Chronological
Job Asks God to Acquit Him
10 “I am disgusted with living,
so I’m going to talk about my complaint freely.
I’ll speak out from the bitterness of my soul.
2 I’ll say to God,
‘Don’t condemn me!
Let me know why you are fighting me.
3 Does it delight you to oppress
or despise what you have made,
while you smile at the plans of the wicked?[a]
4 Do you have eyes made of flesh?
Can you look at things as humans do?
5 Can you live only as long as a human being?
Or live the years[b] of a mortal man?
6 “‘For you seek out my iniquity
and search for my sin.
7 Although you know that I’m not guilty,
there’s no one to deliver me from you![c]
8 Your hands formed and fashioned me,
but then you have destroyed me all at once on all sides.
9 “‘Please remember that you’ve made me like clay
and you’ll return me to dust.
10 Didn’t you pour me out like milk
and let me congeal like cheese?
11 You covered me with skin and flesh,
weaving me together with bones and sinews.
12 You gave life and gracious love to me;
your providential care has preserved my spirit.
13 But you’ve hidden these things in your heart—
I know this was your purpose:[d]
14 If I sin, you watch me
and won’t acquit me for my iniquity.
15 “‘Woe to me if I’m guilty!
If I’m innocent, I cannot lift my head,
because I am filled with disgrace.
Look at my affliction!
16 But if I do lift up my head,
you will hunt me like a lion!
You will perform miracles in order to fight against me.
17 “‘You have brought new witnesses against me,
you’re even more angry with me—
you’ve brought fresh troops to attack me!
18 So why did you bring me out from the womb?
I wish I had died, before anyone had seen me,
19 as if I had never existed;
carried from the womb to the grave.
20 My days are so few, aren’t they?
So leave me alone, then,
so I can smile a little
21 before I go, never to return,
leaving for the land of deep darkness and shadow.
22 It’s a gloomy land, like deepest darkness;
where there’s no order,
and where even[e] the brightness is like darkness.’”
Zophar Accuses Job
11 Zophar from Naamath had this to say:
2 “Shouldn’t a multitude of words be answered,
or a person who talks too much[f] be vindicated?
3 Will your irrational babble silence people,
and when you mock them,
will you escape without being shamed?[g]
4 You’ve said, ‘My teaching is flawless;
I’m clean[h] in God’s[i] sight.’
5 “But what if God were to speak?
What if he were[j] to talk[k] with you,
6 and disclose his wise secrets?
After all, there’s so much more[l] to understanding.
So be aware that God will exact from you
less than your sin deserves.”
God’s Wisdom is Unfathomable
7 “Can you search through God’s complex things?
Can you uncover the limits of the Almighty?
8 These things are higher than the heavens,
so what can you do?
They are deeper than Sheol,[m]
so what can you know?
9 They are longer than the earth’s circumference,[n]
and broader than the ocean.
10 “If he bypasses, or imprisons, or convenes a court,[o]
who can stop[p] him?
11 For he knows mankind’s[q] deceitfulness;
when he sees iniquity, won’t he himself consider it?
12 An empty-headed person will gain understanding
when a wild donkey is born a human being!”
Zophar Counsels Job to Repent
13 “Now for you, if you will prepare your heart,
spread out your hands to him.
14 If you have any iniquity, throw it far away.
Don’t let evil[r] live in your residence.[s]
15 Then your confidence will be flawless,
and your security will keep you from terror.
16 You’ll forget your suffering;
you’ll remember it like water that has evaporated.[t]
17 Your life will be brighter than noonday.
Even its darkness will be like dawn.
18 You’ll be secure, because there is hope;
you’ll see that you’re at rest and safe.
19 When you sleep, there’ll be nothing to fear;
and many will court your favor.[u]
20 But what the wicked look for will fail;
their way of escape will be taken away[v] from them;
their only hope is to take their final breath.”[w]
Job Responds to Zophar
12 In response Job replied:
2 “Truly, you are the people
and wisdom will die with you!
3 Like you, I also have understanding.[x]
I’m not inferior to you;
who doesn’t know things[y] like this?”
Job Has Become a Laughingstock
4 “I’m a laughingstock to my friends,
someone[z] who called on God.
But then he answered this upright and blameless man,
and I have become[aa] a laughingstock.
5 The carefree are thinking, ‘I have contempt for misfortune,’
Those who are about to stumble deserve it.
6 The tents of robbers are at rest,
and those who provoke God are secure,
that is, those who carry their god in their pocket.[ab]
Wisdom Can Be Found in God’s Creation
7 “Ask the wild animals, and they’ll teach you;
the birds of the sky will tell you.
8 Or ask the green plants of the earth and they’ll teach you;
let the fish in the sea tell you.
9 Who among all of these doesn’t know
that the Lord’s hand made them,[ac]
10 and that the life of every living thing[ad] rests in his control,
along with the breath of every living human being?
11 The ear scrutinizes speech
just as the palate tastes food.”
God is the All-Wise and All-Powerful Creator
12 “Wisdom may be found in the company of the aged.
Understanding comes[ae] with longevity.
13 With God[af] is wisdom and strength;
counsel and understanding belongs to him.
14 When he tears down, nobody rebuilds;
when[ag] he incarcerates, nobody escapes.
15 When he withholds water, rivers[ah] dry up;
when he lets them loose, they’ll flood[ai] the land.
16 “With God[aj] are strength and sound wisdom;
both the deceived and those who deceive are responsible to him.[ak]
17 He leads counselors away naked;
he turns judges into fools.
18 He strips away the authority of kings to punish
and puts them in prison clothes instead.
19 He leads away the priests naked
and overthrows the ruling class.[al]
20 He keeps reliable advisors from speaking,[am]
and removes discernment from elders.
21 He pours contempt on nobles
and embarrasses[an] the mighty.
22 He uncovers the hidden dimensions from darkness,
bringing what is in deep shadow to light.
23 He makes nations great, and then destroys them;
he enlarges nations, but then sends them away to captivity.[ao]
24 He withdraws understanding[ap] from national leaders of the world,[aq]
causing them to wander through uncharted[ar] wilderness.
25 They grope in the dark without light;
he causes them to stagger around like a drunkard.”
Job Begins to Argues His Case
13 “Look, I’ve seen everything;
I’ve listened carefully and I understand.
2 What you know, I know, too;
I’m not inferior to you.
3 But I want to talk to the Almighty;
and I’m determined to argue my case[as] before God.”
Job Accuses His Friends
4 “But as for you, you whitewash with lies;
all of you are worthless quacks.[at]
5 I wish you’d all just shut up.
Then at least you would appear to be wise.
6 “Now listen to my dispute!
Pay attention to my arguments.[au]
7 Why do you speak falsely on God’s behalf
and speak deceitfully[av] about him?
8 Will you show partiality to him?[aw]
Will you plead God’s case?
9 Will things go well for you under his cross-examination?
Can you lie to him, as you would to a human being?[ax]
10 “He will be sure to rebuke you,
if you show partiality[ay] in secret.
11 His splendor will petrify you with terror,
paralyzing you with fear, won’t it?
12 Your maxims are just worthless proverbs;
your defensive arguments are made of clay.”
Job Resolves to Present His Case
13 “Don’t talk to me! It’s my turn to speak;
then whatever happens, happens.
14 Why shouldn’t I bite my flesh
or take my life in my hands?
15 Even though he kills me,
I’ll continue to hope in him.
At least I’ll be able to argue my case[az] to his face!
16 I have this as my salvation:
the godless person won’t be appearing before him.
17 Pay attention[ba] to what I have to say
and listen to my testimony with your own ears.”
Job Presents His Conditions
18 “Look, now! I’ve prepared my case for court.[bb]
I know that I’m going to win.[bc]
19 Who can oppose me?
If they do, I’ll be silent and die.
20 Grant me only two things as you deal with me;
then I won’t hide from you.[bd]
21 Withdraw your hand far from me
and keep me from being petrified with terror.
22 Then call and I’ll answer,
or let me speak and then you reply to me!”
Job Presents Himself for Cross-Examination
23 “How many of my iniquities and sins have you counted?
Show me my transgression and sin.
24 Why do you hide your face
and regard me as your enemy?
25 Are you a god who would make a leaf tremble
or who would prosecute a dry straw?
26 You’ve accused me of bitter things;
you’ve caused me to reap[be] the sins of my youth.
27 You’ve locked my feet in stocks;
you watch all my steps;
You’ve limited where I can walk.[bf]
28 So I’m a man who wears out like something rotten,
like a garment that has become moth-eaten.”
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