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26 Then Job answered, and said:

Whose helper art thou? is it of him that is weak? and dost thou hold up the arm of him that has no strength?

To whom hast thou given counsel? perhaps to him that hath no wisdom, and thou hast shewn thy very great prudence.

Whom hast thou desired to teach? was it not him that made life?

Behold the giants groan under the waters, and they that dwell with them.

Hell is naked before him, and there is no covering for destruction.

He stretched out the north over the empty space, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

He bindeth up the waters in his clouds, so that they break not out and fall down together.

He withholdeth the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud over it.

10 He hath set bounds about the waters, till light and darkness come to an end.

11 The pillars of heaven tremble, and dread at his beck.

12 By his power the seas are suddenly gathered together, and his wisdom has struck the proud one.

13 His spirit hath adorned the heavens, and his obstetric hand brought forth the winding serpent.

14 Lo, these things are said in part of his ways: and seeing we have heard scarce a little drop of his word, who shall be able to behold the thunder of his greatness?

26 But Job answered and said,

How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?

How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?

To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?

Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.

Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.

He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.

He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.

10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.

11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.

12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.

13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

14 Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

26 Then Iyov replied,

“What great help you bring to the powerless!
what deliverance to the arm without strength!
Such wonderful advice for a man lacking wisdom!
So much common sense you’ve expressed!
Who helped you to say these words?
Whose spirit is it, coming forth from you?

“The ghosts of the dead tremble
beneath the water, with its creatures.
Sh’ol is naked before him;
Abaddon lies uncovered.
He stretches the north over chaos
and suspends the earth on nothing.
He binds up the water in his thick clouds,
yet no cloud is torn apart by it.
He shuts off the view of his throne
by spreading his cloud across it.
10 He fixed a circle on the surface of the water,
defining the boundary between light and dark.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble,
aghast at his rebuke.
12 He stirs up the sea with his power,
and by his skill he strikes down Rahav.
13 With his Spirit he spreads the heavens;
his hand pierces the fleeing serpent.
14 And these are but the fringes of his ways;
how faint the echo we hear of him!
But who is able to grasp the meaning
of his thundering power?”

Job

26 Then Job replied:

“How you have helped the powerless!(A)
    How you have saved the arm that is feeble!(B)
What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
    And what great insight(C) you have displayed!
Who has helped you utter these words?
    And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?(D)

“The dead are in deep anguish,(E)
    those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
The realm of the dead(F) is naked before God;
    Destruction[a](G) lies uncovered.(H)
He spreads out the northern skies(I) over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.(J)
He wraps up the waters(K) in his clouds,(L)
    yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
He covers the face of the full moon,
    spreading his clouds(M) over it.
10 He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters(N)
    for a boundary between light and darkness.(O)
11 The pillars of the heavens quake,(P)
    aghast at his rebuke.
12 By his power he churned up the sea;(Q)
    by his wisdom(R) he cut Rahab(S) to pieces.
13 By his breath the skies(T) became fair;
    his hand pierced the gliding serpent.(U)
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper(V) we hear of him!(W)
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”(X)

Footnotes

  1. Job 26:6 Hebrew Abaddon

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.
(A)Sheol is naked before Him,
And Destruction has no covering.
(B)He stretches out the north over empty space;
He hangs the earth on nothing.
(C)He binds up the water in His thick clouds,
Yet the clouds [a]are not broken under it.
He covers the face of His throne,
And spreads His cloud over it.
10 (D)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 [b]astonished at His rebuke.
12 (E)He stirs up the sea with His power,
And by His understanding He breaks up [c]the storm.
13 (F)By His Spirit He adorned the heavens;
His hand pierced (G)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?”

Footnotes

  1. Job 26:8 do not break
  2. Job 26:11 amazed
  3. Job 26:12 Heb. rahab