC)
you who see everything we do?
Why have you made me your target?(LD)
Have I become a burden to you?[j](LE)
21 Why do you not pardon my offenses
and forgive my sins?(LF)
For I will soon lie down in the dust;(LG)
you will search for me, but I will be no more.”(LH)
Bildad
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite(LI) replied:
2 “How long will you say such things?(LJ)
Your words are a blustering wind.(LK)
3 Does God pervert justice?(LL)
Does the Almighty pervert what is right?(LM)
4 When your children sinned against him,
he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.(LN)
5 But if you will seek God earnestly
and plead(LO) with the Almighty,(LP)
6 if you are pure and upright,
even now he will rouse himself on your behalf(LQ)
and restore you to your prosperous state.(LR)
7 Your beginnings will seem humble,
so prosperous(LS) will your future be.(LT)
8 “Ask the former generation(LU)
and find out what their ancestors learned,
9 for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,(LV)
and our days on earth are but a shadow.(LW)
10 Will they not instruct(LX) you and tell you?
Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?(LY)
11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?(LZ)
Can reeds(MA) thrive without water?
12 While still growing and uncut,
they wither more quickly than grass.(MB)
13 Such is the destiny(MC) of all who forget God;(MD)
so perishes the hope of the godless.(ME)
14 What they trust in is fragile[k];
what they rely on is a spider’s web.(MF)
15 They lean on the web,(MG) but it gives way;
they cling to it, but it does not hold.(MH)
16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
spreading its shoots(MI) over the garden;(MJ)
17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
and looks for a place among the stones.
18 But when it is torn from its spot,
that place disowns(MK) it and says, ‘I never saw you.’(ML)
19 Surely its life withers(MM) away,
and[l] from the soil other plants grow.(MN)
20 “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless(MO)
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.(MP)
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter(MQ)
and your lips with shouts of joy.(MR)
22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame,(MS)
and the tents(MT) of the wicked will be no more.”(MU)
Job
9 Then Job replied:
2 “Indeed, I know that this is true.
But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?(MV)
3 Though they wished to dispute with him,(MW)
they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.(MX)
4 His wisdom(MY) is profound, his power is vast.(MZ)
Who has resisted(NA) him and come out unscathed?(NB)
5 He moves mountains(NC) without their knowing it
and overturns them in his anger.(ND)
6 He shakes the earth(NE) from its place
and makes its pillars tremble.(NF)
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;(NG)
he seals off the light of the stars.(NH)
8 He alone stretches out the heavens(NI)
and treads on the waves of the sea.(NJ)
9 He is the Maker(NK) of the Bear[m] and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.(NL)
10 He performs wonders(NM) that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.(NN)
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.(NO)
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?(NP)
Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’(NQ)
13 God does not restrain his anger;(NR)
even the cohorts of Rahab(NS) cowered at his feet.
14 “How then can I dispute with him?
How can I find words to argue with him?(NT)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;(NU)
I could only plead(NV) with my Judge(NW) for mercy.(NX)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.(NY)
17 He would crush me(NZ) with a storm(OA)
and multiply(OB) my wounds for no reason.(OC)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.(OD)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!(OE)
And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him[n]?(OF)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.(OG)
21 “Although I am blameless,(OH)
I have no concern for myself;(OI)
I despise my own life.(OJ)
22 It is all the same; that is why I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’(OK)
23 When a scourge(OL) brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent.(OM)
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,(ON)
he blindfolds its judges.(OO)
If it is not he, then who is it?(OP)
25 “My days are swifter than a runner;(OQ)
they fly away without a glimpse of joy.(OR)
26 They skim past(OS) like boats of papyrus,(OT)
like eagles swooping down on their prey.(OU)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,(OV)
I will change my expression, and smile,’
28 I still dread(OW) all my sufferings,
for I know you will not hold me innocent.(OX)
29 Since I am already found guilty,
why should I struggle in vain?(OY)
30 Even if I washed myself with soap(OZ)
and my hands(PA) with cleansing powder,(PB)
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit(PC)
so that even my clothes would detest me.(PD)
32 “He is not a mere mortal(PE) like me that I might answer him,(PF)
that we might confront each other in court.(PG)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,(PH)
someone to bring us together,(PI)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,(PJ)
so that his terror would frighten me no more.(PK)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,(PL)
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.(PM)
10 “I loathe my very life;(PN)
therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.(PO)
2 I say to God:(PP) Do not declare me guilty,
but tell me what charges(PQ) you have against me.(PR)
3 Does it please you to oppress me,(PS)
to spurn the work of your hands,(PT)
while you smile on the plans of the wicked?(PU)
4 Do you have eyes of flesh?
Do you see as a mortal sees?(PV)
5 Are your days like those of a mortal
or your years like those of a strong man,(PW)
6 that you must search out my faults
and probe after my sin(PX)—
7 though you know that I am not guilty(PY)
and that no one can rescue me from your hand?(PZ)
8 “Your hands shaped(QA) me and made me.
Will you now turn and destroy me?(QB)
9 Remember that you molded me like clay.(QC)
Will you now turn me to dust again?(QD)
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
and curdle me like cheese,
11 clothe me with skin and flesh
and knit me together(QE) with bones and sinews?
12 You gave me life(QF) and showed me kindness,(QG)
and in your providence(QH) watched over(QI) my spirit.
13 “But this is what you concealed in your heart,
and I know that this was in your mind:(QJ)
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me(QK)
and would not let my offense go unpunished.(QL)
15 If I am guilty(QM)—woe to me!(QN)
Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,(QO)
for I am full of shame
and drowned in[o] my affliction.(QP)
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion(QQ)
and again display your awesome power against me.(QR)
17 You bring new witnesses against me(QS)
and increase your anger toward me;(QT)
your forces come against me wave upon wave.(QU)
18 “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?(QV)
I wish I had died before any eye saw me.(QW)
19 If only I had never come into being,
or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!(QX)
20 Are not my few days(QY) almost over?(QZ)
Turn away from me(RA) so I can have a moment’s joy(RB)
21 before I go to the place of no return,(RC)
to the land of gloom and utter darkness,(RD)
22 to the land of deepest night,
of utter darkness(RE) and disorder,
where even the light is like darkness.”(RF)
Zophar
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite(RG) replied:
2 “Are all these words to go unanswered?(RH)
Is this talker to be vindicated?(RI)
3 Will your idle talk(RJ) reduce others to silence?
Will no one rebuke you when you mock?(RK)
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless(RL)
and I am pure(RM) in your sight.’
5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,(RN)
that he would open his lips against you
6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,(RO)
for true wisdom has two sides.
Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.(RP)
Footnotes
- Job 1:6 Hebrew the sons of God
- Job 1:6 Hebrew satan means adversary.
- Job 1:21 Or will return there
- Job 2:1 Hebrew the sons of God
- Job 2:10 The Hebrew word rendered foolish denotes moral deficiency.
- Job 3:8 Or curse the sea
- Job 5:17 Hebrew Shaddai; here and throughout Job
- Job 6:6 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Job 6:29 Or my righteousness still stands
- Job 7:20 A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition and Septuagint; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text I have become a burden to myself.
- Job 8:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Job 8:19 Or Surely all the joy it has / is that
- Job 9:9 Or of Leo
- Job 9:19 See Septuagint; Hebrew me.
- Job 10:15 Or and aware of
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