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Job 12-14
New Living Translation
Job 12-14
New Living Translation
Job’s Fourth Speech: A Response to Zophar
12 Then Job spoke again:
2 “You people really know everything, don’t you?
And when you die, wisdom will die with you!
3 Well, I know a few things myself—
and you’re no better than I am.
Who doesn’t know these things you’ve been saying?
4 Yet my friends laugh at me,
for I call on God and expect an answer.
I am a just and blameless man,
yet they laugh at me.
5 People who are at ease mock those in trouble.
They give a push to people who are stumbling.
6 But robbers are left in peace,
and those who provoke God live in safety—
though God keeps them in his power.[a]
7 “Just ask the animals, and they will teach you.
Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
8 Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you.
Let the fish in the sea speak to you.
9 For they all know
that my disaster[b] has come from the hand of the Lord.
10 For the life of every living thing is in his hand,
and the breath of every human being.
11 The ear tests the words it hears
just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.
12 Wisdom belongs to the aged,
and understanding to the old.
13 “But true wisdom and power are found in God;
counsel and understanding are his.
14 What he destroys cannot be rebuilt.
When he puts someone in prison, there is no escape.
15 If he holds back the rain, the earth becomes a desert.
If he releases the waters, they flood the earth.
16 Yes, strength and wisdom are his;
deceivers and deceived are both in his power.
17 He leads counselors away, stripped of good judgment;
wise judges become fools.
18 He removes the royal robe of kings.
They are led away with ropes around their waist.
19 He leads priests away, stripped of status;
he overthrows those with long years in power.
20 He silences the trusted adviser
and removes the insight of the elders.
21 He pours disgrace upon princes
and disarms the strong.
22 “He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness;
he brings light to the deepest gloom.
23 He builds up nations, and he destroys them.
He expands nations, and he abandons them.
24 He strips kings of understanding
and leaves them wandering in a pathless wasteland.
25 They grope in the darkness without a light.
He makes them stagger like drunkards.
Job Wants to Argue His Case with God
13 “Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes
and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand.
2 I know as much as you do.
You are no better than I am.
3 As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty.
I want to argue my case with God himself.
4 As for you, you smear me with lies.
As physicians, you are worthless quacks.
5 If only you could be silent!
That’s the wisest thing you could do.
6 Listen to my charge;
pay attention to my arguments.
7 “Are you defending God with lies?
Do you make your dishonest arguments for his sake?
8 Will you slant your testimony in his favor?
Will you argue God’s case for him?
9 What will happen when he finds out what you are doing?
Can you fool him as easily as you fool people?
10 No, you will be in trouble with him
if you secretly slant your testimony in his favor.
11 Doesn’t his majesty terrify you?
Doesn’t your fear of him overwhelm you?
12 Your platitudes are as valuable as ashes.
Your defense is as fragile as a clay pot.
13 “Be silent now and leave me alone.
Let me speak, and I will face the consequences.
14 Why should I put myself in mortal danger[c]
and take my life in my own hands?
15 God might kill me, but I have no other hope.[d]
I am going to argue my case with him.
16 But this is what will save me—I am not godless.
If I were, I could not stand before him.
17 “Listen closely to what I am about to say.
Hear me out.
18 I have prepared my case;
I will be proved innocent.
19 Who can argue with me over this?
And if you prove me wrong, I will remain silent and die.
Job Asks How He Has Sinned
20 “O God, grant me these two things,
and then I will be able to face you.
21 Remove your heavy hand from me,
and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence.
22 Now summon me, and I will answer!
Or let me speak to you, and you reply.
23 Tell me, what have I done wrong?
Show me my rebellion and my sin.
24 Why do you turn away from me?
Why do you treat me as your enemy?
25 Would you terrify a leaf blown by the wind?
Would you chase dry straw?
26 “You write bitter accusations against me
and bring up all the sins of my youth.
27 You put my feet in stocks.
You examine all my paths.
You trace all my footprints.
28 I waste away like rotting wood,
like a moth-eaten coat.
14 “How frail is humanity!
How short is life, how full of trouble!
2 We blossom like a flower and then wither.
Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear.
3 Must you keep an eye on such a frail creature
and demand an accounting from me?
4 Who can bring purity out of an impure person?
No one!
5 You have decided the length of our lives.
You know how many months we will live,
and we are not given a minute longer.
6 So leave us alone and let us rest!
We are like hired hands, so let us finish our work in peace.
7 “Even a tree has more hope!
If it is cut down, it will sprout again
and grow new branches.
8 Though its roots have grown old in the earth
and its stump decays,
9 at the scent of water it will bud
and sprout again like a new seedling.
10 “But when people die, their strength is gone.
They breathe their last, and then where are they?
11 As water evaporates from a lake
and a river disappears in drought,
12 people are laid to rest and do not rise again.
Until the heavens are no more, they will not wake up
nor be roused from their sleep.
13 “I wish you would hide me in the grave[e]
and forget me there until your anger has passed.
But mark your calendar to think of me again!
14 Can the dead live again?
If so, this would give me hope through all my years of struggle,
and I would eagerly await the release of death.
15 You would call and I would answer,
and you would yearn for me, your handiwork.
16 For then you would guard my steps,
instead of watching for my sins.
17 My sins would be sealed in a pouch,
and you would cover my guilt.
18 “But instead, as mountains fall and crumble
and as rocks fall from a cliff,
19 as water wears away the stones
and floods wash away the soil,
so you destroy people’s hope.
20 You always overpower them, and they pass from the scene.
You disfigure them in death and send them away.
21 They never know if their children grow up in honor
or sink to insignificance.
22 They suffer painfully;
their life is full of trouble.”
Job 12-14
New International Version
Job 12-14
New International Version
Job
12 Then Job replied:
2 “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
and wisdom will die with you!(A)
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?(B)
4 “I have become a laughingstock(C) to my friends,(D)
though I called on God and he answered(E)—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!(F)
5 Those who are at ease have contempt(G) for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.(H)
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,(I)
and those who provoke God are secure(J)—
those God has in his hand.[a]
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,(K)
or the birds in the sky,(L) and they will tell you;(M)
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know(N)
that the hand of the Lord has done this?(O)
10 In his hand is the life(P) of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.(Q)
11 Does not the ear test words
as the tongue tastes food?(R)
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?(S)
Does not long life bring understanding?(T)
13 “To God belong wisdom(U) and power;(V)
counsel and understanding are his.(W)
14 What he tears down(X) cannot be rebuilt;(Y)
those he imprisons cannot be released.(Z)
15 If he holds back the waters,(AA) there is drought;(AB)
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.(AC)
16 To him belong strength and insight;(AD)
both deceived and deceiver are his.(AE)
17 He leads rulers away stripped(AF)
and makes fools of judges.(AG)
18 He takes off the shackles(AH) put on by kings
and ties a loincloth[b] around their waist.(AI)
19 He leads priests away stripped(AJ)
and overthrows officials long established.(AK)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
and takes away the discernment of elders.(AL)
21 He pours contempt on nobles(AM)
and disarms the mighty.(AN)
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness(AO)
and brings utter darkness(AP) into the light.(AQ)
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;(AR)
he enlarges nations,(AS) and disperses them.(AT)
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;(AU)
he makes them wander in a trackless waste.(AV)
25 They grope in darkness with no light;(AW)
he makes them stagger like drunkards.(AX)
13 “My eyes have seen all this,(AY)
my ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.(AZ)
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty(BA)
and to argue my case with God.(BB)
4 You, however, smear me with lies;(BC)
you are worthless physicians,(BD) all of you!(BE)
5 If only you would be altogether silent!(BF)
For you, that would be wisdom.(BG)
6 Hear now my argument;
listen to the pleas of my lips.(BH)
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?(BI)
8 Will you show him partiality?(BJ)
Will you argue the case for God?
9 Would it turn out well if he examined you?(BK)
Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?(BL)
10 He would surely call you to account
if you secretly showed partiality.(BM)
11 Would not his splendor(BN) terrify you?
Would not the dread of him fall on you?(BO)
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.(BP)
13 “Keep silent(BQ) and let me speak;(BR)
then let come to me what may.(BS)
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
and take my life in my hands?(BT)
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope(BU) in him;(BV)
I will surely[c] defend my ways to his face.(BW)
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,(BX)
for no godless(BY) person would dare come before him!(BZ)
17 Listen carefully to what I say;(CA)
let my words ring in your ears.
18 Now that I have prepared my case,(CB)
I know I will be vindicated.(CC)
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?(CD)
If so, I will be silent(CE) and die.(CF)
20 “Only grant me these two things, God,
and then I will not hide from you:
21 Withdraw your hand(CG) far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.(CH)
22 Then summon me and I will answer,(CI)
or let me speak, and you reply to me.(CJ)
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?(CK)
Show me my offense and my sin.(CL)
24 Why do you hide your face(CM)
and consider me your enemy?(CN)
25 Will you torment(CO) a windblown leaf?(CP)
Will you chase(CQ) after dry chaff?(CR)
26 For you write down bitter things against me
and make me reap the sins of my youth.(CS)
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;(CT)
you keep close watch on all my paths(CU)
by putting marks on the soles of my feet.
14 “Mortals, born of woman,(CX)
are of few days(CY) and full of trouble.(CZ)
2 They spring up like flowers(DA) and wither away;(DB)
like fleeting shadows,(DC) they do not endure.(DD)
3 Do you fix your eye on them?(DE)
Will you bring them[d] before you for judgment?(DF)
4 Who can bring what is pure(DG) from the impure?(DH)
No one!(DI)
5 A person’s days are determined;(DJ)
you have decreed the number of his months(DK)
and have set limits he cannot exceed.(DL)
6 So look away from him and let him alone,(DM)
till he has put in his time like a hired laborer.(DN)
7 “At least there is hope for a tree:(DO)
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shoots(DP) will not fail.(DQ)
8 Its roots may grow old in the ground
and its stump(DR) die in the soil,
9 yet at the scent of water(DS) it will bud
and put forth shoots like a plant.(DT)
10 But a man dies and is laid low;(DU)
he breathes his last and is no more.(DV)
11 As the water of a lake dries up
or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,(DW)
12 so he lies down and does not rise;(DX)
till the heavens are no more,(DY) people will not awake
or be roused from their sleep.(DZ)
13 “If only you would hide me in the grave(EA)
and conceal me till your anger has passed!(EB)
If only you would set me a time
and then remember(EC) me!(ED)
14 If someone dies, will they live again?
All the days of my hard service(EE)
I will wait for my renewal[e](EF) to come.
15 You will call and I will answer you;(EG)
you will long for the creature your hands have made.(EH)
16 Surely then you will count my steps(EI)
but not keep track of my sin.(EJ)
17 My offenses will be sealed(EK) up in a bag;(EL)
you will cover over my sin.(EM)
18 “But as a mountain erodes and crumbles(EN)
and as a rock is moved from its place,(EO)
19 as water wears away stones
and torrents(EP) wash away the soil,(EQ)
so you destroy a person’s hope.(ER)
20 You overpower them once for all, and they are gone;(ES)
you change their countenance and send them away.(ET)
21 If their children are honored, they do not know it;
if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it.(EU)
22 They feel but the pain of their own bodies(EV)
and mourn only for themselves.(EW)”
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.