Beginning

² “Do you think this is just?
    You say, ‘I am in the right,^(A) not God.’^(B)
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,^[a]
    and what do I gain by not sinning?’^(C)

⁴ “I would like to reply to you
    and to your friends with you.
⁵ Look up at the heavens^(D) and see;
    gaze at the clouds so high above you.^(E)
6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
    If your sins are many, what does that do to him?^(F)
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,^(G)
    or what does he receive^(H) from your hand?^(I)
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,^(J)
    and your righteousness only other people.^(K)

⁹ “People cry out^(L) under a load of oppression;^(M)
    they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.^(N)
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,^(O)
    who gives songs^(P) in the night,^(Q)
11 who teaches^(R) us^(S) more than he teaches^[b] the beasts of the earth
    and makes us wiser than^[c] the birds in the sky?’
¹² He does not answer^(T) when people cry out
    because of the arrogance^(U) of the wicked.^(V)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
    the Almighty pays no attention to it.^(W)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
    when you say that you do not see him,^(X)
that your case^(Y) is before him
    and you must wait for him,^(Z)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes^(AA)
    and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.^[d](AB)
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;^(AC)
    without knowledge he multiplies words.”^(AD)

² “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
    that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
³ I get my knowledge from afar;^(AE)
    I will ascribe justice to my Maker.^(AF)
4 Be assured that my words are not false;^(AG)
    one who has perfect knowledge^(AH) is with you.^(AI)

⁵ “God is mighty,^(AJ) but despises no one;^(AK)
    he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.^(AL)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive^(AM)
    but gives the afflicted their rights.^(AN)
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;^(AO)
    he enthrones them with kings^(AP)
    and exalts them forever.^(AQ)
8 But if people are bound in chains,^(AR)
    held fast by cords of affliction,^(AS)
9 he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.^(AT)
10 He makes them listen^(AU) to correction^(AV)
    and commands them to repent of their evil.^(AW)
11 If they obey and serve him,^(AX)
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity^(AY)
    and their years in contentment.^(AZ)
12 But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword^[e](BA)
    and die without knowledge.^(BB)

¹³ “The godless in heart^(BC) harbor resentment;^(BD)
    even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.^(BE)
14 They die in their youth,^(BF)
    among male prostitutes of the shrines.^(BG)
15 But those who suffer^(BH) he delivers in their suffering;^(BI)
    he speaks^(BJ) to them in their affliction.^(BK)

¹⁶ “He is wooing^(BL) you from the jaws of distress
    to a spacious place^(BM) free from restriction,^(BN)
    to the comfort of your table^(BO) laden with choice food.^(BP)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;^(BQ)
    judgment and justice have taken hold of you.^(BR)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
    do not let a large bribe^(BS) turn you aside.^(BT)
19 Would your wealth^(BU) or even all your mighty efforts
    sustain you so you would not be in distress?
²⁰ Do not long for the night,^(BV)
    to drag people away from their homes.^[f]
21 Beware of turning to evil,^(BW)
    which you seem to prefer to affliction.^(BX)

²² “God is exalted in his power.^(BY)
    Who is a teacher like him?^(BZ)
23 Who has prescribed his ways^(CA) for him,^(CB)
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?^(CC)
24 Remember to extol his work,^(CD)
    which people have praised in song.^(CE)
25 All humanity has seen it;^(CF)
    mortals gaze on it from afar.
²⁶ How great is God—beyond our understanding!^(CG)
    The number of his years is past finding out.^(CH)

²⁷ “He draws up the drops of water,^(CI)
    which distill as rain to the streams^[g];^(CJ)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers^(CK) fall on mankind.^(CL)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders^(CM) from his pavilion?^(CN)
30 See how he scatters his lightning^(CO) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.^(CP)
31 This is the way he governs^[h] the nations^(CQ)
    and provides food^(CR) in abundance.^(CS)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.^(CT)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;^(CU)
    even the cattle make known its approach.^[i](CV)

37 “At this my heart pounds^(CW)
    and leaps from its place.
² Listen!^(CX) Listen to the roar of his voice,^(CY)
    to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.^(CZ)
3 He unleashes his lightning^(DA) beneath the whole heaven
    and sends it to the ends of the earth.^(DB)
4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
    he thunders^(DC) with his majestic voice.^(DD)
When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
⁵ God’s voice thunders^(DE) in marvelous ways;^(DF)
    he does great things beyond our understanding.^(DG)
6 He says to the snow,^(DH) ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’^(DI)
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,^(DJ)
    he stops all people from their labor.^[j](DK)
8 The animals take cover;^(DL)
    they remain in their dens.^(DM)
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,^(DN)
    the cold from the driving winds.^(DO)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.^(DP)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;^(DQ)
    he scatters his lightning^(DR) through them.^(DS)
12 At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.^(DT)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,^(DU)
    or to water his earth and show his love.^(DV)

¹⁴ “Listen^(DW) to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.^(DX)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning^(DY) flash?^(DZ)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,^(EA)
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?^(EB)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,^(EC)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,^(ED)
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?^(EE)

¹⁹ “Tell us what we should say to him;^(EF)
    we cannot draw up our case^(EG) because of our darkness.^(EH)
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
    Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
²¹ Now no one can look at the sun,^(EI)
    bright as it is in the skies
    after the wind has swept them clean.
²² Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;^(EJ)
    God comes in awesome majesty.^(EK)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;^(EL)
    in his justice^(EM) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.^(EN)
24 Therefore, people revere him,^(EO)
    for does he not have regard for all the wise^(EP) in heart?^[k]”