Job 30-32
New American Standard Bible 1995
Job’s Present State Is Humiliating
30 “But now those younger than I (A)mock me,
Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.
2 “Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me?
Vigor had perished from them.
3 “From want and famine they are gaunt
Who gnaw the dry ground by night in waste and desolation,
4 Who pluck [a]mallow by the bushes,
And whose food is the root of the broom shrub.
5 “They are driven from the community;
They shout against them as against a thief,
6 So that they dwell in dreadful [b]valleys,
In holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 “Among the bushes they [c]cry out;
Under the nettles they are gathered together.
8 “[d]Fools, even [e]those without a name,
They were scourged from the land.
9 “And now I have become their [f](B)taunt,
I have even become a (C)byword to them.
10 “They abhor me and stand aloof from me,
And they do not [g]refrain from (D)spitting at my face.
11 “Because [h]He has loosed [i]His [j]bowstring and (E)afflicted me,
They have cast off (F)the bridle before me.
12 “On the right hand their [k]brood arises;
They (G)thrust aside my feet (H)and build up against me their ways of destruction.
13 “They (I)break up my path,
They profit [l]from my destruction;
No one restrains them.
14 “As through a wide breach they come,
[m]Amid the tempest they roll on.
15 “(J)Terrors are turned against me;
They pursue my [n]honor as the wind,
And my [o]prosperity has passed away (K)like a cloud.
16 “And now (L)my soul is poured out [p]within me;
Days of affliction have seized me.
17 “At night it pierces (M)my bones [q]within me,
And my gnawing pains take no rest.
18 “By a great force my garment is (N)distorted;
It binds me about as the collar of my coat.
19 “He has cast me into the (O)mire,
And I have become like dust and ashes.
20 “I (P)cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me;
I stand up, and You turn Your attention against me.
21 “You have [r]become cruel to me;
With the might of Your hand You (Q)persecute me.
22 “You (R)lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride;
And You dissolve me in a storm.
23 “For I know that You (S)will bring me to death
And to the (T)house of meeting for all living.
24 “Yet does not one in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand,
Or in his disaster therefore (U)cry out for help?
25 “Have I not (V)wept for the [s]one whose life is hard?
Was not my soul grieved for (W)the needy?
26 “When I (X)expected good, then evil came;
When I waited for light, (Y)then darkness came.
27 “[t]I am seething (Z)within and cannot relax;
Days of affliction confront me.
28 “I go about [u](AA)mourning without comfort;
I stand up in the assembly and (AB)cry out for help.
29 “I have become a brother to (AC)jackals
And a companion of ostriches.
30 “My (AD)skin turns black [v]on me,
And my (AE)bones burn with [w]fever.
31 “Therefore my (AF)harp [x]is turned to mourning,
And my flute to the sound of those who weep.
Job Asserts His Integrity
31 “I have made a covenant with my (AG)eyes;
How then could I gaze at a virgin?
2 “And what is (AH)the portion of God from above
Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
3 “Is it not (AI)calamity to the unjust
And disaster to (AJ)those who work iniquity?
4 “Does He not (AK)see my ways
And (AL)number all my steps?
5 “If I have (AM)walked with falsehood,
And my foot has hastened after deceit,
6 Let Him (AN)weigh me with [y]accurate scales,
And let God know (AO)my integrity.
7 “If my step has (AP)turned from the way,
Or my heart [z]followed my eyes,
Or if any (AQ)spot has stuck to my hands,
8 Let me (AR)sow and another eat,
And let my [aa](AS)crops be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been (AT)enticed by a woman,
Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,
10 May my wife (AU)grind for another,
And let (AV)others [ab]kneel down over her.
11 “For that would be a (AW)lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be (AX)an iniquity punishable by judges.
12 “For it would be (AY)fire that consumes to [ac](AZ)Abaddon,
And would (BA)uproot all my [ad]increase.
13 “If I have (BB)despised the claim of my male or female slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?
15 “Did not (BC)He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have kept (BD)the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of (BE)the widow to fail,
17 Or have (BF)eaten my morsel alone,
And (BG)the orphan has not [ae]shared it
18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from [af]infancy I guided her),
19 If I have seen anyone perish (BH)for lack of clothing,
Or that (BI)the needy had no covering,
20 If his loins have not [ag]thanked me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against (BJ)the orphan,
Because I saw [ah]I had support (BK)in the gate,
22 Let my shoulder fall from the [ai]socket,
And my (BL)arm be broken off [aj]at the elbow.
23 “For (BM)calamity from God is a terror to me,
And because of (BN)His [ak]majesty I can do nothing.
24 “If I have put my confidence in (BO)gold,
And called fine gold my trust,
25 If I have (BP)gloated because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had secured so much;
26 If I have (BQ)looked at the [al]sun when it shone
Or the moon going in splendor,
27 And my heart became secretly enticed,
And my hand [am]threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 That too would have been (BR)an iniquity calling for [an]judgment,
For I would have (BS)denied God above.
29 “Have I (BT)rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy,
Or [ao]exulted when evil befell him?
30 “[ap]No, (BU)I have not [aq]allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for his life in (BV)a curse.
31 “Have the men of my tent not said,
‘Who can [ar]find one who has not been (BW)satisfied with his meat’?
32 “The alien has not lodged outside,
For I have opened my doors to the [as]traveler.
33 “Have I (BX)covered my transgressions like [at]Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34 Because I (BY)feared the great multitude,
And the contempt of families terrified me,
And kept silent and did not go out of doors?
35 “Oh that I had one to hear me!
Behold, here is my [au]signature;
(BZ)Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my (CA)adversary has written,
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
I would bind it to myself like a crown.
37 “I would declare to Him (CB)the number of my steps;
Like (CC)a prince I would approach Him.
38 “If my (CD)land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If I have (CE)eaten its [av]fruit without money,
Or have (CF)caused [aw]its owners to lose their lives,
40 Let (CG)briars [ax]grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Elihu in Anger Rebukes Job
32 Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was (CH)righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the (CI)Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned (CJ)because he justified himself [ay](CK)before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited [az]to speak to Job because they were years older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned.
6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite [ba]spoke out and said,
“I am young in years and you are (CL)old;
Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you [bb]what I think.
7 “I [bc]thought [bd](CM)age should speak,
And [be]increased years should teach wisdom.
8 “But it is a spirit in man,
And the (CN)breath of the Almighty gives them (CO)understanding.
9 “The [bf]abundant in years may not be wise,
Nor may (CP)elders understand justice.
10 “So I [bg]say, ‘Listen to me,
I too will tell [bh]what I think.’
11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened to your reasonings,
While you [bi]pondered what to say.
12 “I even paid close attention to you;
[bj]Indeed, there was no one who refuted Job,
Not one of you who answered his words.
13 “Do not say,
‘(CQ)We have found wisdom;
God will [bk]rout him, not man.’
14 “For he has not arranged his words against me,
Nor will I reply to him with your [bl]arguments.
15 “They are dismayed, they no longer answer;
Words have [bm]failed them.
16 “Shall I wait, because they do not speak,
Because they [bn]stop and no longer answer?
17 “I too will answer my share,
I also will tell my opinion.
18 “For I am full of words;
The spirit within me constrains me.
19 “Behold, my belly is like unvented wine,
Like new wineskins it is about to burst.
20 “Let me speak that I may get relief;
Let me open my lips and answer.
21 “Let me now (CR)be partial to no one,
Nor flatter any man.
22 “For I do not know how to flatter,
Else my Maker would soon take me away.
Footnotes
- Job 30:4 I.e. plant of the salt marshes
- Job 30:6 Or wadis
- Job 30:7 Or bray
- Job 30:8 Lit Sons of fools
- Job 30:8 Lit sons
- Job 30:9 Lit song
- Job 30:10 Lit withhold spit from my face
- Job 30:11 Or they
- Job 30:11 Some mss read my
- Job 30:11 Or cord
- Job 30:12 Possibly sprout or offspring
- Job 30:13 Lit for
- Job 30:14 Lit Under
- Job 30:15 Or nobility
- Job 30:15 Or welfare
- Job 30:16 Lit upon
- Job 30:17 Lit from upon
- Job 30:21 Lit turned to be
- Job 30:25 Lit hard of day
- Job 30:27 Lit My inward parts are boiling
- Job 30:28 Or blackened, but not by the heat of the sun
- Job 30:30 Lit from upon
- Job 30:30 Lit heat
- Job 30:31 Lit becomes
- Job 31:6 Lit just
- Job 31:7 Lit walked after
- Job 31:8 Or offspring
- Job 31:10 I.e. sexual relations
- Job 31:12 I.e. place of destruction
- Job 31:12 Or yield
- Job 31:17 Lit eaten from it
- Job 31:18 Lit my mother’s womb
- Job 31:20 Lit blessed
- Job 31:21 Lit my help
- Job 31:22 Lit shoulder; or back
- Job 31:22 Lit from the bone of the upper arm
- Job 31:23 Lit exaltation
- Job 31:26 Lit light
- Job 31:27 Lit kissed my mouth
- Job 31:28 Lit judges
- Job 31:29 Lit lifted myself up
- Job 31:30 Lit And
- Job 31:30 Lit given my palate
- Job 31:31 Lit give
- Job 31:32 M.T. way
- Job 31:33 Or mankind
- Job 31:35 Lit mark
- Job 31:39 Lit strength
- Job 31:39 Lit the soul of its owners to expire
- Job 31:40 Lit come forth
- Job 32:2 Or more than
- Job 32:4 Lit for Job with words; or possibly while they were speaking with Job
- Job 32:6 Lit answered
- Job 32:6 Lit my knowledge
- Job 32:7 Lit said
- Job 32:7 Lit days
- Job 32:7 Lit many
- Job 32:9 Or nobles
- Job 32:10 Or said
- Job 32:10 Lit my knowledge
- Job 32:11 Lit searched out words
- Job 32:12 Lit Behold
- Job 32:13 Lit drive away
- Job 32:14 Lit words
- Job 32:15 Lit moved away from
- Job 32:16 Lit stand
2 Corinthians 7
New American Standard Bible 1995
Paul Reveals His Heart
7 Therefore, having these promises, (A)beloved, (B)let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 (C)Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. 3 I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said (D)before that you are (E)in our hearts to die together and to live together. 4 Great is my (F)confidence [a]in you; great is my (G)boasting on your behalf. I am filled with (H)comfort; I am overflowing with (I)joy in all our affliction.
5 For even when we came into (J)Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were (K)afflicted on every side: (L)conflicts without, fears within. 6 But (M)God, who comforts the [b]depressed, (N)comforted us by the coming of (O)Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. 8 For though I (P)caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— 9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything [c]through us. 10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a (Q)repentance [d]without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this [e]godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what (R)longing, what zeal, what (S)avenging of wrong! In everything you (T)demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 12 So although (U)I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of (V)the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. 13 For this reason we have been (W)comforted.
And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of (X)Titus, because his (Y)spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For if in anything I have (Z)boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before (AA)Titus proved to be the truth. 15 His [f]affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the (AB)obedience of you all, how you received him with (AC)fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice that in everything (AD)I have confidence in you.
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 7:4 Lit toward
- 2 Corinthians 7:6 Or humble
- 2 Corinthians 7:9 Lit from
- 2 Corinthians 7:10 Or leading to a salvation without regret
- 2 Corinthians 7:11 Lit sorrow according to God
- 2 Corinthians 7:15 Lit inward parts
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
