² “How long will you [^Lcontinue to] say such things?
    Your words are ·no more than [^La strong] wind [^Che accuses Job of passion without substance].
³ God does not ·twist [pervert] justice;
    ·the Almighty [Shaddai] does not ·make wrong [twist; pervert] ·what is right [righteousness].
⁴ [^LIf] Your children sinned against God,
    and he ·punished them for their sins [^Lsent them into the power of their transgression].
⁵ ·But [^LIf] you ·should ask God for help [^Llook for God]
    and ·pray [plead] to ·the Almighty [Shaddai] for ·mercy [grace].
⁶ If you are ·good [pure] and ·honest [virtuous; 1:1, 8; 2:3],
    he will ·stand up [^Limmediately rouse himself] for you
    and ·bring you back [restore you] ·where you belong [to your right/righteous pasture/place/home].
⁷ ·Where you began will seem unimportant [^LThough your start was small],
    ·because your future will be so successful [^Lyour end will be exalted].

⁸ “Ask ·old people [^Lthe previous generation];
    ·find out [reflect on] what their ancestors learned,
⁹ because we were only born yesterday and know nothing.
    Our days on earth are only a shadow.
¹⁰ Those people will teach you and tell you
    and speak about what they know.
¹¹ ·Papyrus plants cannot [^LDo papyrus plants…?] grow where there is no swamp,
    ·and reeds cannot [^Lor reeds…?] grow tall without water.
¹² While they are still growing and not yet cut,
    they will dry up quicker than grass [Ps. 37:2; 102:4, 11; 129:6].
¹³ That is ·what will happen to [^Lthe path of] those who forget God;
    the hope of the ·wicked [godless] will ·be gone [perish].
¹⁴ ·What they hope in is easily broken [^LTheir confidence is gossamer thread];
    what they trust is like a spider’s web [^Cwithout substance].
¹⁵ They lean on ·the spider’s web [^Lits house], but it ·breaks [^Ldoes not stand].
    They grab it, but it does not hold up.
¹⁶ They are like well-watered plants in the sunshine
    that spread their roots all through the garden.
¹⁷ They wrap their roots around a pile of rocks
    and look for a place among the stones.
¹⁸ But if a plant is torn from its place,
    then that place rejects it and says, ‘I never saw you.’
¹⁹ Now ·joy has gone away [or it (the plant) dissolves on the way];
    other plants grow up from the same dirt.

²⁰ “Surely God does not reject the innocent
    or ·give strength to [or grasp the hand of] those who do evil.
²¹ God will yet fill your mouth with laughter
    and your lips with shouts of joy.
²² ·Your enemies [^LThose who hate you] will be covered with shame,
    and the tents of the wicked will be gone.”