Bible in 90 Days
Bildad Speaks to Job
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
2 “How long will you [L continue to] say such things?
Your words are ·no more than [L a strong] wind [C he accuses Job of passion without substance].
3 God does not ·twist [pervert] justice;
·the Almighty [Shaddai] does not ·make wrong [twist; pervert] ·what is right [righteousness].
4 [L If] Your children sinned against God,
and he ·punished them for their sins [L sent them into the power of their transgression].
5 ·But [L If] you ·should ask God for help [L look for God]
and ·pray [plead] to ·the Almighty [Shaddai] for ·mercy [grace].
6 If you are ·good [pure] and ·honest [virtuous; 1:1, 8; 2:3],
he will ·stand up [L immediately rouse himself] for you
and ·bring you back [restore you] ·where you belong [to your right/righteous pasture/place/home].
7 ·Where you began will seem unimportant [L Though your start was small],
·because your future will be so successful [L your end will be exalted].
8 “Ask ·old people [L the previous generation];
·find out [reflect on] what their ancestors learned,
9 because we were only born yesterday and know nothing.
Our days on earth are only a shadow.
10 Those people will teach you and tell you
and speak about what they know.
11 ·Papyrus plants cannot [L Do papyrus plants…?] grow where there is no swamp,
·and reeds cannot [L or reeds…?] grow tall without water.
12 While they are still growing and not yet cut,
they will dry up quicker than grass [Ps. 37:2; 102:4, 11; 129:6].
13 That is ·what will happen to [L the path of] those who forget God;
the hope of the ·wicked [godless] will ·be gone [perish].
14 ·What they hope in is easily broken [L Their confidence is gossamer thread];
what they trust is like a spider’s web [C without substance].
15 They lean on ·the spider’s web [L its house], but it ·breaks [L does not stand].
They grab it, but it does not hold up.
16 They are like well-watered plants in the sunshine
that spread their roots all through the garden.
17 They wrap their roots around a pile of rocks
and look for a place among the stones.
18 But if a plant is torn from its place,
then that place rejects it and says, ‘I never saw you.’
19 Now ·joy has gone away [or it (the plant) dissolves on the way];
other plants grow up from the same dirt.
20 “Surely God does not reject the innocent
or ·give strength to [or grasp the hand of] those who do evil.
21 God will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.
22 ·Your enemies [L Those who hate you] will be covered with shame,
and the tents of the wicked will be gone.”
Job Answers Bildad
9 Then Job answered:
2 “·Yes [Truly], I know that this [C Zophar’s point that God punishes the wicked] is ·true [correct],
but how can anyone be ·right [righteous; vindicated] in the presence of God?
3 Someone might want to ·argue with God [take God to court],
but no one could answer God,
not one time out of a thousand.
4 ·God’s wisdom is deep [L He is wise of heart], and his power is great;
no one can ·fight [L press] him ·without getting hurt [and come out whole/unscathed].
5 He moves mountains [C an earthquake] without anyone knowing it
and turns them over when he is angry.
6 He shakes the earth out of its place
and makes its ·foundations [pillars] ·tremble [shudder].
7 He ·commands the sun not to [L speaks to the sun and it does not] shine
and ·shuts off the light of [L seals up] the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the ·skies [heavens]
and ·walks [treads] on the ·waves [L high places] of the sea.
9 It is God who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades [C well-known constellations]
and the ·groups of stars in the southern sky [L chambers of the south].
10 He does ·wonders [great things] that cannot be understood;
he does so many ·miracles [or marvelous things] they cannot be counted.
11 ·When [or If] he passes me, I cannot see him;
·when [or if] he goes by me, I do not ·recognize [perceive] him.
12 If he snatches ·something [or someone] away, no one can ·stop him [or bring them back]
or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 God will not ·hold back [relent from] his anger.
Even the ·helpers [allies] of the monster Rahab [C a sea monster; Ps. 89:10] ·lie at his feet in fear [L cower under him].
14 So how can I ·argue with [L answer] God,
or even ·find words to argue [L choose words] with him?
15 Even if I were ·right [righteous], I could not answer him;
I could only ·beg God [plead], my Judge, for mercy.
16 If I ·called to [summoned] him and he answered,
I still don’t believe he would ·listen to me [L hear my voice].
17 He would crush me with a ·storm [whirlwind; 38:1]
and multiply my ·wounds [bruises] ·for no reason [without cause].
18 He would not let me ·catch [regain] my breath
but would ·overwhelm [satiate] me with ·misery [bitterness].
19 ·When [or If] it comes to ·strength [power], God is stronger than I;
·when [or if] it comes to ·justice [or judgment], no one can ·accuse [testify against] him.
20 ·Even if I were [or Though I am] ·right [righteous], my own mouth would ·say I was wrong [condemn me];
·if I were [or I am] innocent, ·my mouth would say I was [or he declares me] guilty.
21 “I am innocent,
but I don’t ·care about myself [or know for sure].
I ·hate [loathe] my own life.
22 It is all the same. That is why I say,
‘God destroys both the innocent and the ·guilty [wicked].’
23 If ·the whip [or disaster] brings sudden death,
God will ·laugh [ridicule] ·at the suffering [or the despair] of the innocent.
24 When the ·land [earth] ·falls [L is given] into the ·hands [power] of evil people,
he covers the judges’ faces so they can’t see it.
If it is not God who does this, then who is it?
25 “My days go by faster than a runner;
they ·fly away without my seeing any joy [L are swift but not good].
26 They ·glide past [pass by] like ·paper [L reed] boats.
They ·attack [or go fast] like eagles swooping down to feed.
27 ·Even though [or If] I say, ‘I will forget my ·complaint [sighs];
I will ·change the look on my face [L abandon my countenance] and ·smile [be cheerful],’
28 I still dread all my ·suffering [distress].
I know you will ·hold me guilty [L not find me innocent].
29 I have already been ·found guilty [declared wicked],
so why should I ·struggle [L exhaust myself] for no reason?
30 [L Even if] I might wash myself with ·soap [or snow]
and ·scrub [cleanse] my hands with ·strong soap [lye],
31 but you would ·push [plunge] me into a dirty pit,
and even my clothes would ·hate [abhor] me.
32 [“L For] God is not human like me, ·so I cannot [L that I could] answer him.
·We cannot meet each other in court [L …that we could go together into judgment].
33 ·I wish there were someone to make peace [L There is no umpire] between us,
·someone to decide our case [L who would set his hand on both of us].
34 Maybe he could remove ·God’s punishment [L his rod from me]
so his terror would no longer frighten me.
35 Then I could speak without being afraid [L of him],
but I am not able to do that.
10 “I ·hate [am disgusted with] my life,
so I will ·complain without holding back [L abandon myself to my sighs];
I will speak ·because I am so unhappy [L in my bitterness].
2 I will say to God: Do not ·hold [declare] me guilty,
but tell me ·what you have against [why you accuse] me.
3 ·Does it make you happy [or Is it right for you] to ·trouble [oppress] me?
·Don’t you care about [L Must you despise] me, the work of your hands?
·Are you happy with [or Do you favor] the plans of evil people?
4 Do you have ·human eyes [L eyes of flesh]
that see ·as we see [L with human vision]?
5 Are your days like the days of humans,
and your years like our years?
6 [L For] You ·look for the evil I have done [L investigate my transgression]
and search for my sin.
7 You know I am not guilty,
but no one can ·save [rescue] me from your ·power [L hand].
8 “Your hands shaped and made me.
Do you now turn around and ·destroy [L swallow] me?
9 Remember that you molded me like a piece of clay.
Will you now turn me back into dust [Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 12:7]?
10 ·You formed me inside my mother
like cheese formed from milk [L Do you not pour me out like milk, curdle me like cheese?].
11 You dressed me with skin and flesh;
you ·sewed [knit] me together with bones and ·muscles [sinews].
12 You gave me life and showed me ·kindness [loyalty],
and in your care you ·watched over my life [L set a watch over me].
13 “But in your heart you hid ·other plans [L these things].
I know this was in your mind.
14 If I sinned, you would watch me
and would not ·let my sin go unpunished [L declare me innocent of my transgression].
15 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] me if I am guilty!
Even if I am ·right [righteous], I cannot lift my head.
I am full of shame
and ·experience [L look on] only ·pain [affliction].
16 ·If I hold up my head, you hunt me like a lion [or Proud like a lion you hunt me]
and again show your terrible power against me.
17 You bring new witnesses against me
and increase your anger against me.
Your armies come against me.
18 “So why did you ·allow me to be born [L bring me out of the womb]?
·I wish I had died [L Why did I not die…?] before ·anyone [L any eye] saw me.
19 I wish I had never lived,
but had been carried straight from ·birth [L womb] to the grave.
20 The few days of my life are almost over.
Leave me alone so I can have a moment of joy [Eccl. 2:24–26; 3:12–14, 22; 8:15; 5:19–20; 9:7–10].
21 Soon I will leave; I will not return
from the land of darkness and gloom,
22 the land of ·darkest night [or dimness and blackness],
from the land of gloom and ·confusion [chaos],
where even the light is darkness.”
Zophar Speaks to Job
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
2 “Should ·these [L such a large number of] words go unanswered?
·Is this talker in the right [or Should a talkative man be declared righteous]?
3 Your ·lies [L empty words] do not make people quiet;
people should ·correct [L shame] you when you ·make fun of God [L mock].
4 You ·say [claim], ‘My teachings are ·right [L pure],
and I am clean in ·God’s sight [L your eyes].’
5 I wish God would speak
and open his ·lips [L mouth] against you
6 and tell you the secrets of wisdom,
because ·wisdom [resourcefulness] has ·two [or many] sides.
Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin [C he has been tolerant of Job’s sin].
7 “Can you ·understand [L discover] the ·secrets [L deep things] of God?
Can you ·search [L discover] the limits of ·the Almighty [Shaddai]?
8 His limits are higher than the heavens; ·you cannot reach them [L what can you do]!
They are deeper than ·the grave [L Sheol]; you cannot understand them!
9 His limits are longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.
10 “If God ·comes along [L passes by] and puts you in prison
or ·calls you into court [L assembles for judgment], ·no one can stop him [L who can turn him back?].
11 God knows who is ·evil [worthless],
and when he sees ·evil [or an evil person], ·he takes [L does he not take…?] note of it.
12 A ·fool [L empty-headed person] cannot ·become wise [get understanding]
any more than a wild donkey can ·be born tame [or give birth to a human; C Zophar insults Job’s wisdom].
13 “You must ·give your whole heart to him [focus your heart]
and ·hold [spread] out your hands to him for help.
14 ·Put away [Remove] the sin that is in your hand;
let no ·evil [iniquity] ·remain [L take up residence] in your tent [C Zophar urges Job to repent].
15 Then you can lift up your face without ·shame [L blemish],
and you can ·stand strong [L be secure] without fear.
16 You will forget your trouble
and remember it only as water ·gone by [running away].
17 Your life will be ·as bright as [brighter than] the noonday sun,
and darkness will seem like morning.
18 You will ·feel safe [be secure] because there is hope;
you will ·look around [explore] and ·rest [L lie down] in safety.
19 You will lie down, and ·no one will scare you [L not tremble with fear].
Many people will want favors from you.
20 But the ·wicked will not be able to see [L eyes of the wicked will fail],
so ·they will not escape [L their escape route will be lost to them].
Their only ·hope [expectation] will be to die.”
Job Answers Zophar
12 Then Job answered:
2 “You ·really [truly] think you are the ·only wise people [L people]
and that when you die, wisdom will die with you [C Job attacks the friends’ confidence in their wisdom]!
3 But my ·mind [L heart; C the heart was considered the location of thought] is as good as yours;
·you are not better than I am [L I am not inferior to you].
·Everyone knows all these things [L Who is not like these?; C probably a reference to the three friends and their intelligence].
4 ·My friends all laugh at me [L I am a joke to my friends],
I who called on God and he answered me [C a reference to his earlier days, which the friends now think are a joke];
they laugh at me even though I am right and innocent!
5 Those who are ·comfortable [at ease] ·don’t care that [L have contempt when] others have trouble;
they think it right that those people ·should have troubles [L have shaky/unstable feet].
6 The tents of ·robbers [marauders] ·are not bothered [L have peace and quiet],
and those who make God angry are ·safe [confident].
They have their god in their ·pocket [control; L hand].
7 “But ask the ·animals [beasts; cattle], and they will teach you [C that God is unjust],
or ask the birds of the ·air [sky], and they will ·tell [inform] you.
8 Speak to the plants of the earth, and they will teach you,
or let the fish of the sea ·tell [recount it to] you.
9 ·Every one of these knows [L Who does not know…?]
that the hand of the Lord has done this.
10 The ·life [L breath] of ·every creature [all living things]
and the ·breath [or spirit] of all people are in God’s hand.
11 ·The ear tests [Does not the ear test…?] words
as the ·tongue [palate] tastes food.
12 Older people are wise,
and long life brings understanding.
13 “But only God has wisdom and power,
·good advice [L advice] and understanding.
14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
anyone he ·puts in prison [L shuts up] cannot be let out.
15 If God holds back the waters, ·there is no rain [L they dry up];
if he lets the waters go, they flood the land.
16 He is strong and ·victorious [successful; or resourceful];
both the one who ·fools others [deceives] and the one who is ·fooled [deceived] belong to him.
17 God leads ·the wise away [counselors] ·as captives [plundered]
and ·turns judges into fools [L renders judges deluded].
18 He ·takes off chains that kings put on [or loosens the sash of kings]
and ·puts a garment on their bodies [or tightens the waistcloth around their hips; C he undermines their royal prerogatives and powers and causes them pain].
19 He leads priests away ·naked [L plundered]
and destroys the ·powerful [L long-established].
20 He makes trusted people be silent
and takes away the ·wisdom [discernment] of elders.
21 He brings disgrace on ·important people [princes]
and ·takes away the weapons [L loosens the belt] of the strong.
22 He uncovers the deep things ·of [L from the] darkness
and brings dark shadows ·into [or to overshadow] the light [C can mean either that God lightens the dark or darkens the light].
23 He makes nations great and then destroys them;
he makes nations large and then scatters them.
24 He takes ·understanding [L heart] away from the leaders of the earth
and makes them wander through a ·pathless desert [chaos/wasteland without a path].
25 They ·feel around [grope] in darkness with no light;
he makes them ·stumble [L wander around] like drunks.
13 “·Now [Look,] my eyes have seen all this;
my ears have heard and understood it [C Job claims to be as wise as the three friends].
2 What you know, I also know.
·You are not better than I am [L I am not inferior to you; 12:3].
3 But I want to speak to ·the Almighty [Shaddai]
and [L I would love] to ·argue my case with [reprove] God.
4 But you smear me with lies [C good doctors would smear their patients with healing lotions].
You are worthless ·doctors [physicians], all of you!
5 I wish you would just ·stop talking [shut up];
then you would really be wise [Prov. 17:28]!
6 Listen to my ·argument [reproof],
and ·hear [L pay attention to] the ·pleading [L accusation] of my lips.
7 ·You should not speak evil in the name of [L Will you speak unjustly for…?] God;
·you cannot speak God’s truth by telling lies [L will you speak deceitful things about him?].
8 ·You should not unfairly choose his side against mine [L Will you favor him…?];
·you should not argue the case [L if you make an accusation] for God.
9 ·You will not do [Will it go…?] well if he examines you;
you cannot ·fool [deceive] God as you might ·fool [deceive] humans.
10 God would surely ·scold [reprimand; reprove] you
if you ·unfairly [or secretly] took one person’s side.
11 [L Does not…?] His ·bright glory [majesty] would scare you,
and ·you would be very much afraid of him [L his fear fall on you].
12 Your ·wise sayings [L proclamations] are ·worth no more than ashes [L are made of dust],
and your ·arguments [responses] are ·as weak as [L made of] clay.
13 “Be quiet and let me speak.
Let things happen to me as they will.
14 ·Why should I [or I will…] ·put myself in danger [L take my flesh in my teeth; C a metaphor for risk-taking]
and take my life in my own ·hands [L palm]?
15 ·Even if God kills me, I have hope in him [or See, he will kill me; I have no hope];
I will ·still defend [reprove him concerning] my ways to his face.
16 This is my salvation.
The wicked cannot come ·before him [into his presence].
17 Listen ·carefully [closely] to my words;
let your ears hear what I say.
18 See, I have prepared ·my case [for the judgment],
and I know I ·will be proved right [or am righteous].
19 ·No one can accuse [L Who is it that accuses…?] me of doing wrong.
If someone can, I will be quiet and die.
20 “God, please just give me these two things,
and then I will not hide from you:
21 Take your ·punishment [L palm] away from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.
22 Then call me, and I will answer,
or let me speak, and you answer.
23 ·How many [or What are the] ·evil things [faults] and sins have I done?
·Show [Make known to] me my ·wrong [transgressions] and my sin.
24 ·Don’t [L Why do you…?] hide your face from me;
don’t ·think of me as [consider me] your enemy [Ps. 30:6–7].
25 ·Don’t punish [L Will you frighten…?] a leaf that is blown by the wind;
·don’t [L and] chase after straw.
26 You write down ·cruel [bitter] things against me
and make me ·suffer for [inherit] my boyhood sins.
27 You put my feet in ·chains [stocks]
and ·keep close watch wherever I go [L guard all my paths].
You even ·mark [incise; cut] the soles of my feet [C to leave a distinctive footprint easily followed].
28 “Everyone wears out like something rotten,
like clothing eaten by moths.
14 “·All of us [L Human beings; T Man] born ·to women [T of woman]
·live only a few [L are short of] days and ·have lots [full] of trouble.
2 ·We [L They] grow up like flowers and then ·dry up and die [L wither].
·We are like a passing [L …and flee like a] shadow that does not last.
3 Lord, do you need to watch me like this?
Must you bring me before you to be judged?
4 No one can bring something clean [C in a ritual sense] from something unclean.
5 ·Our [L If their] time is limited.
You have given ·us [L them] only so many months to live
and have set limits ·we [L they] cannot go beyond.
6 So look away from us and ·leave us alone [stop; desist]
until we put in our time like a laborer [C until death].
7 “If a tree is cut down,
there is hope that it will grow again
and will send out new ·branches [shoots].
8 Even if its roots grow old in the ground,
and its stump dies in the ·dirt [dust],
9 at the ·smell [scent] of water it will bud
and put out new ·shoots [boughs] like a plant.
10 But ·we [L mortals] die, and ·our bodies are laid in the ground [L dwindle away];
·we take our last breath [L humans expire] and are ·gone [L no more; C unlike trees, humans do not come back to life].
11 Water disappears from a ·lake [sea],
and a river ·loses its water and dries up [L dries up and withers away].
12 In the same way, ·we [L humans] lie down and do not rise again;
·we [L they] will not get up or be awakened
until the heavens disappear [C that is, never].
13 “I wish you would hide me in ·the grave [L Sheol; C the grave or the underworld];
·hide [conceal] me until your anger is gone.
I wish you would set a ·time [limit]
and then remember me!
14 Will the dead live again [C the implied answer is no]?
All my days are ·a struggle [L hard service];
I will wait until my ·change [L release] comes.
15 You ·will call [L would summon me], and I ·will [or would] answer you;
you ·will [or would] desire the ·creature your hands have made [L work of your hands].
16 ·Then [or Now] you ·will count [count] my steps [C meaning God would focus negatively on Job’s sin],
but you ·will [or would] not keep track of my sin [C in a hypothetical future].
17 My wrongs ·will [or would] be closed up in a bag,
and you ·will [or would] cover up my sin.
18 “A mountain ·washes [L falls] away and crumbles;
and a rock can be moved from its place.
19 Water ·washes over stones and wears them down [L grinds down the stones],
and ·rushing waters [or violent storms] wash away the ·dirt [dust].
In the same way, you destroy hope.
20 You ·defeat [overpower] people forever, and they are gone;
you change their appearance [C from joy to despair] and send them away.
21 Their children are honored, but they do not know it [C because they, the parents, are dead or dying];
their children are ·disgraced [lowered], but they [C the parents] do not see it.
22 They [C the parents] only feel the pain of their ·body [L flesh]
and ·feel sorry [mourn] for themselves.”
Eliphaz Answers Job
15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 “·A wise person would not [L Should a wise person…?] answer with ·empty [L windy] words
or fill his stomach with the hot east wind.
3 ·He would not [L Should he…?] ·argue [reprimand; reprove] with useless words
or make speeches that have no value.
4 But you even ·destroy [invalidate] ·respect for God [L fear]
and limit the worship of him.
5 Your ·sin [iniquity] teaches your mouth what to say;
you ·use words to trick others [L choose the tongue of the crafty].
6 It is your own mouth, not mine, that ·shows you are wicked [condemns];
your own lips testify against you.
7 “·You are not [L Are you…?] the first man ever born [C perhaps a reference to Adam; Ezek. 28:12–13];
·you are not [L are you…?] older than the hills [C either a reference to the wisdom of the elders or to wisdom personified as a woman; Prov. 8:22–25].
8 ·You did not [L Did you…?] listen in on God’s secret council [C like a prophet].
But you limit wisdom to yourself.
9 ·You don’t [L Do you…?] know any more than we know.
·You don’t [L Do you…?] understand any more than we understand.
10 Old people with gray hair are on our side;
they are even older than your father.
11 Is the ·comfort [consolation] God gives you not enough for you,
even when words are spoken gently to you?
12 Has your heart ·carried you away from God [L taken you away; C perhaps suggesting that Job has lost control of his emotions]?
Why do your eyes ·flash with anger [or wink]?
13 Why do you ·speak out your anger [L turn your spirit] against God?
Why do these words pour out of your mouth?
14 “How can anyone be pure?
How can someone born to a woman be ·good [righteous]?
15 God places no trust in his holy ones [C angels],
and even the heavens are not pure in his eyes.
16 How much less pure is one who is ·terrible [abominable] and ·rotten [corrupt]
and drinks up ·evil [injustice] as if it were water [Prov. 4:17–19]!
17 “Listen to me, and I will tell you about it;
I will ·tell [recount to] you what I have seen.
18 These are things wise men have told;
their ancestors told them, and they have hidden nothing.
19 (The land was given to their fathers only,
and no ·foreigner [stranger] lived among them [C suggesting wisdom untainted by foreign influence].)
20 The wicked suffer pain all their lives;
the cruel suffer during all the years saved up for them.
21 Terrible sounds ·fill [reach; L are in] their ears,
and when things ·seem to be going well [are at peace], ·robbers [or destroyers] attack them.
22 Evil people ·give up trying [L cannot hope] to ·escape [L return] from the darkness;
it has been decided that they will die by the sword.
23 They wander around ·and will become food for vultures [or for food, saying “Where is it?”].
They know [L a day of] darkness ·will soon come [L is prepared for them].
24 ·Worry [Distress] and ·suffering [hardship] terrify them;
they overwhelm them, like a king ready to attack,
25 because they ·shake their fists at [L stretched their hands against; Ex. 6:6; Deut. 4:34] God
and ·try to get their own way against [defy] ·the Almighty [Shaddai].
26 They ·stubbornly [defiantly] charge at God
with ·thick, strong [L thick-bossed; C the boss is the convex centerpiece] shields.
27 “Although the faces of the wicked are thick with fat [C a sign of prosperity, but here the result of ill-gotten gain],
and their ·bellies [or loins] are fat with ·flesh [blubber],
28 they will live in towns that are ruined,
in houses where no one lives,
·which are crumbling into ruins [L destined to become a ruin heap].
29 The wicked will no longer ·get [or be] rich,
and the riches they have will not last [Ps. 73; Prov. 11:18; 13:11; 21:6; 22:16]
the things they own will no longer spread over the land.
30 They will not ·escape [L turn aside from] the darkness.
A flame will dry up their ·branches [shoots];
God’s breath will carry the wicked away.[a]
31 The wicked should not fool themselves by trusting what is useless.
If they do, they will get nothing in return [C “useless” and “nothing” are the same Hebrew word].
32 Their branches will dry up ·before they finish growing [L out of season]
and will never turn green.
33 They will be like a vine whose grapes ·are pulled [shake] off before they are ripe,
like an olive tree that ·loses [throws off] its blossoms.
34 ·People without God [L The assembly of the godless] ·can produce nothing [L are barren].
Fire will ·destroy [consume] the tents of those who take ·money to do evil [L bribes],
35 who ·plan [L conceive] trouble and give birth to evil,
whose ·hearts [L womb] plan ways to ·trick [L defraud; Ps. 7:14; Is. 59:4] others.”
Job Answers Eliphaz
16 Then Job answered:
2 “I have heard many things like these.
You are all ·painful [or troublesome] comforters!
3 Will your ·long-winded speeches [L windy words] never end?
What ·makes [L provokes] you keep on ·arguing [L responding]?
4 I also could speak as you do
if you were in my place.
I could ·make great speeches [L join words] against you
and shake my head at you [C like wagging a finger at someone].
5 But, instead, I would ·encourage you [L strengthen you with my mouth],
and ·my words [L the words of my lips] would bring you ·relief [comfort].
6 “Even if I speak, my pain is not less,
and if I don’t speak, it still does not go away.
7 ·God, you have [L He has] surely ·taken away my strength [worn me out]
and ·destroyed [or stunned] ·my whole family [or everyone around me; L my assembly].
8 You have ·made me thin and weak [shriveled me up; or bound me],
·and this shows I have done wrong [L as a witness against me].
9 God ·attacks me and tears me with anger [L preys on me and hates me];
he ·grinds [gnashes] his teeth at me;
my enemy ·stares at me with his angry eyes [L sharpens his eyes at me].
10 People open their mouths ·to make fun of [L wide at] me
and hit my cheeks to ·insult [or reproach] me.
They ·join [congregate; assemble] together against me.
11 God has turned me over to evil people
and has ·handed [thrown] me over to the wicked.
12 ·Everything was fine with me [L I was at ease],
but God ·broke me into pieces [shattered me];
he ·held [grabbed; seized] me by the neck and ·crushed [mauled] me.
He has ·made me [set me up as] his target;
13 his archers surround me.
He ·stabs [L splits open] my kidneys without mercy;
he spills my ·blood [L gall] on the ground.
14 ·Again and again God attacks me [L He breaches me, breach after breach];
he runs at me like a soldier.
15 “I have sewed ·rough cloth over my skin to show my sadness [sackcloth over my skin; C traditional mourning clothes]
and have buried my ·face [L horn] in the dust [C a sign of grief; like an animal lowering its horn].
16 My face is red from crying;
I have ·dark circles [deep darkness] around my eyes.
17 Yet my hands have never done anything ·cruel [violent],
and my prayer is pure.
18 “Earth, please do not cover up my blood.
Don’t let my cry ever ·stop being heard [find a place of rest]!
19 Even now I have ·one who speaks for me [L a witness] in heaven;
the one who ·is on my side [L testifies for me] is high above.
20 ·The one who speaks for me is my friend [or My friends scorn me].
My eyes pour out tears to God.
21 He ·begs God [negotiates/arbitrates with God] on behalf of a human
as a person ·begs for [negotiates/arbitrates with] his friend.
22 “Only a few years will pass
before I go on the journey of no return [C at his death].
17 My spirit is broken;
the days of my life are ·almost gone [extinguished].
The grave is ·waiting [ready] for me.
2 Those who ·laugh [mock; scoff] at me surround me;
·I watch them insult me [L My eye dwells/lodges on their obstinate behavior].
3 “·God, make me a promise [L Make a pledge for me with yourself].
·No one will make a pledge for me [L Who else will clap hands with me; C a gesture that seals an agreement].
4 You have closed their minds to understanding.
·Do not let them win over me [L You will not let them triumph].
5 People might ·speak against [denounce] their friends for ·money [L a share; a piece of property],
but if they do, the eyes of their children ·go blind [L will fade].
6 “God has made my name a ·curse word [L proverb; byword; 1 Kin. 9:7; 2 Chr. 7:20; Ps. 44:14; Jer. 24:9; Ezek. 14:8; Joel 2:17];
people spit in my face.
7 My sight has grown ·weak [dim] because of my ·sadness [grief],
and my ·body [whole frame] is ·as thin as [L like] a shadow.
8 ·Honest [Virtuous] people are ·upset [depressed; desolated] about this;
·innocent [blameless] people are ·upset with [or aroused against] those who ·do wrong [or are godless].
9 But ·those who do right [the righteous] will ·continue to do right [L hold on to their way],
and those whose hands are ·not dirty with sin [L clean; C in a ritual sense] will grow stronger.
10 “But, all of you, come ·and try again [L back now]!
I ·do [or will] not find a wise person among you.
11 My days are gone, and my plans have been ·destroyed [L torn away],
along with the desires of my heart.
12 ·These men think night is [L They make night into] day;
·when it is dark, they say, ‘Light is near [L light is near the darkness].’
13 If the only home I hope for is ·the grave [L Sheol; C the place of the dead],
if I spread out my bed in darkness,
14 if I say to the ·grave [L pit], ‘You are my father,’
and to the worm, ‘You are my mother’ or ‘You are my sister,’
15 where, then, is my hope?
Who can see any hope for me?
16 Will hope go down to the gates of ·death [L Sheol; 17:13]?
Will we go down together into the dust?”
Bildad Answers Job
18 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
2 “·When will you stop these speeches [L How long before you stop these words]?
·Be sensible [or Reflect], and then we can talk [Prov. 15:28; 18:13; 29:20].
3 ·You think of [L Why do you consider/count] us as cattle,
as ·if we are stupid [L stupid in your eyes/estimation].
4 You tear ·yourself [your life] to pieces in your anger.
Should the earth be vacant ·just for [or because of] you?
Should the rocks move from their places [14:18]?
5 “The lamp of the wicked will be put out,
and the flame in their lamps will stop burning.
6 The light in their tents will grow dark,
and the lamps ·by their sides [or above them] will go out.
7 Their ·strong steps [vigorous gait] will grow ·weak [cramped; restricted];
·they will fall into their own evil traps [or their own schemes/advice will throw them down].
8 Their feet will be caught in a net [Prov. 28:9]
when they walk into ·its web [a snare].
9 A trap will catch them by the heel [Prov. 22:5]
and [L a noose] hold them tight.
10 A ·trap for them [L rope] is hidden on the ground,
right in their path.
11 ·Terrible things [L Terrors] startle them from every side
and ·chase [or disperse] them at ·every step [L their feet].
12 ·Hunger takes away their strength [or Calamity is hungry for them],
and disaster is ·at their side [or prepared for them when they stumble].
13 Disease eats away ·parts of their skin [or their fleshy limbs];
·death [L the firstborn of Death; C death is personified] ·gnaws at [consumes] their ·arms and legs [L limbs].
14 They are torn from the ·safety [confidence] of their tents
and ·dragged off to Death, the King of Terrors [L terrors march them off to their king].
15 ·Their tents are set on fire [or Nothing of theirs will remain in their tents],
and sulfur is scattered over their ·homes [or pastures].
16 Their roots dry up below ground,
and their branches die above ground [C the wicked are like a dead tree].
17 People on earth will not remember them;
their names will be forgotten in the land.
18 They will be driven from light into darkness
and ·chased [driven] out of the world [C they will die].
19 They have no children or descendants among their people,
and no one will be left alive where they once lived.
20 People ·of the west [or who come after] will be ·shocked [desolated] ·at what has happened to them [by their end/fate],
and people ·of the east [or who came before] will be ·very frightened [seized with horror].
21 Surely this is ·what will happen to [L the dwelling of] the wicked;
such is the place of one who does not know God.”
Job Answers Bildad
19 Then Job answered:
2 “How long will you ·hurt [torment] me
and crush me with your words?
3 You have ·insulted [disgraced; shamed] me ten times ·now [over]
and ·attacked me without shame [or are you not shamed to wrong me?].
4 Even if I have ·sinned [erred; made a mistake],
·it is my worry alone [L my sin/mistake lodges within me].
5 If you want to make yourselves ·look better than I [or powerful against me],
you can ·blame me for my suffering [make my shame/disgrace an argument against me].
6 Then know that God has ·wronged [or a distorted view of; unjustly blamed] me
and ·pulled [thrown] his net around me [C like a hunter].
7 “I shout, ‘·I have been wronged [L Violence]!’
But I get no answer.
I scream for help
but I get no justice.
8 God has ·blocked [walled up] my way so I cannot pass;
he has covered my paths with darkness [Prov. 4:19].
9 He has ·taken away [stripped off] my ·honor [glory]
and removed the crown from my head.
10 He beats me down on every side until I am gone;
he ·destroys [uproots] my hope like a fallen tree.
11 ·His anger burns [L He kindles his anger] against me,
and he ·treats [or considers] me like an ·enemy [foe].
12 His ·armies [troops] gather;
they ·prepare to attack [L build up a road against; C a siege ramp] me.
They camp around my tent.
13 “God has ·made my brothers my enemies [L moved my brothers far from me],
and my friends have become strangers.
14 ·My relatives [L Those near me] have ·gone away [or failed me],
and my ·friends [acquaintances] have forgotten me.
15 My guests and my ·female servants [T maidservants] ·treat [or consider] me like a stranger;
they look at me as if I were a foreigner.
16 I call for my servant, but he does not answer,
even when I ·beg him with my own mouth [ask him for a personal favor].
17 My wife ·can’t stand [abhors] my breath,
and my own family ·dislikes me [finds me repulsive].
18 Even the little boys ·hate [L reject] me
and talk ·about [or against] me when I leave.
19 All my close friends ·hate [L detest] me;
even those I love have turned against me.
20 ·I am nothing but skin and bones [L My bones cling to my skin and my flesh];
I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Pity me, my friends, pity me,
because the hand of God has ·hit [touched; struck] me.
22 Why do you ·chase [pursue; persecute] me as God does?
·Haven’t you hurt me enough [L Aren’t you satisfied with my flesh]?
23 “How I wish my words were written down,
·written [L inscribed] on a scroll.
24 I wish they were carved with an iron pen ·into [L and] lead,
or carved into stone ·forever [or as a witness; C Job wants the following statement to last].
25 I know that my ·Defender [Redeemer; or defender; redeemer; C likely referring to God himself] lives,
and ·in the end [or at last] he will ·stand upon [rise up on] the earth [L dust].
26 Even after my skin has been ·destroyed [or peeled off],
·in [from; or without] my flesh I will see God.
27 I will see him myself;
I ·myself [L and not a stranger] will see him with my very own eyes.
How my heart ·wants that to happen [L fades/faints within me]!
28 “·If [or When] you say, ‘·We will continue to trouble Job [L How should we pursue/persecute him?],
because the ·problem [L root of the matter] lies with him,’
29 you should be afraid of the sword yourselves.
·God’s anger [L Wrath] will bring punishment by the sword.
Then you will know there is judgment.”
Zophar Answers
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
2 “My ·troubled thoughts [distress; worries] cause me to ·answer [respond],
because ·I am very upset [L of the agitation within me].
3 You ·correct [instruct] me and I am ·insulted [shamed],
but ·I understand how to answer you [or a spirit beyond my understanding gives me an answer].
4 “·You [L Do you not…?] know how it has been ·for a long time [since time immemorial],
ever since ·people were first put [or he put people] on the earth.
5 The ·happiness [luxuriance; enjoyment] of evil people is brief,
and the joy of the ·wicked [L godless] lasts only a moment.
6 ·Their pride may be [L They may go] as high as the heavens,
and their heads may touch the clouds,
7 but they will ·be gone [perish] forever, like their own dung.
People who ·knew [L saw] them will say, ‘Where are they?’
8 They will fly away like a dream
and not be found again;
they will be ·chased away [put to flight] like a vision in the night.
9 ·Those who [L The eye that] saw them will not see them again;
the places where they lived will see them no more.
10 Their children will ·have to pay back [or run after] the poor,
and ·they will have to give up [L their hand will return] their wealth.
11 They had the strength of their youth in their bones,
but it will lie with them in the dust of death.
12 “Evil may taste sweet in their mouths,
and they may hide it under their tongues.
13 They ·cannot stand to [L fight/linger over it and do not] let go of it;
they ·keep it in their mouths [L hide it under their tongues].
14 But their food ·will turn sour [L turns over] in their stomachs,
like the poison of a ·snake [asp] inside them.
15 They have swallowed riches, but they will ·spit [vomit] them out;
God will make them ·vomit [disgorge] ·their riches up [L it from their bellies; Prov. 11:4; 21:6].
16 They will suck the poison of ·snakes [asps],
and the ·snake’s fangs [L viper’s tongue] will kill them.
17 They will not ·admire [L look at] ·the sparkling streams [or streams of oil]
or the rivers flowing with honey and ·cream [or butter; or curds].
18 They must give back ·what they worked for [their gains] ·without eating it [unswallowed];
they will not enjoy the ·money they made from their trading [or benefit of their reward],
19 because they ·troubled the poor and left them with nothing [L crushed and abandoned the poor].
They have ·taken [stolen] houses they did not build [Prov. 28:27; 29:7].
20 “Evil people never ·lack an appetite [L experience ease/comfort in their bellies],
and nothing ·escapes their selfishness [L they covet escapes them].
21 But nothing will be left ·for them to eat [or after they eat];
their riches will not continue.
22 When they still have plenty, ·trouble will catch up to them [L they will have distress],
and ·great misery [L all the force/hand of trouble] will come down on them.
23 When the wicked fill their stomachs,
God will send his burning anger against them,
·and blows of punishment will fall on them like rain [or raining it on them like their food].
24 The wicked may run away from an iron weapon,
but a bronze ·arrow [L bow] will ·stab [pierce] them.
25 They will pull the arrows out of their backs
and pull the points out of their ·livers [L gall bladders].
·Terrors [Dread] will come over them;
26 total darkness ·waits for their treasure [or is stored up for them].
A fire not fanned by people [C perhaps lightning] will ·destroy [L consume] them
and ·burn up [L horrible things will happen to] ·what is left of [or the survivors in] their tents.
27 The heavens will ·show [reveal] their guilt,
and the earth will rise up against them.
28 ·A flood will carry their houses away [or The possessions of their house will be taken away],
·swept away [L like the torrents] on the day of God’s anger.
29 This is ·what God plans for evil [L the lot/fate of guilty] people;
·this is what he has decided they will receive [L the inheritance decreed by God].”
Job Answers Zophar
21 Then Job answered:
2 “Listen carefully to my words [C Job feels that his previous speeches have not been heard],
and let this be ·the way you comfort me [L your consolation].
3 ·Be patient [Bear with me] while I speak.
After I have finished, you may ·continue to make fun of [ridicule; mock] me.
4 “My complaint is not just against people;
I have reason to be impatient.
5 Look at me and be ·shocked [desolated];
put your hand over your mouth in shock.
6 When I think about this [C the success of the wicked], I am terribly afraid
and ·my body shakes [L trembling seizes my flesh].
7 Why ·do evil people live a long time [L are evil people allowed to live]?
They grow old and ·become more powerful [increase in strength].
8 They see their children ·around [L established before] them;
they watch them grow up.
9 Their homes are safe and without fear;
·God does not punish them [L God’s rod is not on them].
10 Their bulls never fail to mate;
their cows ·have healthy calves [L calve and have no miscarriages].
11 They send out their ·children [infants] like a flock [C they will have many children, a sign of blessing];
their ·little ones [children] dance about.
12 They sing to the music of tambourines and ·harps [lyres],
and the sound of the flute makes them ·happy [rejoice].
13 Evil people ·enjoy successful lives [L live out their days in prosperity]
and then go ·peacefully [in tranquility] to ·the grave [L Sheol].
14 They say to God, ‘·Leave us alone [Get away from me]!
We don’t ·want [desire] to know your ways.
15 Who is ·the Almighty [Shaddai] that we should serve him?
What would we gain by ·praying to [interceding with] him?’
16 ·The success of the wicked is not their own doing [or Is not the success/prosperity of the wicked in their control/hand?].
Their ·way of thinking [plan; counsel] is ·different [far] from ·mine [or his; C that is, God’s].
17 Yet how often are the lamps of evil people ·turned off [extinguished; C the implied answer is not often; Job questions the type of teaching found in Proverbs; Prov. 24:19–20]?
How often does ·trouble [calamity] come to them [Prov. 24:21–22]?
How often ·do they suffer God’s angry punishment [L does he deal out pain in his anger]?
18 ·How often are they [or Let them be] like straw in the wind
or like chaff that is blown away by a storm [Ps. 1:4]?
19 It is said [C defenders of the idea that the wicked suffer for their sins], ‘God ·saves [stores] up a person’s ·punishment [guilt] for his children.’
But God should ·punish [pay back] the wicked themselves so they will know it.
20 Their eyes should see their own destruction,
and they should ·suffer [L drink from the] the anger of ·the Almighty [Shaddai].
21 They do not care about the families they leave behind
when their lives have come to an end.
22 “·No one [L Who…?] can teach knowledge to God;
he is the one who judges even the most ·important [exalted] people [C Job wants to teach God to punish the wicked but thinks his attempt will be futile].
23 One person dies ·while he still has all his strength [L in perfect vigor],
feeling completely safe and ·comfortable [untroubled].
24 His ·body [or pail] was ·well fed [L full of milk],
and ·his bones were strong and healthy [L the marrow of his bones were well lubricated].
25 But another person dies ·with an unhappy heart [L in bitterness],
never enjoying ·any happiness [or the good life].
26 They ·are buried next to each other [L lie down together in the dust],
and worms cover them both.
27 “I know very well your thoughts
and your ·plans [schemes] to ·wrong [hurt; do violence to] me.
28 You [C the friends] ask, ‘Where is this ·great man’s [L prince’s] house?
Where are the tents where the wicked live [C they don’t agree with Job that the wicked are rich and successful]?’
29 Have you never asked those who ·travel [L pass by on the road]?
Have you ·never listened to their stories [L not recognized their signs]?
30 On the day of ·God’s anger and punishment [L calamity; disaster],
it is the wicked who are spared.
31 Who will accuse them to their faces?
Who will pay them back for the evil they have done?
32 They are carried to their graves,
and someone keeps watch over their tombs [C a sign of a peaceful death and burial].
33 The dirt in the valley seems sweet to them.
Everybody follows after them,
and many people go before them.
34 “So how can you comfort me with this ·nonsense [empty/meaningless drivel]?
Your answers are ·only lies [or disloyal]!”
Eliphaz Answers
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 “Can anyone ·be of real use to [benefit] God?
Can even a ·wise [skilled] person ·do him good [benefit him]?
3 Does it ·help [delight; give pleasure to] ·the Almighty [Shaddai] for you to be ·good [righteous]?
·Does he gain anything [What profit is it to him] if you are ·innocent [blameless]?
4 Does God ·punish [reprimand; reprove] you for ·respecting him [L your fear; C in the sense of piety]?
Does he ·bring you into court for this [L enter into judgment with you]?
5 No! It is because your evil is ·without limits [L abundant]
and your ·sins have [guilt has] no end.
6 You ·took your brothers’ things for a debt they didn’t owe [L exacted pledges from your brothers for no reason; Ex. 21:25–27];
you took clothes from people and left them naked.
7 You did not give water to ·tired [weary] people,
and you kept food from the ·hungry [famished; starving].
8 ·You were a powerful man who [L The powerful] owned land;
·you were honored and [L the favored] lived in the land.
9 But you sent widows away empty-handed,
and you ·mistreated [L crushed the arms/strength of the] orphans.
10 That is why traps are all around you
and sudden danger frightens you.
11 That is why it is so dark you cannot see
and a flood of water covers you.
12 “·God is [L Is not God…?] in the highest part of heaven.
See how high the highest stars are [C God is even higher]!
13 But you ask, ‘What does God know?
Can he judge us through the ·dark clouds [thick darkness]?
14 Thick clouds ·cover [hide] him so he cannot see us
as he ·walks [wanders] around ·high up in the sky [L the vault/dome of heaven; C Eliphaz suspects Job denies God knows what is going on in human affairs].’
15 Are you going to ·stay on [guard] the ·old [ancient] path
where ·evil [guilty] people ·walk [tread]?
16 They were ·carried away [or bound up] before their time was up,
and their foundations were washed away by a ·flood [L river].
17 They said to God, ‘·Leave us alone [Get away from us; 21:14]!
·The Almighty can do nothing [L What can the Almighty/Shaddai do…?] to us.’
18 But ·it was God [L was it not he…?] who filled their houses with good things.
Their ·way of thinking [plan; counsel] is ·different [far] from mine [21:16].
19 “·Good [Righteous] people can watch and be glad;
the innocent can ·laugh at [mock; ridicule] them and say,
20 ‘Surely our enemies are destroyed,
and fire burns up ·their wealth [or what is left of theirs].’
21 “·Obey God [L Get along with him] and be at peace with him;
this is the way to ·happiness [or prosperity; C Eliphaz calls on Job to repent].
22 Accept ·teaching [instruction] from his mouth,
and ·keep [put] his words in your heart.
23 If you return to ·the Almighty [Shaddai], you will be ·blessed again [L restored].
So remove ·evil [iniquity] from your ·house [L tent].
24 ·Throw [Put] your gold nuggets into the dust
and ·your fine gold [L Ophir; C referring to the fine gold of the region of Ophir, perhaps southern Arabia] among the rocks in the ·ravines [wadis].
25 Then ·the Almighty [Shaddai] will be your gold
and the ·best [choice] silver for you.
26 You will ·find pleasure [delight] in ·the Almighty [Shaddai],
and you will ·look up [show favor] to him.
27 You will ·pray to [entreat] him, and he will hear you,
and you will keep your ·promises [vows; C made in anticipation of answered prayer] to him.
28 Anything you decide will be done,
and light will ·shine on [illuminate] your ways.
29 When people are made humble and you say, ‘·Have courage [or It is pride],’
then ·the humble [L those with downcast eyes] will be saved.
30 ·Even a guilty person will escape [or He rescues the innocent]
and ·be saved [or and saves you] because your hands are ·clean [pure].”
Job Answers
23 Then Job answered:
2 “My ·complaint [or speech] is still ·bitter [or rebellious] today.
·I groan because God’s heavy hand is on me [or My hand is heavy with groaning].
3 I wish I knew where to find God
so I could go to ·where he lives [L his place].
4 I would present my case before him
and fill my mouth with ·arguments [or reprimands; reproofs].
5 I would learn ·how [L the words by which] he would answer me
and would think about what he would say.
6 Would he not ·argue [present his case] ·strongly [L with great power] against me?
No, he would really listen to me.
7 ·Then [L There] an ·honest [virtuous] person could ·present his case to God [reprimand/reprove him],
and I would ·be saved [escape] forever ·by [or from] my judge.
8 “If I go to the east, God is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not ·see [perceive] him.
9 When he ·is at work [acts] in the north, I catch no ·sight [glimpse] of him;
when he ·turns to [L wraps himself up in] the south, I cannot see him.
10 But God knows the way that I take,
and when he has tested me, I will come out like gold [Ps. 139:23–24].
11 My feet have ·closely followed [L held fast to] his steps;
I have stayed in his ·way [path; Prov. 4:10–11];
I did not turn aside.
12 I have never ·left [departed from] the commands ·he has spoken [L of his lips];
I have ·treasured his words more than my own [L stored up in my bosom the speeches of his mouth].
13 “But he is ·the only God [unique].
Who can ·come against him [L turn him back]?
He does anything he wants.
14 He will do to me what he ·said he would do [has designated for me],
and he ·has [or may have] many plans like this.
15 That is why I am ·frightened [terrified] of ·him [L his presence];
when I ·think of [reflect on] this, I am ·afraid [in dread] of him.
16 God has made ·me afraid [L my heart timid];
·the Almighty [L Shaddai] terrifies me.
17 But I am not ·hidden [silenced] by the darkness,
by the thick darkness that covers my face [C though afraid, Job still seeks to set God straight].
24 “·I wish the Almighty would set a time for judging [L Why are times not kept by the Almighty/Shaddai?].
·Those who know God do [L Why do those who know God …?] not see such a day.
2 ·Wicked people [L They] ·take other people’s land [L move boundaries; C move boundary markers];
they steal flocks and ·take them to new pastures [L pasture them].
3 They chase away the orphan’s donkey
and take the widow’s ox ·when she has no money [L as a pledge; Deut. 24:6, 10–13, 17].
4 They push needy people off the path;
all the poor of the land hide from them.
5 The poor become like wild donkeys in the ·desert [wilderness]
who go about their ·job of finding food [L work].
·The desert gives them [L In the desert they forage for] food for their children.
6 They ·gather hay and straw in the fields [L reap in fields not their own]
and ·pick up leftover grapes [L glean] from the vineyard of the wicked.
7 They spend the night naked, because they have no clothes,
nothing to cover themselves in the cold.
8 They are soaked from mountain ·rains [storms]
and ·stay near [hug; embrace] the ·large rocks [cliffs] because they have no shelter.
9 The ·fatherless child [orphan] is grabbed from its mother’s breast;
they take a poor mother’s baby ·to pay for what she owes [L as a pledge; 24:3].
10 So the poor ·go [wander] around naked without any clothes;
they carry bundles of grain but still go hungry;
11 they crush olives to get oil
and grapes to get wine, but they still go thirsty.
12 Dying people groan in the city,
and the ·injured [or living dead] cry out for help,
but God ·accuses no one of doing wrong [or does not hear/react to their prayers].
13 “Those who ·fight [rebel] against the light
do not ·know [recognize] God’s ways
or stay in his paths.
14 ·When the day is over [or At the light], the murderers get up
to ·kill [slay] the poor and needy.
At night they go about like thieves [Ex. 22:2].
15 ·Those who are guilty of adultery [L The eyes of the adulterer] watch for the ·night [dusk],
thinking, ‘No ·one [L eye] will see us,’
and they keep their faces covered [Prov. 7:6–9].
16 In the dark, evil people break into houses [v. 14].
In the daytime they ·shut [seal] themselves up in their own houses,
because they ·want nothing to do with [L do not know] the light.
17 Darkness is like morning to all these evil people
who ·make friends with [L recognize] the terrors of darkness.
18 “·They [The wicked] are ·like foam floating [or like scum; L quick] on the water.
Their ·part of the land [lot; portion] is cursed;
no one ·uses the road that goes by [L turns toward] their vineyards. [C This seems to contradict Job’s contention that the wicked escape judgment. Perhaps these are his opponents’ views, or his wish.]
19 As ·heat and dryness [the desert and heat] ·quickly melt the snow [L steal away the snow waters],
so ·the grave [L Sheol] quickly takes away the sinners.
20 ·Their mothers [L The womb] forget them,
and worms ·will eat their bodies [L think they are sweet].
They will not be remembered,
so wickedness is broken in pieces like a ·stick [L tree; C perhaps by wind or lightening; Ps. 29:5–6; Ezek. 17:24].
21 These evil people ·abuse women who cannot have children [or associate with barren women]
·and show no kindness to widows [or which is not favorable to their widow].
22 But God drags away the strong by his power.
Even though they ·seem strong [L rise up], they ·do not know how long they will live [L can have no confidence in life].
23 God may ·let these evil people feel safe [give them security they can lean on],
but ·he is watching [L his eyes are on] their ways.
24 For a little while they are ·important [exalted], and then ·they die [L are no more];
they ·are laid low [or give in] and ·buried [L are gathered/drawn in] like everyone else;
they ·are cut off [or wither] like the heads of grain.
25 If this is not true, who can prove I am ·wrong [L a liar]?
Who can show that my words are worth nothing?”
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.