Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Life Is Short
For the director of music. For Jeduthun [C Levitical musician; 1 Chr. 16:41–42; 25:1, 6; 2 Chr. 5:12]. A psalm of David.
39 I said, “I will ·be careful how I act [L guard my way]
and will not sin ·by what I say [L with my tongue].
I will ·be careful what I say [L keep a muzzle on my mouth]
around wicked people.”
2 So I kept ·very quiet [silent and still].
I didn’t even say anything good,
but ·I became even more upset [L my agony/sorrow got worse].
3 ·I became very angry inside [L My heart grew hot within me],
and as I ·thought [meditated] about it, ·my anger [L a fire] burned.
So I ·spoke [L said with my tongue]:
4 “Lord, ·tell [inform; reveal to] me when ·the end [or my end] will come
and how long ·I will live [L will be my days].
Let me know how ·long I have [L fleeting I am; 90:1–12].
5 You have given ·me only a short life [L my days a handbreadth; C about four inches];
my lifetime is like nothing to you.
Everyone’s life is only ·a breath [vapor; Eccl. 1:2]. ·
6 People are like shadows moving about.
All their ·work [or wealth; or turmoil] is ·for nothing [a breath/vapor; Luke 12:13–21; James 4:3–17];
they ·collect things [accumulate riches/wealth] but don’t know who will ·get [gather] them.
7 “So, Lord, what ·hope do I have [do I wait for]?
You are my hope.
8 Save me from all my ·sins [transgressions].
Don’t ·let wicked fools make fun of me [L set the scorn of fools on me].
9 I am quiet; I do not open my mouth,
because you are the one who has done this.
10 ·Quit punishing me [L Turn your blows/scourge away from me];
·your beating is about to kill me [L I am exhausted/finished from the hostility/beatings of your hand].
11 You correct and punish people for their sins;
like a moth, you destroy what they ·love [covet; desire].
Everyone’s life is only a ·breath [vapor; Eccl. 1:2]. ·
12 “Lord, hear my prayer,
and listen to my cry.
Do not ignore my tears.
I am like a ·visitor [sojourner; wanderer; resident alien] with you.
Like my ·ancestors [fathers], I’m only ·here a short time [a temporary resident].
13 Leave me alone so I can be happy
before I leave and am no more.”
Elihu Speaks
32 These three men stopped trying to answer Job, because he was ·so sure he was right [right/righteous in his own eyes]. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, from the family of Ram, became very angry with Job, because Job ·claimed he was right instead of [or he was more right/righteous than] God. 3 Elihu was also angry with Job’s three friends who had no answer to show that Job was wrong, yet continued to ·blame him [treat him as wrong]. 4 Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, because the three friends were older than he was. 5 But when Elihu saw that the three men had nothing more to say, he became very angry.
6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said this:
“I am young,
and you are ·old [aged].
That is why I was ·afraid [L timid and afraid]
to tell you ·what I know [my opinion].
7 I thought, ‘·Older people should [L Let days] speak,
and those who have lived many years should ·teach [make known; reveal] wisdom.’
8 But it is the spirit in a person,
the breath of ·the Almighty [Shaddai], that gives understanding.
9 It is not just ·older people [L the many] who are wise;
·they [L the elders] are not the only ones who understand ·what is right [justice].
10 So I say, listen to me.
I too will ·tell [show] you ·what I know [my opinion].
11 I waited ·while you three spoke [L for your words],
and ·listened [bent an ear] to your ·explanations [or arguments].
While you ·looked for words to use,
12 I paid close attention to you.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.
13 Don’t say, ‘We have found wisdom;
only God will show Job to be wrong, not people.’
14 Job has not spoken his words against me,
so I will not use your arguments to answer Job.
15 “·These three friends [L They] are ·defeated [dismayed; discouraged] and ·have no more to say [cannot answer];
words have failed them.
16 Now they are standing there with no answers for Job.
·Now that they are quiet [L If they don’t speak], must I wait to speak?
17 No, I too will speak
and ·tell what I know [share my opinion].
18 I am full of words,
and the spirit in me ·causes me to speak [compels me].
19 I am like wine that has ·been bottled up [no vent/opening];
I am ready to burst like a new leather wine bag.
20 I must speak so I will feel relief;
I must open my ·mouth [L lips] and answer.
21 I will ·be fair to everyone [L not favor anyone]
and not flatter anyone.
22 I don’t know how to flatter,
and if I did, my Maker would quickly take me away.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 Jesus said, “There was a rich man who always dressed in ·the finest clothes [L purple and fine linen] and ·lived in luxury [or feasted sumptuously] every day. 20 And a very poor man named Lazarus, whose body was covered with sores, was laid at the rich man’s gate. 21 He ·wanted [longed] to eat ·only the small pieces of food that fell [L what fell] from the rich man’s table. ·And [Even] the dogs would come and lick his sores [C dogs were viewed as despicable scavengers, not household pets]. 22 ·Later [L Now it happened that], Lazarus died, and the angels carried him to ·the arms of Abraham [L Abraham’s side/T bosom; C the imagery of a banquet, with Abraham as host and Lazarus as honored guest]. The rich man died, too, and was buried. 23 In ·the place of the dead [L Hades], he was in ·much pain [torment]. ·Looking up [L Lifting up his eyes,], the rich man saw Abraham far away with Lazarus ·at his side [T in his bosom]. 24 He called, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am ·suffering [in agony] in this fire [Is. 66:24]!’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember when you were alive you had the good things in life, but bad things happened to Lazarus. Now he is comforted here, and you are ·suffering [in agony]. 26 Besides [L all this], there is a ·big pit [great gulf/chasm set in place] between you and us, so no one can cross over to you, and no one can leave there and come ·here [L to us].’ 27 The rich man said, ‘Father, then ·please [I ask/beg you to] send Lazarus to my father’s house. 28 [L For] I have five brothers, and Lazarus could warn them so that they will not come to this place of ·pain [torment].’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have ·the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets [L Moses and the prophets]; let them ·learn from [listen to] them.’ 30 The rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham! [L But] If someone goes to them from the dead, they would ·believe and change their hearts and lives [L repent].’ 31 But Abraham said to him, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not ·listen to [L be persuaded/convinced by] someone who comes back from the dead.’”
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