Job 26
Wycliffe Bible
26 Forsooth Job answered, and said,
2 Whose helper art thou? whether of the feeble, and sustainest the arm of him, which is not strong? (Whose helper art thou? of the feeble? and sustainest thou the arm of him, who is not strong?)
3 To whom hast thou given counsel? In hap to him that hath not wisdom (Perhaps to someone who hath not wisdom); and thou hast showed full much prudence.
4 Either whom wouldest thou teach? whether not him, that made breathing? (Or whom wouldest thou teach? surely not he, who gave you breathe!)
5 Lo! giants wail under waters, and they that dwell with them. (Lo! the spirits of the dead wail under the waters, and they that dwell with them.)
6 Hell is naked before him, and no covering is to perdition. (Sheol is naked before him, and perdition hath no covering.)
7 The which God stretcheth forth the north upon (a) void thing, and he hangeth the earth upon nought.
8 And he bindeth waters in their clouds, that those break not out (al)together downward. (And he bindeth up the waters in the clouds, so that they do not burst open.)
9 He holdeth the cheer of his seat, and spreadeth abroad thereon his cloud. (He spreadeth his cloud upon the surface of his throne.)
10 He hath (en)compassed a term, or an end, to (the) waters, till that light and darkness be ended. (He hath surrounded the waters with a border, where light and darkness meet.)
11 The pillars of heaven tremble, and dread at his will. (The pillars of heaven tremble, and fear his will.)
12 In the strength of him the seas were gathered together suddenly (By his strength he divided the seas), and his prudence smote the proud.
13 His spirit hath adorned (the) heavens (By his breathe he hath cleared the skies), and the crooked serpent was led out by his hand, leading him out as a midwife leadeth out a child.
14 Lo! these things be said in part of his ways; and when we have heard scarcely a little drop of his word, who may see the thunder of his greatness? (Lo! these things that be said be but a part of his ways; and as we have scarcely heard but a little drop of his word, who can understand the thunder of his greatness?)
Job 26
English Standard Version
Job Replies: God's Majesty Is Unsearchable
26 Then Job answered and said:
2 “How you have (A)helped him who has no power!
How you have saved (B)the arm that has no strength!
3 How you have (C)counseled him who has no wisdom,
and plentifully declared sound knowledge!
4 With whose help have you uttered words,
and whose breath (D)has come out from you?
5 The (E)dead tremble
under the waters and their inhabitants.
6 Sheol is (F)naked before God,[a]
and (G)Abaddon has no covering.
7 He (H)stretches out the north over (I)the void
and hangs the earth on nothing.
8 He (J)binds up the waters in his thick clouds,
and the cloud is not split open under them.
9 He covers the face of the full moon[b]
and (K)spreads over it his cloud.
10 He has inscribed (L)a circle on the face of the waters
at the boundary between light and darkness.
11 (M)The pillars of heaven tremble
and are astounded at his (N)rebuke.
12 By his power he (O)stilled the sea;
by his understanding he shattered (P)Rahab.
13 (Q)By his wind the heavens were made fair;
his hand pierced (R)the fleeing serpent.
14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his (S)ways,
and how small (T)a whisper do we hear of him!
But the thunder of his power who can understand?”
Job 26
New King James Version
Job: Man’s Frailty and God’s Majesty
26 But Job answered and said:
2 “How have you helped him who is without power?
How have you saved the arm that has no strength?
3 How have you counseled one who has no wisdom?
And how have you declared sound advice to many?
4 To whom have you uttered words?
And whose spirit came from you?
5 “The dead tremble,
Those under the waters and those inhabiting them.
6 (A)Sheol is naked before Him,
And Destruction has no covering.
7 (B)He stretches out the north over empty space;
He hangs the earth on nothing.
8 (C)He binds up the water in His thick clouds,
Yet the clouds [a]are not broken under it.
9 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?”
2001 by Terence P. Noble
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
