Job 26
New Catholic Bible
Job’s Eighth Response
Chapter 26
How Profuse Is the Advice You Suggest![a] 1 Job then answered with these words:
2 “What a help you are to the helpless,
and what strength you are to the weak!
3 What good counsel you give to the ignorant!
How abundantly you have manifested wisdom!
4 Who has helped you utter those words?
And whose spirit issued forth from your mouth?
God’s Mighty Works
5 “The dead below tremble with fright,
as do the waters and all their inhabitants.
6 The netherworld[b] is laid bare before him,
and Abaddon lies uncovered.
7 “He stretches out the North[c] above the void
and suspends the earth on nothingness.
8 He encloses the waters in dense clouds,
yet the clouds are not torn asunder under their weight.
9 He veils the face of the full moon,
spreading his clouds beneath it.
10 “He has established the horizon on the surface of the waters
as the boundary between light and darkness.
11 The pillars of the heavens shake,
stunned by the thunder of his voice.
12 By his power he churns up the sea,
and by his skill he smites Rahab.[d]
13 By his breath the skies are cleared,
and by his hand he has pierced the fleeing serpent.[e]
14 “These deeds are only a sample of what he has done,
and how faint is the whisper that we hear of him,
but who can possibly comprehend the thunder of his power?”
Footnotes
- Job 26:1 Job appeals to irony once again in answer to Bildad: is it right to proclaim God’s power to a dying man?
- Job 26:6 Netherworld: see note on Ps 6:6. Abaddon: a Hebrew word meaning “a place of destruction,” which was used as another word for the netherworld (see Job 28:22; Rev 9:11).
- Job 26:7 The North: another word for the firmament (see note on Ps 48:3).
- Job 26:12 See the note on Job 7:12.
- Job 26:13 Fleeing serpent: i.e., Leviathan; see notes on Job 3:8; 7:12.
Job 26
Young's Literal Translation
26 And Job answereth and saith: --
2 What -- thou hast helped the powerless, Saved an arm not strong!
3 What -- thou hast given counsel to the unwise, And wise plans in abundance made known.
4 With whom hast thou declared words? And whose breath came forth from thee?
5 The Rephaim are formed, Beneath the waters, also their inhabitants.
6 Naked [is] Sheol over-against Him, And there is no covering to destruction.
7 Stretching out the north over desolation, Hanging the earth upon nothing,
8 Binding up the waters in His thick clouds, And the cloud is not rent under them.
9 Taking hold of the face of the throne, Spreading over it His cloud.
10 A limit He hath placed on the waters, Unto the boundary of light with darkness.
11 Pillars of the heavens do tremble, And they wonder because of His rebuke.
12 By His power He hath quieted the sea, And by His understanding smitten the proud.
13 By His Spirit the heavens He beautified, Formed hath His hand the fleeing serpent.
14 Lo, these [are] the borders of His way, And how little a matter is heard of Him, And the thunder of His might Who doth understand?
Job 26
New International Version
Job
26 Then Job replied:
2 “How you have helped the powerless!(A)
How you have saved the arm that is feeble!(B)
3 What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
And what great insight(C) you have displayed!
4 Who has helped you utter these words?
And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?(D)
5 “The dead are in deep anguish,(E)
those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
6 The realm of the dead(F) is naked before God;
Destruction[a](G) lies uncovered.(H)
7 He spreads out the northern skies(I) over empty space;
he suspends the earth over nothing.(J)
8 He wraps up the waters(K) in his clouds,(L)
yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
9 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
- Job 26:6 Hebrew Abaddon
Job 26
King James Version
26 But Job answered and said,
2 How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?
3 How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?
4 To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?
5 Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.
6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
9 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?
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