Bible in 90 Days
Bildad Says God Rewards the Good
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite responded,
2 “How long will you say these things,
And the (A)words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
3 Does (B)God pervert justice?
Or does [a]the Almighty pervert what is right?
4 (C)If your sons sinned against Him,
Then He turned them over to the [b]power of their wrongdoing.
5 If you will (D)search for God
And implore the compassion of [c]the Almighty,
6 If you are pure and upright,
Surely now (E)He will stir Himself for you
And restore your righteous [d](F)estate.
7 Though your beginning was insignificant,
Yet your (G)end will increase greatly.
8 “Please (H)inquire of past generations,
And consider the things searched out by their fathers.
9 For we are only of yesterday and know nothing,
Because (I)our days on earth are as a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you and tell you,
And bring forth words from their minds?
11 “Can papyrus grow tall without a marsh?
Can the rushes grow without water?
12 While it is still green and not cut down,
Yet it withers before any other [e]plant.
13 So are the paths of (J)all who forget God;
And the (K)hope of the godless will perish,
14 His confidence is fragile,
And his trust is a (L)spider’s [f]web.
15 He depends on his (M)house, but it does not stand;
He holds on to it, but it does not endure.
16 He (N)flourishes before the sun,
And his (O)shoots spread out over his garden.
17 His roots wrap around a rock pile,
He [g]grasps a house of stones.
18 If he is [h]removed from (P)his place,
Then it will deny him, saying, ‘(Q)I never saw you.’
19 Behold, (R)this is the joy of His way;
And out of the dust others will spring.
20 Behold, (S)God will not reject a person of integrity,
Nor (T)will He [i]help evildoers.
21 He will yet fill (U)your mouth with laughter,
And your lips with joyful shouting.
22 Those who hate you will be (V)clothed with shame,
And the (W)tent of the wicked will no longer exist.”
Job Says There Is No Arbitrator between God and Mankind
9 Then Job responded,
2 “In truth I know that this is so;
But how can a (X)person be in the right with God?
3 If one wished to (Y)dispute with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
4 (Z)Wise in heart and (AA)mighty in strength,
Who has [j](AB)defied Him [k]without harm?
5 (AC)It is God who removes the mountains, and they do not know how,
When He overturns them in His anger.
6 It is He who (AD)shakes the earth from its place,
And its (AE)pillars tremble;
7 Who commands the (AF)sun [l]not to shine,
And puts a seal on the stars;
8 Who alone (AG)stretches out the heavens,
And [m](AH)tramples down the waves of the sea;
9 Who makes the (AI)Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the [n](AJ)constellations of the south.
10 It is He who (AK)does great things, [o]the unfathomable,
And wondrous works without number.
11 If He were to pass by me, (AL)I would not see Him;
Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
12 If He were to snatch away, who could (AM)restrain Him?
Who could say to Him, ‘(AN)What are You doing?’
13 “God will not turn back His anger;
Beneath Him the helpers of [p](AO)Rahab cower.
14 How then can (AP)I [q]answer Him,
And choose my words [r]before Him?
15 For (AQ)though I were right, I could not [s]answer;
I would have to (AR)implore the mercy of my Judge.
16 If I called and He answered me,
I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 For He (AS)bruises me with a storm
And multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He will (AT)not allow me to get my breath,
But He saturates me with (AU)bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of power, (AV)behold, He is the strong one!
And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon [t]Him?
20 (AW)Though I am righteous, my mouth will (AX)condemn me;
Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.
21 I am (AY)guiltless;
I do not take notice of myself;
I (AZ)reject my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He (BA)destroys the guiltless and the wicked.’
23 If the whip kills suddenly,
He (BB)mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth (BC)is handed over to the wicked;
He (BD)covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, then who is it?
25 “Now (BE)my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, (BF)they see no good.
26 They slip by like (BG)reed boats,
Like an (BH)eagle that swoops on [u]its prey.
27 Though I say, ‘I will forget (BI)my complaint,
I will [v]put my face in order and be cheerful,’
28 I am (BJ)afraid of all my pains,
I know that (BK)You will not acquit me.
29 I am (BL)guilty,
Why then should I struggle in vain?
30 If I (BM)washed myself with snow,
And cleansed (BN)my hands with lye,
31 Then You would plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes would loathe me.
32 For (BO)He is not a man, as I am, that (BP)I may answer Him—
That we may go to [w]court together!
33 There is no (BQ)arbitrator between us,
Who can place his hand upon us both.
34 Let Him (BR)remove His rod from me,
And let not the dread of Him terrify me.
35 Then I (BS)would speak and not fear Him;
But I am not like that in myself.
Job Despairs of God’s Dealings
10 “[x](BT)I am disgusted with my own life;
I will express (BU)my complaint freely;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, ‘(BV)Do not condemn me;
Let me know why You contend with me.
3 Is it [y]right for You indeed to (BW)oppress,
To reject (BX)the work of Your hands,
And [z]to look favorably on (BY)the plan of the wicked?
4 Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or do You (BZ)see as mankind sees?
5 Are Your days like the days of a mortal,
Or (CA)Your years like a man’s year,
6 That (CB)You should search for my guilt
And carefully seek my sin?
7 According to Your knowledge (CC)I am indeed not guilty,
Yet there is (CD)no one to save me from Your hand.
8 ‘(CE)Your hands fashioned and made me [aa]altogether,
(CF)Yet would You destroy me?
9 Remember that You have made me as (CG)clay;
Yet would You (CH)turn me into dust again?
10 Did You not pour me out like milk,
And curdle me like cheese,
11 Clothe me with skin and flesh,
And intertwine me with bones and tendons?
12 You have (CI)granted me life and [ab]goodness;
And Your care has guarded my spirit.
13 Yet You have concealed (CJ)these things in Your heart;
I know that this is within You:
14 If I have sinned, You will (CK)take note of me,
And (CL)will not acquit me of my guilt.
15 If (CM)I am wicked, woe to me!
But if (CN)I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head.
I am full of shame, and [ac]conscious of my misery.
16 And should my head be high, (CO)You would hunt me like a lion;
And You would show Your (CP)power against me again.
17 You renew (CQ)Your witnesses against me
And increase Your anger toward me;
[ad](CR)Hardship after hardship is with me.
18 ‘(CS)Why then did You bring me out of the womb?
If only I had died and no eye had seen me!
19 I should have been as though I had not been,
Brought from womb to tomb.’
20 Would He not leave (CT)my few days alone?
[ae](CU)Withdraw from me so that I may have a little cheerfulness
21 Before I go—(CV)and I shall not return—
(CW)To the land of darkness and (CX)deep shadow,
22 The land of utter gloom like darkness itself,
Of deep shadow without order,
And it shines like darkness.”
Zophar Rebukes Job
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,
2 “Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,
And a (CY)talkative man be acquitted?
3 Shall your boasts silence people?
And will you (CZ)scoff, and no one rebuke?
4 For (DA)you have said, ‘My teaching is pure,
And (DB)I am innocent in your eyes.’
5 But if only God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
6 And show you the secrets of wisdom!
For sound wisdom [af](DC)has two sides.
Know then that God [ag]forgets part of (DD)your guilt.
7 “(DE)Can you discover the depths of God?
Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are as (DF)high as [ah]the heavens; what can you do?
Deeper than [ai](DG)Sheol; what can you know?
9 Its measurement is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10 If He passes by or apprehends people,
Or calls an assembly, (DH)who can restrain Him?
11 For (DI)He knows false people,
And He (DJ)sees injustice [aj]without investigating.
12 [ak](DK)An idiot will become intelligent
When a (DL)wild donkey is born a human.
13 “(DM)If you would (DN)direct your heart rightly
And (DO)spread out your hands to Him,
14 If wrongdoing is in your hand, (DP)put it far away,
And do not let malice dwell in your tents;
15 Then, indeed, you could (DQ)lift up your face without moral blemish,
And you would be firmly established and (DR)not fear.
16 For you would (DS)forget your trouble;
Like (DT)waters that have passed by, you would remember it.
17 Your [al]life would [am]be (DU)brighter than noonday;
Darkness would be like the morning.
18 Then you would trust, because there is hope;
And you would look around and rest securely.
19 You would (DV)lie down and none would disturb you,
And many would [an](DW)flatter you.
20 But the (DX)eyes of the wicked will fail,
And [ao]there will (DY)be no escape for them;
And their (DZ)hope is [ap](EA)to breathe their last.”
Job Chides His Accusers
12 Then Job responded,
2 “Truly then (EB)you are the people,
And with you wisdom will die!
3 But (EC)I have intelligence as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
And [aq]who does not know such things as these?
4 I am a (ED)joke to [ar]my friends,
The one who called on God and He answered him;
The just and (EE)blameless man is a joke.
5 [as]He who is at ease holds disaster in contempt,
As prepared for those whose feet slip.
6 The (EF)tents of the destroyers prosper,
And those who provoke God (EG)are secure,
[at]Whom God brings (EH)into their power.
7 “But just ask the animals, and have them teach you;
And the birds of the sky, and have them tell you.
8 Or speak to the earth, and have it teach you;
And have the fish of the sea tell you.
9 Who among all these does not know
That (EI)the hand of the Lord has done this,
10 (EJ)In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And (EK)the breath of all mankind?
11 Does (EL)the ear not put words to the test,
As the palate [au]tastes its food?
12 Wisdom is with the (EM)aged,
And with [av]long life comes understanding.
Job Speaks of the Power of God
13 “(EN)Wisdom and (EO)might are with Him;
Advice and (EP)understanding belong to Him.
14 Behold, He (EQ)tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt;
He [aw](ER)imprisons a person, and [ax]there is no release.
15 Behold, He (ES)restrains the waters, and they dry up;
And He (ET)sends them out, and they [ay]inundate the earth.
16 Strength and sound wisdom are with Him.
One who (EU)goes astray and one who leads astray belong to Him.
17 He makes (EV)advisers walk [az]barefoot
And makes fools of (EW)judges.
18 He (EX)undoes the binding of kings,
And ties a loincloth around their waist.
19 He makes priests walk [ba]barefoot,
And overthrows (EY)the secure ones.
20 He deprives the trusted ones of speech,
And (EZ)takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 He (FA)pours contempt on nobles,
And (FB)loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He (FC)reveals mysteries from the darkness,
And brings the deep darkness into light.
23 He (FD)makes the nations great, then destroys them;
He [bb]enlarges the nations, then leads them away.
24 He (FE)deprives the leaders of the earth’s people of [bc]intelligence
And makes them wander in a pathless wasteland.
25 They (FF)grope in darkness with no light,
And He makes them (FG)stagger like a drunken person.
Job Says His Friends’ Proverbs Are Ashes
13 “(FH)Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2 (FI)What you know I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 “But (FJ)I would speak to [bd]the Almighty,
And I desire to (FK)argue with God.
4 But you (FL)smear me with lies;
You are all (FM)worthless physicians.
5 Oh that you would (FN)be completely silent,
And that it would become your wisdom!
6 Please hear my argument,
And give your attention to the contentions of my lips.
7 Will you (FO)speak what is unjust for God,
And speak what is deceitful for Him?
8 Will you (FP)show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9 Will it go well when He examines you?
Or (FQ)will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
10 He will certainly punish you
If you secretly (FR)show partiality.
11 Will (FS)His [be]majesty not terrify you,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated
13 “(FT)Be silent before me so that I may speak;
Then let come upon me what may.
14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth,
And (FU)put my life in my [bf]hands?
15 (FV)Though He slay me,
I will [bg]hope in Him.
Nevertheless I (FW)will argue my ways [bh]before Him.
16 This also will be my (FX)salvation,
For (FY)a godless person cannot come before His presence.
17 Listen carefully to my speech,
And let my declaration fill your ears.
18 Behold now, I have (FZ)prepared my case;
I know that (GA)I will be vindicated.
19 (GB)Who could contend with me?
For then I would be silent and (GC)die.
20 “Only two things I ask that You do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:
21 (GD)Remove Your [bi]hand from me,
And may the dread of You not terrify me.
22 Then call and (GE)I will answer;
Or let me speak, then reply to me.
23 (GF)How many are my guilty deeds and sins?
Make known to me my wrongdoing and my sin.
24 Why do You (GG)hide Your face
And consider me (GH)Your enemy?
25 Will You scare away a (GI)scattered leaf?
Or will You pursue the dry (GJ)chaff?
26 For You write (GK)bitter things against me
And (GL)make me inherit the guilty deeds of my youth.
27 You (GM)put my feet in the stocks
And watch all my paths;
You [bj]set a limit for the soles of my feet,
28 While [bk]I am decaying like a (GN)rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
Job Speaks of the Finality of Death
14 “(GO)Man, who is born of woman,
Is [bl]short-lived and (GP)full of turmoil.
2 (GQ)Like a flower he comes out and withers.
He also flees like (GR)a shadow and does not remain.
3 You also (GS)open Your eyes on him
And (GT)bring [bm]him into judgment with Yourself.
4 (GU)Who can make the clean out of the unclean?
No one!
5 Since his days are determined,
The (GV)number of his months is with You;
And You have [bn]set his limits so that he cannot pass.
6 (GW)Look away from him so that he may [bo]rest,
Until he [bp]fulfills his day like a hired worker.
7 “For there is hope for a tree,
When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And its shoots will not [bq]fail.
8 Though its roots grow old in the ground,
And its stump dies in the dry soil,
9 At the scent of water it will flourish
And produce sprigs like a plant.
10 But (GX)a man dies and lies prostrate.
A person (GY)passes away, and where is he?
11 As (GZ)water [br]evaporates from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dried up,
12 So (HA)a man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens no longer exist,
[bs]He will not awake nor be woken from [bt]his sleep.
13 “Oh that You would hide me in [bu]Sheol,
That You would conceal me (HB)until Your wrath returns to You,
That You would set a limit for me and remember me!
14 If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my struggle I will wait
Until my relief comes.
15 You will call, and I will answer You;
You will long for (HC)the work of Your hands.
16 For now You (HD)number my steps,
You do not (HE)observe my sin.
17 My wrongdoing is (HF)sealed up in a bag,
And You cover over my [bv]guilt.
18 “But the falling mountain [bw]crumbles away,
And the rock moves from its place;
19 Water wears away stones,
Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth;
So You (HG)destroy a man’s hope.
20 You forever overpower him and he (HH)departs;
You change his appearance and send him away.
21 His sons achieve honor, but (HI)he does not know it;
Or they become insignificant, and he does not perceive it.
22 However, his [bx]body pains him,
And his soul mourns for himself.”
Eliphaz Says Job Presumes Much
15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,
2 “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge,
(HJ)And fill [by]himself with the east wind?
3 Should he argue with useless talk,
Or with words which do not benefit?
4 Indeed, you do away with [bz]reverence,
And hinder meditation before God.
5 For (HK)your wrongdoing teaches your mouth,
And you choose the language of (HL)the cunning.
6 Your (HM)own mouth condemns you, and not I;
And your own lips testify against you.
7 “Were you the first person to be born,
Or (HN)were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Do you hear the (HO)secret discussion of God,
And limit wisdom to yourself?
9 (HP)What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that [ca]we do not?
10 Both the (HQ)gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Older than your father.
11 Are (HR)the consolations of God too little for you,
Or the (HS)word spoken gently to you?
12 Why does your (HT)heart take you away?
And why do your eyes wink,
13 That you can turn your spirit against God
And produce such words from your mouth?
14 What is man, that (HU)he would be pure,
Or (HV)he who is born of a woman, that he would be righteous?
15 Behold, He has no trust in His (HW)holy ones,
And the (HX)heavens are not pure in His sight;
16 How much less one who is (HY)detestable and corrupt:
A person who (HZ)drinks [cb]malice like water!
What Eliphaz Has Seen of Life
17 “I will tell you, listen to me;
And what I have seen I will also declare;
18 What wise people have told,
And have not concealed from (IA)their fathers,
19 To whom alone the land was given,
And no stranger passed among them.
20 The wicked person writhes (IB)in pain all his days,
And the [cc]years (IC)reserved for the ruthless are numbered.
21 [cd]Sounds of (ID)terror are in his ears;
(IE)While he is at peace the destroyer comes upon him.
22 He does not believe that he will (IF)return from darkness,
And he is destined for (IG)the sword.
23 He wanders about for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows that a day of (IH)darkness is [ce]at hand.
24 Distress and anguish terrify him,
They overpower him like a king ready for the attack,
25 Because he has reached out with his hand against God,
And is (II)arrogant toward [cf]the Almighty.
26 He rushes [cg]headlong at Him
With his [ch]massive shield.
27 For he has (IJ)covered his face with his fat,
And [ci]put fat on his waist.
28 He has (IK)lived in desolate cities,
In houses no one would inhabit,
Which are destined to become [cj]ruins.
29 He (IL)will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure;
And his property will not stretch out on the earth.
30 He will (IM)not [ck]escape from darkness;
The (IN)flame will dry up his shoot,
And he will go away by (IO)the breath of His mouth.
31 Let him not (IP)trust in emptiness, deceiving himself;
For his [cl]reward will be emptiness.
32 It will be accomplished (IQ)before his time,
And his palm (IR)branch will not be green.
33 He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine,
And will (IS)cast off his flower like the olive tree.
34 For the company of (IT)the godless is barren,
And fire consumes (IU)the tents of [cm]the corrupt.
35 They (IV)conceive [cn]harm and give birth to wrongdoing,
And their [co]mind prepares deception.”
Job Says Friends Are Miserable Comforters
16 Then Job responded,
2 “I have heard many things like these;
[cp](IW)Miserable comforters are you all!
3 Is there no end to (IX)windy words?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I too could speak like you,
If only [cq]I were in your place.
I could compose words against you
And (IY)shake my head at you.
5 Or I could strengthen you with my mouth,
And the condolence of my lips could lessen your pain.
Job Says God Shattered Him
6 “If I speak, (IZ)my pain is not lessened,
And if I refrain, what pain leaves me?
7 But now He has (JA)exhausted me;
You have laid (JB)waste all my group of loved ones.
8 And you have shriveled me up,
[cr](JC)It has become a witness;
And my (JD)infirmity rises up against me,
It testifies to my face.
9 His anger has (JE)torn me and [cs]hunted me down,
He has (JF)gnashed at me with His teeth;
My (JG)enemy [ct]glares at me.
10 They have (JH)gaped at me with their mouths,
They have [cu](JI)slapped me on the cheek with contempt;
They have (JJ)massed themselves against me.
11 God hands me over to criminals,
And tosses me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but (JK)He shattered me,
And He has grasped me by my neck and shaken me to pieces;
He has also set me up as His (JL)target.
13 His (JM)arrows surround me.
He splits my kidneys open without mercy;
He pours out (JN)my bile on the ground.
14 He (JO)breaks through me with breach after breach;
He (JP)runs at me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed (JQ)sackcloth over my skin,
And (JR)thrust my horn in the dust.
16 My face is flushed from (JS)weeping,
(JT)And deep darkness is on my eyelids,
17 Although there is no (JU)violence in my hands,
And (JV)my prayer is pure.
18 “Earth, do not cover my blood,
And may there be no resting place for my cry.
19 Even now, behold, (JW)my witness is in heaven,
And my [cv]advocate is (JX)on high.
20 My friends are my scoffers;
(JY)My eye weeps to God,
21 That one might plead for a man with God
As a son of man with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years are past,
I shall go the way (JZ)of no return.
Job Says He Has Become a Proverb
17 “My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished,
The [cw](KA)grave is ready for me.
2 (KB)Mockers are certainly with me,
And my eye [cx]gazes on their provocation.
3 “Make a pledge (KC)for me with Yourself;
Who is there that will [cy]be my guarantor?
4 For You have [cz](KD)kept their hearts away from understanding;
Therefore You will not exalt them.
5 He who (KE)informs against friends for a share of the spoils,
The (KF)eyes of his children also will perish.
6 “But He has made me a (KG)proverb among the people,
And I am [da]one at whom people (KH)spit.
7 My eye has also become (KI)inexpressive because of grief,
And all my (KJ)body parts are like a shadow.
8 The upright will be appalled at this,
And the (KK)innocent will stir himself up against the godless.
9 Nevertheless (KL)the righteous will hold to his way,
And (KM)the one who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
10 But come again all of [db]you now,
For I (KN)do not find a wise man among you.
11 My (KO)days are past, my plans are torn apart,
The wishes of my heart.
12 They make night into day, saying,
‘The light is near,’ in the presence of darkness.
13 If I hope for [dc](KP)Sheol as my home,
I [dd]make my bed in the darkness;
14 If I call to the (KQ)grave, ‘You are my father’;
To the (KR)maggot, ‘my mother and my sister’;
15 Where then is (KS)my hope?
And who looks at my hope?
16 [de]Will it go down with me to Sheol?
Shall we together (KT)go down into the dust?”
Bildad Speaks of the Wicked
18 Then Bildad the Shuhite responded,
2 “How long will you hunt for words?
Show understanding, and then we can talk.
3 Why are we (KU)regarded as animals,
As stupid in your eyes?
4 [df]You who tear yourself in your anger—
Should the earth be abandoned for your sake,
Or the rock moved from its place?
5 “Indeed, the (KV)light of the wicked goes out,
And the spark from his fire does not shine.
6 The light in his tent is (KW)darkened,
And his lamp goes out above him.
7 His [dg]vigorous stride is shortened,
And his (KX)own plan brings him down.
8 For he is (KY)thrown into the net by his own feet,
And he steps on the webbing.
9 A snare seizes him by the heel,
And a trap snaps shut on him.
10 A noose for him is hidden in the ground,
And a trap for him on the pathway.
11 All around (KZ)sudden terrors frighten him,
And (LA)harass him at every step.
12 His strength is (LB)famished,
And disaster is ready at his side.
13 [dh]It devours parts of his skin,
The firstborn of death (LC)devours his [di]limbs.
14 He is (LD)torn from [dj]the security of his tent,
And [dk]they march him before the king of (LE)terrors.
15 [dl]Nothing of his dwells in his tent;
(LF)Brimstone is scattered on his home.
16 His (LG)roots are dried below,
And his (LH)branch withers above.
17 (LI)The memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name abroad.
18 [dm]He is driven from light (LJ)into darkness,
And (LK)chased from the inhabited world.
19 He has no (LL)offspring or descendants among his people,
Nor any survivor where he resided.
20 Those in the west are appalled at (LM)his [dn]fate,
And those in the east are seized with horror.
21 Certainly these are the (LN)dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who does not know God.”
Job Feels Insulted
19 Then Job responded,
2 “How long will you torment [do]me
And crush me with words?
3 These ten times you have insulted me;
You are not ashamed to wrong me.
4 Even if I have truly done wrong,
My error stays with me.
5 If indeed you (LO)exalt yourselves against me
And prove my disgrace to me,
6 Know then that (LP)God has wronged me
And has surrounded me with (LQ)His net.
Everything Is Against Him
7 “Behold, (LR)I cry, ‘Violence!’ but I get no answer;
I shout for help, but there is no justice.
8 He has (LS)blocked my way so that I cannot pass,
And He has put (LT)darkness on my paths.
9 He has (LU)stripped my honor from me
And removed the (LV)crown from my head.
10 He (LW)breaks me down on every side, and I am gone;
And He has uprooted my (LX)hope (LY)like a tree.
11 He has also (LZ)kindled His anger against me
And (MA)considered me as His enemy.
12 His (MB)troops come together
And (MC)build up their [dp]way against me
And camp around my tent.
13 “He has (MD)removed my brothers far from me,
And my (ME)acquaintances have completely turned away from me.
14 My relatives have failed,
And my (MF)close friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who live in my house and my servant women consider me a stranger.
I am a foreigner in their sight.
16 I call to my servant, but he does not answer;
I have to implore his favor with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife,
And I am loathsome to my own brothers.
18 Even young children despise me;
I stand up and they speak against me.
19 All [dq]my (MG)associates loathe me,
And those I love have turned against me.
20 My (MH)bone clings to my skin and my flesh,
And I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.
21 Pity me, pity me, you friends of mine,
For the (MI)hand of God has struck me.
22 Why do you (MJ)persecute me as God does,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?
Job Says My Redeemer Lives
23 “Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were (MK)recorded in a book!
24 That with an iron stylus and lead
They were engraved in the rock forever!
25 Yet as for me, I know that (ML)my Redeemer lives,
And at the last, He will take His stand on the [dr]earth.
26 Even after my skin [ds]is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I will (MM)see God,
27 Whom I, on my part, shall behold for myself,
And whom my eyes will see, and not another.
My [dt]heart (MN)faints [du]within me!
28 If you say, ‘How shall we (MO)persecute him?’
And ‘[dv]What pretext for a case against him can we find?’
29 Then be afraid of (MP)the sword for yourselves,
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
So that you may know (MQ)there is judgment.”
Zophar Says the Rejoicing of the Wicked Is Short
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,
2 “Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me [dw]respond,
Even because of my [dx]inward agitation.
3 I listened to (MR)the reprimand which insults me,
And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
4 Do you know this from (MS)ancient times,
From the establishment of mankind on earth,
5 That the (MT)rejoicing of the wicked is short,
And (MU)the joy of the godless momentary?
6 Though his arrogance [dy](MV)reaches the heavens,
And his head touches the clouds,
7 He (MW)perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him (MX)will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 He flies away like a (MY)dream, and they cannot find him;
Like a vision of the night he is (MZ)chased away.
9 The (NA)eye which saw him sees him no longer,
And (NB)his place no longer beholds him.
10 His (NC)sons [dz]favor the poor,
And his hands (ND)give back his wealth.
11 His (NE)bones are full of his youthful strength,
But it lies down with him [ea]in the dust.
12 “Though (NF)evil tastes sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he [eb]desires it and will not let it go,
But holds it (NG)in his [ec]mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach is changed
To the [ed]venom of cobras within him.
15 He swallows riches,
But will (NH)vomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.
16 He sucks (NI)the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue kills him.
17 He does not look at (NJ)the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
18 He (NK)returns the product of his labor
And cannot swallow it;
As to the riches of his trading,
He cannot even enjoy them.
19 For he has (NL)oppressed and neglected the poor;
He has seized a house which he has not built.
20 “Because he knew no quiet [ee]within him,
He does (NM)not retain anything he desires.
21 Nothing remains [ef]for him to devour,
Therefore (NN)his prosperity does not endure.
22 In the fullness of his excess he will be cramped;
The (NO)hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.
23 When he (NP)fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And (NQ)rain it on him [eg]while he is eating.
24 He may (NR)flee from the iron weapon,
But the bronze bow will pierce him.
25 It is drawn and comes out of his back,
Even the flashing point from (NS)his gallbladder;
(NT)Terrors come upon him,
26 Complete (NU)darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,
And unfanned (NV)fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.
27 The (NW)heavens will reveal his guilt,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 The (NX)increase of his house will disappear;
His possessions will flow away (NY)on the day of His anger.
29 This is a wicked person’s (NZ)portion from God,
The inheritance decreed to him by God.”
Job Says God Will Deal with the Wicked
21 Then Job responded,
2 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your way of consolation.
3 Bear with me that I may speak;
Then after I have spoken, you may (OA)mock me.
4 As for me, is (OB)my complaint [eh]to a mortal?
Or (OC)why should [ei]I not be impatient?
5 Look at me, and be astonished,
And (OD)put your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember, I am disturbed,
And (OE)horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 Why (OF)do the wicked still live,
Grow old, and also become very [ej](OG)powerful?
8 Their [ek](OH)descendants endure with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes,
9 Their houses (OI)are safe from fear,
And the [el]rod of God is not on them.
10 His ox mates [em]without fail;
His cow calves and does not miscarry.
11 They send out their boys like the flock,
And their children dance.
12 They [en]sing with the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
13 They (OJ)spend their days in prosperity,
And [eo]suddenly they go down to [ep]Sheol.
14 Yet they say to God, ‘(OK)Go away from us!
We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 [eq]Who is [er]the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
And (OL)what would we gain if we plead with Him?’
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;
The (OM)advice of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is (ON)the lamp of the wicked put out,
Or does their (OO)disaster fall on them?
Does [es]God apportion destruction in His anger?
18 Are they as (OP)straw before the wind,
And like (OQ)chaff which the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘(OR)God saves up [et]a person’s [eu]wrongdoing for his sons.’
Let [ev]God repay him so that he may know it.
20 Let his (OS)own eyes see his destruction,
And let him (OT)drink of the wrath of [ew]the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household [ex]after him,
When the number of his months is at an end?
22 Can anyone (OU)teach God knowledge,
In that He (OV)judges those on high?
23 One (OW)dies in his full strength,
Being wholly undisturbed and at ease;
24 His [ey]sides are filled with fat,
And the (OX)marrow of his bones is wet,
25 While another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even [ez]tasting anything good.
26 Together they (OY)lie down in the dust,
And (OZ)maggots cover them.
27 “Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the plots you devise against me.
28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of (PA)the nobleman,
And where is the (PB)tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked travelers,
And do you not examine their [fa]evidence?
30 For the (PC)wicked person is spared [fb]a day of disaster;
They [fc]are led away from (PD)a day of fury.
31 Who [fd]confronts him with his actions,
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 When he is carried to the grave,
People will keep watch over his tomb.
33 The (PE)clods of the valley will [fe]gently cover him;
Moreover, (PF)all mankind will [ff]follow after him,
While countless others go before him.
34 So how dare you give me empty (PG)comfort?
For your answers remain nothing but falsehood!”
Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,
2 “Can a strong (PH)man be of use to God,
Or a wise one be useful to himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to [fg]the Almighty if you are righteous,
Or gain if you make your ways blameless?
4 Is it because of your [fh]reverence that He punishes you,
That He (PI)enters into judgment against you?
5 Is (PJ)your wickedness not abundant,
And is there no end to your guilty deeds?
6 For you have (PK)seized pledges from your brothers without cause,
And [fi](PL)stripped people naked.
7 You have (PM)given the weary no water to drink,
And you have (PN)withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But the earth (PO)belongs to the (PP)powerful man,
And (PQ)the one who is honorable dwells on it.
9 You have sent (PR)widows away empty,
And the [fj]strength of (PS)orphans has been crushed.
10 Therefore (PT)traps surround you,
And sudden (PU)dread terrifies you,
11 Or (PV)darkness, so that you cannot see,
And a (PW)flood of water covers you.
12 “Is God not (PX)in the height of heaven?
Look also at the [fk]highest stars, how high they are!
13 But you say, ‘(PY)What does God know?
Can He judge through the thick darkness?
14 (PZ)Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;
And He walks on the [fl]vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the ancient path
Which (QA)wicked people have walked,
16 Who were snatched away (QB)before their time,
Whose (QC)foundations were [fm]washed away by a river?
17 They (QD)said to God, ‘Go away from us!’
And ‘What can [fn]the Almighty do to them?’
18 Yet He (QE)filled their houses with good things;
But (QF)the advice of the wicked is far from me.
19 The (QG)righteous see and are glad,
And the innocent mock them, saying,
20 ‘Truly our enemies are eliminated,
And (QH)fire has consumed their [fo]abundance.’
21 “(QI)Be reconciled with Him, and be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Please receive [fp](QJ)instruction from His mouth,
And put His words in your heart.
23 If you (QK)return to [fq]the Almighty, you will be [fr]restored;
If you (QL)remove injustice far from your tent,
24 And (QM)put your [fs]gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 Then [ft]the Almighty will be your [fu]gold
And abundant silver to you.
26 For then you will (QN)take pleasure in [fv]the Almighty
And lift up your face to God.
27 You will (QO)pray to Him, and (QP)He will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also decide something, and it will be established for you;
And (QQ)light will shine on your ways.
29 When [fw]they have brought you low, you will speak with [fx]confidence,
And He will save the [fy](QR)humble person.
30 He will rescue one who is not innocent,
And he will be (QS)rescued due to the cleanness of your hands.”
Job Says He Longs for God
23 Then Job responded,
2 “Even today my (QT)complaint is rebellion;
[fz]His hand is (QU)heavy despite my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew how to find Him,
That I might come to His home!
4 I would (QV)present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn the words which He would [ga]answer,
And perceive what He would tell me.
6 Would He contend with me by (QW)the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.
7 There the upright would (QX)argue with Him;
And I [gb]would be (QY)free of my Judge forever.
8 “Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I (QZ)cannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him;
He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him.
10 But He knows the [gc]way I take;
When He has (RA)put me to the test, I will come out as gold.
11 My foot has (RB)held on to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not [gd]failed the command of His lips;
I have treasured the (RC)words of His mouth [ge]more than my [gf]necessary food.
13 But He is unique, and who can [gg]make Him turn?
Whatever His soul desires, He does it.
14 For He carries out what is destined for me,
And many such destinies are with Him.
15 Therefore, I would be terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am frightened of Him.
16 It is God who has made my (RD)heart faint,
And the Almighty who has terrified me,
17 But I (RE)am not destroyed by darkness,
Nor by (RF)deep gloom which covers me.
Job Says God Seems to Ignore Wrongs
24 “(RG)Why are [gh]times not stored up by the Almighty,
And why do those who know Him not see (RH)His [gi]days?
2 People (RI)remove landmarks;
They seize and [gj]devour flocks.
3 They drive away the donkeys of (RJ)orphans;
They seize the (RK)widow’s ox as a pledge.
4 They push (RL)the needy aside from the road;
The (RM)poor of the land have to hide themselves together.
5 Behold, like (RN)wild donkeys in the wilderness
They (RO)go out scavenging for food in their activity,
As [gk]bread for their children in the desert.
6 They harvest their feed in the field
And glean the vineyard of the wicked.
7 (RP)They spend the night naked, without clothing,
And have no covering against the cold.
8 They are wet from the mountain rains,
And they hug the rock for lack of a shelter.
9 Others snatch an (RQ)orphan from the breast,
And they seize it as a pledge against the poor.
10 The poor move about naked without clothing,
And they carry sheaves, while going hungry.
11 Within the walls they produce oil;
They tread wine presses but go thirsty.
12 From the city people groan,
And the souls of the wounded cry for help;
Yet God (RR)does not pay attention to the offensiveness.
13 “[gl]Others have been with those who rebel against the light;
They do not want to know its ways
Nor stay in its paths.
14 The murderer (RS)arises at dawn;
He (RT)kills the poor and the needy,
And at night he is like a thief.
15 The eye of the (RU)adulterer watches for [gm]twilight,
Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’
And he [gn]disguises his face.
16 In the darkness they (RV)dig into houses,
They (RW)shut themselves up by day;
They do not know the light.
17 For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness,
For he is familiar with the (RX)terrors of thick darkness.
18 “They are [go](RY)insignificant on the surface of the water;
Their plot of land on the earth is (RZ)cursed.
They do not turn [gp]toward the (SA)vineyards.
19 Dryness and heat (SB)snatch away the snow waters,
As [gq](SC)Sheol snatches those who have sinned.
20 A [gr](SD)mother will forget him;
The (SE)maggot feeds sweetly until he is (SF)no longer remembered.
And injustice will be broken (SG)like a tree.
21 He wrongs the [gs]infertile woman,
And does no good for (SH)the widow.
22 But He drags off the mighty by (SI)His power;
He rises, but (SJ)no one has assurance of life.
23 He provides them (SK)with security, and they are supported;
And His (SL)eyes are on their ways.
24 They are exalted a (SM)little while, then they are gone;
Moreover, they are (SN)brought low, and like everything they are gathered up;
Like the heads of grain they wither.
25 Now if it is not so, (SO)who can prove me a liar,
And make my speech worthless?”
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