Job 13-15
New International Reader's Version
13 “My eyes have seen everything God has done.
My ears have heard it and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know.
I’m as clever as you are.
3 In fact, I long to speak to the Mighty One.
I want to argue my case with God.
4 But you spread lies about me and take away my good name.
If you are trying to heal me,
you aren’t very good doctors!
5 I wish you would keep your mouths shut!
Then people would think you were wise.
6 Listen to my case.
Listen as I make my appeal.
7 Will you say evil things in order to help God?
Will you tell lies for him?
8 Do you want to be on God’s side?
Will you argue his case for him?
9 Would it turn out well if he looked you over carefully?
Could you fool him as you might fool human beings?
10 He would certainly hold you responsible
if you took his side in secret.
11 Wouldn’t his glory terrify you?
Wouldn’t the fear of him fall on you?
12 Your sayings are as useless as ashes.
The answers you give are as weak as clay.
13 “So be quiet and let me speak.
Then I won’t care what happens to me.
14 Why do I put myself in danger?
Why do I take my life in my hands?
15 Even if God kills me, I’ll still put my hope in him.
I’ll argue my case in front of him.
16 No matter how things turn out,
I’m sure I’ll still be saved.
After all, no ungodly person
would dare to come into his court.
17 Listen carefully to what I’m saying.
Pay close attention to my words.
18 I’ve prepared my case.
And I know I’ll be proved right.
19 Can others bring charges against me?
If they can, I’ll keep quiet and die.
20 “God, I won’t hide from you.
Here are the only two things I want.
21 Stop treating me this way.
And stop making me so afraid.
22 Then send for me, and I’ll answer.
Or let me speak, and you reply.
23 How many things have I done wrong?
How many sins have I committed?
Show me my crime. Show me my sin.
24 Why do you turn your face away from me?
Why do you think of me as your enemy?
25 I’m already like a leaf that is blown by the wind.
Are you going to terrify me even more?
I’m already like dry straw.
Are you going to keep on chasing me?
26 You write down bitter things against me.
You make me suffer for the sins
I committed when I was young.
27 You put my feet in chains.
You watch every step I take.
You do it by putting marks on the bottom of my feet.
28 “People waste away like something that is rotten.
They are like clothes that are eaten by moths.
14 “Human beings have only a few days to live.
Their lives are full of trouble.
2 They grow like flowers, and then they dry up.
They are like shadows that quickly disappear.
3 “God, do you even notice them?
Will you let them appear in your court?
4 Who can bring what is pure from something that isn’t pure?
No one!
5 You decide how long anyone will live.
You have established the number of his months.
You have set a limit to the number of his days.
6 So look away from him. Leave him alone.
Let him put in his time like a hired worker.
7 “At least there is hope for a tree.
If it’s cut down, it will begin to grow again.
New branches will appear on it.
8 Its roots may grow old in the ground.
Its stump may die in the soil.
9 But when it smells water, it will begin to grow.
It will send out new growth like a plant.
10 No man is like that. When he dies, he is buried in a grave.
He takes his last breath. Then he is gone.
11 Water dries up from lakes.
Riverbeds become empty and dry.
12 In the same way, people lie down and never get up.
People won’t wake or rise from their sleep
until the heavens are gone.
13 “I wish you would hide me in a grave!
I wish you would cover me up until your anger passes by!
I wish you would set the time for me to spend in the grave
and then bring me back up!
14 If someone dies, will they live again?
All the days of my hard work
I will wait for the time when you give me new life.
15 You will call out to me, and I will answer you.
You will long for the person your hands have made.
16 Then you will count every step I take.
But you won’t keep track of my sin.
17 The wrong things I’ve done will be sealed up in a bag.
You will wipe out my sins by forgiving them.
18 “A mountain wears away and crumbles.
A rock is moved from its place.
19 Water wears away stones.
Storms wash away soil.
In the same way, you destroy a person’s hope.
20 You overpower them completely, and then they’re gone.
You change the way they look and send them to their graves.
21 If their children are honored, they don’t even know it.
If their children are dishonored, they don’t even see it.
22 All they feel is the pain of their own bodies.
They are full of sadness only for themselves.”
The Second Speech of Eliphaz
15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied,
2 “Job, would a wise person answer with a lot of meaningless talk?
Would they fill their stomach with the hot east wind?
3 Would they argue with useless words?
Would they give worthless speeches?
4 But you even cause others to lose their respect for God.
You make it hard for them to be faithful to him.
5 Your sin makes you say evil things.
You talk like people who twist the truth.
6 Your own mouth judges you, not mine.
Your own lips witness against you.
7 “Are you the first man who was ever born?
Were you created before the hills?
8 Do you listen in when God speaks with his angels?
Do you think you are the only wise person?
9 What do you know that we don’t know?
What understanding do you have that we don’t have?
10 People who are old and gray are on our side.
And they are even older than your parents!
11 Aren’t God’s words of comfort enough for you?
He speaks them to you gently.
12 Why have you let your wild ideas carry you away?
Why do your eyes flash with anger?
13 Why do you get so angry with God?
Why do words like those pour out of your mouth?
14 “Can human beings really be pure?
Can those who are born really be right with God?
15 God doesn’t trust his holy angels.
Even the heavens aren’t pure in his sight.
16 So he’ll certainly find fault with human beings.
After all, they are evil and sinful.
They drink up evil as if it were water.
17 “Listen to me. I’ll explain things to you.
Let me tell you what I’ve seen.
18 I’ll tell you what those who are wise have said.
They don’t hide anything they’ve received
from their people of long ago.
19 The land was given only to those people.
Their wisdom didn’t come from outsiders.
And here’s what those who are wise have said.
20 Sinful people always suffer pain.
Mean people suffer all their lives.
21 Terrifying sounds fill their ears.
When everything seems to be going well,
robbers attack them.
22 They lose all hope of escaping the darkness of death.
They will certainly be killed by swords.
23 Like vultures, they look around for food.
They know that the day they will die is near.
24 Suffering and pain terrify them.
Their troubles overpower them,
like a king ready to attack his enemies.
25 They shake their fists at God.
They brag about themselves and oppose the Mighty One.
26 They boldly charge against him
with their thick, strong shields.
27 “Their faces are very fat.
Their stomachs hang out.
28 They’ll live in towns that have been destroyed.
They’ll live in houses where no one else lives.
The houses will crumble to pieces.
29 They won’t be rich anymore. Their wealth won’t last.
Their property will no longer spread out over the land.
30 They won’t escape the darkness of death.
A flame will dry up everything they have.
The breath of God will blow them away.
31 Don’t let them fool themselves
by trusting in what is worthless.
They won’t get anything out of it.
32 Even before they die, they will dry up.
No matter what they do, it won’t succeed.
33 They’ll be like vines
that are stripped of their unripe grapes.
They’ll be like olive trees
that drop their flowers.
34 People who are ungodly won’t have any children.
Fire will burn up the tents of people who accept money
from those who want special favors.
35 Instead of having children,
ungodly people create suffering.
All they produce is evil.
They are full of lies.”
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