Job and His Family in Uz
1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. Place Profile: The Land of Uz Person Profile: Job
2And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
3Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
4And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and curseda God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.
Satan Attacks Job’s Character
6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satanb also came among them. Focus: Blaming Satan
7And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
8Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
9So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Focus: Following God and Getting Nothing in Return
10“Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11“But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
12And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Job Loses His Property and Children
13Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; Focus: Preparing for Sudden Disaster
14and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
15“when the Sabeansc raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
16While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
17While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
18While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
19“and suddenly a great wind came from acrossd the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
20Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
21And he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
22In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. Focus: Job’s Patience and God’s Kindness
Satan Attacks Job’s Health
1Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. Insight: The Sons of God
2And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
3Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”
4So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.
5“But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
6And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.” Focus: Goodness in a Global World
7So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
8And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.
9Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job’s Three Friends
11Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him.
12And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven.
13So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great. Focus: A Friend in Need
Job Deplores His Birth
1After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2And Job spoke, and said:
3“May the day perish on which I was born,
And the night in which it was said,
‘A male child is conceived.’
4May that day be darkness;
May God above not seek it,
Nor the light shine upon it.
5May darkness and the shadow of death claim it;
May a cloud settle on it;
May the blackness of the day terrify it.
6As for that night, may darkness seize it;
May it not rejoicea among the days of the year,
May it not come into the number of the months.
7Oh, may that night be barren!
May no joyful shout come into it!
8May those curse it who curse the day,
Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan.
9May the stars of its morning be dark;
May it look for light, but have none,
And not see the dawning of the day;
10Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,
Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.
11“Why did I not die at birth?
Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?
12Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13For now I would have lain still and been quiet,
I would have been asleep;
Then I would have been at rest
14With kings and counselors of the earth,
Who built ruins for themselves,
15Or with princes who had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver;
16Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child,
Like infants who never saw light?
17There the wicked cease from troubling,
And there the weary are at rest.
18There the prisoners rest together;
They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19The small and great are there,
And the servant is free from his master.
20“Why is light given to him who is in misery,
And life to the bitter of soul,
21Who long for death, but it does not come,
And search for it more than hidden treasures;
22Who rejoice exceedingly,
And are glad when they can find the grave?
23Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
And whom God has hedged in?
24For my sighing comes before I eat,b
And my groanings pour out like water.
25For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me,
And what I dreaded has happened to me. Focus: Our Shaky World
26I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest, for trouble comes.”
Eliphaz: Job Has Sinned
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: Person Profile: Eliphaz
2“If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3Surely you have instructed many,
And you have strengthened weak hands.
4Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
And you have strengthened the feeble knees;
5But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;
It touches you, and you are troubled.
6Is not your reverence your confidence?
And the integrity of your ways your hope?
7“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright ever cut off?
8Even as I have seen,
Those who plow iniquity
And sow trouble reap the same.
9By the blast of God they perish,
And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.
10The roaring of the lion,
The voice of the fierce lion,
And the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11The old lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12“Now a word was secretly brought to me,
And my ear received a whisper of it.
13In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14Fear came upon me, and trembling,
Which made all my bones shake.
15Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair on my body stood up.
16It stood still,
But I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence;
Then I heard a voice saying:
17‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18If He puts no trust in His servants,
If He charges His angels with error,
19How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before a moth?
20They are broken in pieces from morning till evening;
They perish forever, with no one regarding.
21Does not their own excellence go away?
They die, even without wisdom.’
Eliphaz: Job Is Chastened by God
1“Call out now;
Is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
2For wrath kills a foolish man,
And envy slays a simple one.
3I have seen the foolish taking root,
But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
4His sons are far from safety,
They are crushed in the gate,
And there is no deliverer.
5Because the hungry eat up his harvest,
Taking it even from the thorns,a
And a snare snatches their substance.b
6For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble spring from the ground;
7Yet man is born to trouble,
As the sparks fly upward. Focus: People Are Born to Trouble
8“But as for me, I would seek God,
And to God I would commit my cause—
9Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Marvelous things without number.
10He gives rain on the earth,
And sends waters on the fields.
11He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.
13He catches the wise in their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
14They meet with darkness in the daytime,
And grope at noontime as in the night.
15But He saves the needy from the sword,
From the mouth of the mighty,
And from their hand.
16So the poor have hope,
And injustice shuts her mouth.
17“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects;
Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. Insight: Do Not Despise God’s Discipline
18For He bruises, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19He shall deliver you in six troubles,
Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.
20In famine He shall redeem you from death,
And in war from the power of the sword.
21You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22You shall laugh at destruction and famine,
And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24You shall know that your tent is in peace;
You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.
25You shall also know that your descendants shall be many,
And your offspring like the grass of the earth.
26You shall come to the grave at a full age,
As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27Behold, this we have searched out;
It is true.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”
Job: My Complaint Is Just
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
3For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—
Therefore my words have been rash.
4For the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
My spirit drinks in their poison;
The terrors of God are arrayed against me.
5Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass,
Or does the ox low over its fodder?
6Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7My soul refuses to touch them;
They are as loathsome food to me.
8“Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and cut me off!
10Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish I would exult,
He will not spare;
For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
11“What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
13Is my help not within me?
And is success driven from me?
14“To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend,
Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,
Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,
16Which are dark because of the ice,
And into which the snow vanishes.
17When it is warm, they cease to flow;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18The paths of their way turn aside,
They go nowhere and perish.
19The caravans of Tema look,
The travelers of Sheba hope for them. Insight: An Empty Oasis
20They are disappointed because they were confident;
They come there and are confused.
21For now you are nothing,
You see terror and are afraid.
22Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’?
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
23Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’?
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?
24“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
26Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?
27Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you undermine your friend.
28Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;
For I would never lie to your face.
29Yield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands!
30Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?
Job: My Suffering Is Comfortless
1“Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?
2Like a servant who earnestly desires the shade,
And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,
3So I have been allotted months of futility,
And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
4When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?’
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.
5My flesh is caked with worms and dust,
My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.
6“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
7Oh, remember that my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8The eye of him who sees me will see me no more;
While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.
9As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So he who goes down to the grave does not come up.
10He shall never return to his house,
Nor shall his place know him anymore.
11“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12Am I a sea, or a sea serpent,
That You set a guard over me?
13When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
My couch will ease my complaint,’
14Then You scare me with dreams
And terrify me with visions,
15So that my soul chooses strangling
And death rather than my body.a
16I loathe my life;
I would not live forever.
Let me alone,
For my days are but a breath.
17“What is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
18That You should visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
19How long?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
20Have I sinned?
What have I done to You, O watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?b Focus: Why?
21Why then do You not pardon my transgression,
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust,
And You will seek me diligently,
But I will no longer be.”
Bildad: Job Should Repent
1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: Person Profile: Bildad
2“How long will you speak these things,
And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3Does God subvert judgment?
Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
4If your sons have sinned against Him,
He has cast them away for their transgression.
5If you would earnestly seek God
And make your supplication to the Almighty,
6If you were pure and upright,
Surely now He would awake for you,
And prosper your rightful dwelling place.
7Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.
8“For inquire, please, of the former age,
And consider the things discovered by their fathers;
9For we were born yesterday, and know nothing,
Because our days on earth are a shadow.
10Will they not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their heart?
11“Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the reeds flourish without water?
12While it is yet green and not cut down,
It withers before any other plant.
13So are the paths of all who forget God;
And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish,
14Whose confidence shall be cut off,
And whose trust is a spider’s web.
15He leans on his house, but it does not stand.
He holds it fast, but it does not endure.
16He grows green in the sun,
And his branches spread out in his garden.
17His roots wrap around the rock heap,
And look for a place in the stones.
18If he is destroyed from his place,
Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
19“Behold, this is the joy of His way,
And out of the earth others will grow.
20Behold, God will not cast away the blameless,
Nor will He uphold the evildoers.
21He will yet fill your mouth with laughing,
And your lips with rejoicing.
22Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
And the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.”a
Job: There Is No Mediator
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Truly I know it is so,
But how can a man be righteous before God?
3If one wished to contend with Him,
He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5He removes the mountains, and they do not know
When He overturns them in His anger;
6He shakes the earth out of its place,
And its pillars tremble;
7He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
He seals off the stars;
8He alone spreads out the heavens,
And treads on the waves of the sea;
9He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;
10He does great things past finding out,
Yes, wonders without number.
11If He goes by me, I do not see Him;
If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
12If He takes away, who can hinder Him?
Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13God will not withdraw His anger,
The allies of the prouda lie prostrate beneath Him.
14“How then can I answer Him,
And choose my words to reason with Him?
15For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him;
I would beg mercy of my Judge.
16If I called and He answered me,
I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17For He crushes me with a tempest,
And multiplies my wounds without cause.
18He will not allow me to catch my breath,
But fills me with bitterness.
19If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong;
And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
20Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me;
Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.
21“I am blameless, yet I do not know myself;
I despise my life.
22It is all one thing;
Therefore I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’
23If the scourge slays suddenly,
He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, who else could it be?
25“Now my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, they see no good.
26They pass by like swift ships,
Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’
28I am afraid of all my sufferings;
I know that You will not hold me innocent.
29If I am condemned,
Why then do I labor in vain?
30If I wash myself with snow water,
And cleanse my hands with soap,
31Yet You will plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes will abhor me.
32“For He is not a man, as I am,
That I may answer Him,
And that we should go to court together.
33Nor is there any mediator between us,
Who may lay his hand on us both.
34Let Him take His rod away from me,
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
35Then I would speak and not fear Him,
But it is not so with me.
Job: I Would Plead with God
1“My soul loathes my life;
I will give free course to my complaint,
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Show me why You contend with me.
3Does it seem good to You that You should oppress,
That You should despise the work of Your hands,
And smile on the counsel of the wicked?
4Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or do You see as man sees?
5Are Your days like the days of a mortal man?
Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,
6That You should seek for my iniquity
And search out my sin,
7Although You know that I am not wicked,
And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?
8‘Your hands have made me and fashioned me,
An intricate unity;
Yet You would destroy me.
9Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay.
And will You turn me into dust again?
10Did You not pour me out like milk,
And curdle me like cheese,
11Clothe me with skin and flesh,
And knit me together with bones and sinews?
12You have granted me life and favor,
And Your care has preserved my spirit.
13‘And these things You have hidden in Your heart;
I know that this was with You:
14If I sin, then You mark me,
And will not acquit me of my iniquity.
15If I am wicked, woe to me;
Even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head.
I am full of disgrace;
See my misery!
16If my head is exalted,
You hunt me like a fierce lion,
And again You show Yourself awesome against me.
17You renew Your witnesses against me,
And increase Your indignation toward me;
Changes and war are ever with me.
18‘Why then have You brought me out of the womb?
Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me! Focus: Praying for Family
19I would have been as though I had not been.
I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20Are not my days few?
Cease! Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,
21Before I go to the place from which I shall not return,
To the land of darkness and the shadow of death,
22A land as dark as darkness itself,
As the shadow of death, without any order,
Where even the light is like darkness.’ ”
Zophar Urges Job to Repent
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said: Person Profile: Zophar
2“Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should a man full of talk be vindicated?
3Should your empty talk make men hold their peace?
And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?
4For you have said,
‘My doctrine is pure,
And I am clean in your eyes.’
5But oh, that God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
6That He would show you the secrets of wisdom!
For they would double your prudence.
Know therefore that God exacts from you
Less than your iniquity deserves.
7“Can you search out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
8They are higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
9Their measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10“If He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment,
Then who can hinder Him?
11For He knows deceitful men;
He sees wickedness also.
Will He not then consider it?
12For an empty-headed man will be wise,
When a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.
13“If you would prepare your heart,
And stretch out your hands toward Him;
14If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away,
And would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;
15Then surely you could lift up your face without spot;
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
16Because you would forget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away,
17And your life would be brighter than noonday.
Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
18And you would be secure, because there is hope;
Yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety.
19You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid;
Yes, many would court your favor.
20But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And they shall not escape,
And their hope—loss of life!”
Job Answers His Critics
1Then Job answered and said:
2“No doubt you are the people,
And wisdom will die with you!
3But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Indeed, who does not know such things as these?
4“I am one mocked by his friends,
Who called on God, and He answered him,
The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
5A lampa is despised in the thought of one who is at ease;
It is made ready for those whose feet slip.
6The tents of robbers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure—
In what God provides by His hand.
7“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; Insight: Learning from Creation
8Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
9Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
10In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind?
11Does not the ear test words
And the mouth taste its food?
12Wisdom is with aged men,
And with length of days, understanding.
13“With Him are wisdom and strength,
He has counsel and understanding.
14If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt;
If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
15If He withholds the waters, they dry up;
If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.
16With Him are strength and prudence.
The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17He leads counselors away plundered,
And makes fools of the judges.
18He loosens the bonds of kings,
And binds their waist with a belt.
19He leads princesb away plundered,
And overthrows the mighty.
20He deprives the trusted ones of speech,
And takes away the discernment of the elders.
21He pours contempt on princes,
And disarms the mighty.
22He uncovers deep things out of darkness,
And brings the shadow of death to light.
23He makes nations great, and destroys them;
He enlarges nations, and guides them.
24He takes away the understandingc of the chiefs of the people of the earth,
And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
25They grope in the dark without light,
And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
1“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
4But you forgers of lies,
You are all worthless physicians. Insight: Worthy Physicians
5Oh, that you would be silent,
And it would be your wisdom!
6Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
7Will you speak wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
8Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
10He will surely rebuke you
If you secretly show partiality.
11Will not His excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13“Hold your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14Why do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16He also shall be my salvation,
For a hypocrite could not come before Him.
17Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.
18See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be vindicated.
19Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.
Job’s Despondent Prayer
20“Only two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide myself from You:
21Withdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22Then call, and I will answer;
Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
23How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24Why do You hide Your face,
And regard me as Your enemy?
25Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?
26For You write bitter things against me,
And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27You put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You set a limita for the soles of my feet.
28“Manb decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
1“Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and full of trouble.
2He comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
3And do You open Your eyes on such a one,
And bring mea to judgment with Yourself?
4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
No one!
5Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
6Look away from him that he may rest,
Till like a hired man he finishes his day.
7“For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that its tender shoots will not cease.
8Though its root may grow old in the earth,
And its stump may die in the ground,
9Yet at the scent of water it will bud
And bring forth branches like a plant.
10But man dies and is laid away;
Indeed he breathes his last
And where is he?
11As water disappears from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dries up,
12So man lies down and does not rise.
Till the heavens are no more,
They will not awake
Nor be roused from their sleep.
13“Oh, that You would hide me in the grave,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my hard service I will wait,
Till my change comes. Focus: Life After Death
15You shall call, and I will answer You;
You shall desire the work of Your hands.
16For now You number my steps,
But do not watch over my sin.
17My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
And You coverb my iniquity.
18“But as a mountain falls and crumbles away,
And as a rock is moved from its place;
19As water wears away stones,
And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
So You destroy the hope of man.
20You prevail forever against him, and he passes on;
You change his countenance and send him away.
21His sons come to honor, and he does not know it;
They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.
22But his flesh will be in pain over it,
And his soul will mourn over it.”
Eliphaz Accuses Job of Folly
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2“Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge,
And fill himself with the east wind?
3Should he reason with unprofitable talk,
Or by speeches with which he can do no good?
4Yes, you cast off fear,
And restrain prayer before God.
5For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
And you choose the tongue of the crafty.
6Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;
Yes, your own lips testify against you.
7“Are you the first man who was born?
Or were you made before the hills?
8Have you heard the counsel of God?
Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that is not in us?
10Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Much older than your father.
11Are the consolations of God too small for you,
And the word spoken gentlya with you?
12Why does your heart carry you away,
And what do your eyes wink at,
13That you turn your spirit against God,
And let such words go out of your mouth?
14“What is man, that he could be pure?
And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
15If God puts no trust in His saints,
And the heavens are not pure in His sight,
16How much less man, who is abominable and filthy,
Who drinks iniquity like water!
17“I will tell you, hear me;
What I have seen I will declare,
18What wise men have told,
Not hiding anything received from their fathers,
19To whom alone the land was given,
And no alien passed among them:
20The wicked man writhes with pain all his days,
And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.
21Dreadful sounds are in his ears;
In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.
22He does not believe that he will return from darkness,
For a sword is waiting for him.
23He wanders about for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24Trouble and anguish make him afraid;
They overpower him, like a king ready for battle.
25For he stretches out his hand against God,
And acts defiantly against the Almighty,
26Running stubbornly against Him
With his strong, embossed shield.
27“Though he has covered his face with his fatness,
And made his waist heavy with fat,
28He dwells in desolate cities,
In houses which no one inhabits,
Which are destined to become ruins.
29He will not be rich,
Nor will his wealth continue,
Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.
30He will not depart from darkness;
The flame will dry out his branches,
And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.
31Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself,
For futility will be his reward.
32It will be accomplished before his time,
And his branch will not be green.
33He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine,
And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.
34For the company of hypocrites will be barren,
And fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35They conceive trouble and bring forth futility;
Their womb prepares deceit.”
Job Reproaches His Pitiless Friends
1Then Job answered and said:
2“I have heard many such things;
Miserable comforters are you all!
3Shall words of wind have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4I also could speak as you do,
If your soul were in my soul’s place.
I could heap up words against you,
And shake my head at you;
5But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.
6“Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
And if I remain silent, how am I eased?
7But now He has worn me out;
You have made desolate all my company.
8You have shriveled me up,
And it is a witness against me;
My leanness rises up against me
And bears witness to my face.
9He tears me in His wrath, and hates me;
He gnashes at me with His teeth;
My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.
10They gape at me with their mouth,
They strike me reproachfully on the cheek,
They gather together against me.
11God has delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked.
12I was at ease, but He has shattered me;
He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces;
He has set me up for His target,
13His archers surround me.
He pierces my hearta and does not pity;
He pours out my gall on the ground.
14He breaks me with wound upon wound;
He runs at me like a warrior.b
15“I have sewn sackcloth over my skin,
And laid my headc in the dust.
16My face is flushed from weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17Although no violence is in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.
18“O earth, do not cover my blood,
And let my cry have no resting place!
19Surely even now my witness is in heaven,
And my evidence is on high.
20My friends scorn me;
My eyes pour out tears to God.
21Oh, that one might plead for a man with God,
As a man pleads for his neighbor!
22For when a few years are finished,
I shall go the way of no return. Focus: Life Is Short
Job Prays for Relief
1“My spirit is broken,
My days are extinguished,
The grave is ready for me. Focus: The Hardhearted and the Brokenhearted
2Are not mockers with me?
And does not my eye dwell on their provocation?
3“Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself.
Who is he who will shake hands with me?
4For You have hidden their heart from understanding;
Therefore You will not exalt them.
5He who speaks flattery to his friends,
Even the eyes of his children will fail.
6“But He has made me a byword of the people,
And I have become one in whose face men spit.
7My eye has also grown dim because of sorrow,
And all my members are like shadows.
8Upright men are astonished at this,
And the innocent stirs himself up against the hypocrite.
9Yet the righteous will hold to his way,
And he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.
10“But please, come back again, all of you,a
For I shall not find one wise man among you.
11My days are past,
My purposes are broken off,
Even the thoughts of my heart.
12They change the night into day;
‘The light is near,’ they say, in the face of darkness.
13If I wait for the grave as my house,
If I make my bed in the darkness,
14If I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’
And to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’
15Where then is my hope?
As for my hope, who can see it?
16Will they go down to the gates of Sheol?
Shall we have rest together in the dust?”
Bildad: The Wicked Are Punished
1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2“How long till you put an end to words?
Gain understanding, and afterward we will speak.
3Why are we counted as beasts,
And regarded as stupid in your sight?
4You who tear yourself in anger,
Shall the earth be forsaken for you?
Or shall the rock be removed from its place?
5“The light of the wicked indeed goes out,
And the flame of his fire does not shine.
6The light is dark in his tent,
And his lamp beside him is put out.
7The steps of his strength are shortened,
And his own counsel casts him down.
8For he is cast into a net by his own feet,
And he walks into a snare.
9The net takes him by the heel,
And a snare lays hold of him.
10A noose is hidden for him on the ground,
And a trap for him in the road.
11Terrors frighten him on every side,
And drive him to his feet.
12His strength is starved,
And destruction is ready at his side.
13It devours patches of his skin;
The firstborn of death devours his limbs.
14He is uprooted from the shelter of his tent,
And they parade him before the king of terrors.
15They dwell in his tent who are none of his;
Brimstone is scattered on his dwelling.
16His roots are dried out below,
And his branch withers above.
17The memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name among the renowned.a
18He is driven from light into darkness,
And chased out of the world.
19He has neither son nor posterity among his people,
Nor any remaining in his dwellings.
20Those in the west are astonished at his day,
As those in the east are frightened.
21Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who does not know God.”
Job Trusts in His Redeemer
1Then Job answered and said: Insight: Hebrew Poetry
2“How long will you torment my soul,
And break me in pieces with words?
3These ten times you have reproached me;
You are not ashamed that you have wronged me.a
4And if indeed I have erred,
My error remains with me.
5If indeed you exalt yourselves against me,
And plead my disgrace against me,
6Know then that God has wronged me,
And has surrounded me with His net.
7“If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard.
If I cry aloud, there is no justice.
8He has fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass;
And He has set darkness in my paths.
9He has stripped me of my glory,
And taken the crown from my head.
10He breaks me down on every side,
And I am gone;
My hope He has uprooted like a tree.
11He has also kindled His wrath against me,
And He counts me as one of His enemies.
12His troops come together
And build up their road against me;
They encamp all around my tent.
13“He has removed my brothers far from me,
And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14My relatives have failed,
And my close friends have forgotten me.
15Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants,
Count me as a stranger;
I am an alien in their sight.
16I call my servant, but he gives no answer;
I beg him with my mouth.
17My breath is offensive to my wife,
And I am repulsive to the children of my own body.
18Even young children despise me;
I arise, and they speak against me.
19All my close friends abhor me,
And those whom I love have turned against me.
20My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh,
And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21“Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends,
For the hand of God has struck me!
22Why do you persecute me as God does,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23“Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
24That they were engraved on a rock
With an iron pen and lead, forever!
25For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
26And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
27Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me! Life Studies: John Donne
28If you should say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’—
Since the root of the matter is found in me,
29Be afraid of the sword for yourselves;
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
That you may know there is a judgment.”
Zophar’s Sermon on the Wicked Man
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2“Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer,
Because of the turmoil within me.
3I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me,
And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
4“Do you not know this of old,
Since man was placed on earth,
5That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?
6Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens,
And his head reaches to the clouds,
7Yet he will perish forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8He will fly away like a dream, and not be found;
Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9The eye that saw him will see him no more,
Nor will his place behold him anymore.
10His children will seek the favor of the poor,
And his hands will restore his wealth.
11His bones are full of his youthful vigor,
But it will lie down with him in the dust.
12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
And he hides it under his tongue,
13Though he spares it and does not forsake it,
But still keeps it in his mouth,
14Yet his food in his stomach turns sour;
It becomes cobra venom within him.
15He swallows down riches
And vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16He will suck the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue will slay him.
17He will not see the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18He will restore that for which he labored,
And will not swallow it down;
From the proceeds of business
He will get no enjoyment.
19For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor,
He has violently seized a house which he did not build.
20“Because he knows no quietness in his heart,a
He will not save anything he desires.
21Nothing is left for him to eat;
Therefore his well-being will not last.
22In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress;
Every hand of misery will come against him.
23When he is about to fill his stomach,
God will cast on him the fury of His wrath,
And will rain it on him while he is eating.
24He will flee from the iron weapon;
A bronze bow will pierce him through.
25It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall.
Terrors come upon him;
26Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.
An unfanned fire will consume him;
It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent.
27The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28The increase of his house will depart,
And his goods will flow away in the day of His wrath.
29This is the portion from God for a wicked man,
The heritage appointed to him by God.”
Job’s Discourse on the Wicked
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your consolation.
3Bear with me that I may speak,
And after I have spoken, keep mocking.
4“As for me, is my complaint against man?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
5Look at me and be astonished;
Put your hand over your mouth.
6Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
7Why do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
8Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
9Their houses are safe from fear,
Neither is the rod of God upon them.
10Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves without miscarriage.
11They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
12They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
13They spend their days in wealth,
And in a moment go down to the grave.a
14Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
16Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand;
The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
How often does their destruction come upon them,
The sorrows God distributes in His anger?
18They are like straw before the wind,
And like chaff that a storm carries away.
19They say, ‘God lays up one’sb iniquity for his children’;
Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.
20Let his eyes see his destruction,
And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21For what does he care about his household after him,
When the number of his months is cut in half?
22“Can anyone teach God knowledge,
Since He judges those on high?
23One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and secure;
24His pailsc are full of milk,
And the marrow of his bones is moist.
25Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
Never having eaten with pleasure.
26They lie down alike in the dust,
And worms cover them.
27“Look, I know your thoughts,
And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
28For you say,
‘Where is the house of the prince?
And where is the tent,d
The dwelling place of the wicked?’
29Have you not asked those who travel the road?
And do you not know their signs?
30For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom;
They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
31Who condemns his way to his face?
And who repays him for what he has done?
32Yet he shall be brought to the grave,
And a vigil kept over the tomb.
33The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him;
Everyone shall follow him,
As countless have gone before him.
34How then can you comfort me with empty words,
Since falsehood remains in your answers?”
Eliphaz Accuses Job of Wickedness
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2“Can a man be profitable to God,
Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous?
Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?
4“Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you,
And enters into judgment with you?
5Is not your wickedness great,
And your iniquity without end?
6For you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
7You have not given the weary water to drink,
And you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8But the mighty man possessed the land,
And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9You have sent widows away empty,
And the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10Therefore snares are all around you,
And sudden fear troubles you,
11Or darkness so that you cannot see;
And an abundance of water covers you.
12“Is not God in the height of heaven?
And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13And you say, ‘What does God know?
Can He judge through the deep darkness?
14Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see,
And He walks above the circle of heaven.’
15Will you keep to the old way
Which wicked men have trod,
16Who were cut down before their time,
Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17They said to God, ‘Depart from us!
What can the Almighty do to them?’a
18Yet He filled their houses with good things;
But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19“The righteous see it and are glad,
And the innocent laugh at them:
20‘Surely our adversariesb are cut down,
And the fire consumes their remnant.’
21“Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you. Focus: Followers After the Flood
22Receive, please, instruction from His mouth,
And lay up His words in your heart.
23If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;
You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
24Then you will lay your gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25Yes, the Almighty will be your goldc
And your precious silver;
26For then you will have your delight in the Almighty,
And lift up your face to God.
27You will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.
28You will also declare a thing,
And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways.
29When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!’
Then He will save the humble person.
30He will even deliver one who is not innocent;
Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”
Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Even today my complaint is bitter;
Mya hand is listless because of my groaning.
3Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
4I would present my case before Him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5I would know the words which He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
6Would He contend with me in His great power?
No! But He would take note of me.
7There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
8“Look, I go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; Insight: Where Is God?
9When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
10But He knows the way that I take;
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my necessary food.
13“But He is unique, and who can make Him change?
And whatever His soul desires, that He does.
14For He performs what is appointed for me,
And many such things are with Him.
15Therefore I am terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am afraid of Him. Insight: Terrified of God
16For God made my heart weak,
And the Almighty terrifies me;
17Because I was not cut off from the presence of darkness,
And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.
Job Complains of Violence on the Earth
1“Since times are not hidden from the Almighty,
Why do those who know Him see not His days?
2“Some remove landmarks;
They seize flocks violently and feed on them; Focus: An Inventory of Evil
3They drive away the donkey of the fatherless;
They take the widow’s ox as a pledge.
4They push the needy off the road;
All the poor of the land are forced to hide.
5Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert,
They go out to their work, searching for food.
The wilderness yields food for them and for their children.
6They gather their fodder in the field
And glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
7They spend the night naked, without clothing,
And have no covering in the cold.
8They are wet with the showers of the mountains,
And huddle around the rock for want of shelter.
9“Some snatch the fatherless from the breast,
And take a pledge from the poor.
10They cause the poor to go naked, without clothing;
And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.
11They press out oil within their walls,
And tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst.
12The dying groan in the city,
And the souls of the wounded cry out;
Yet God does not charge them with wrong.
13“There are those who rebel against the light;
They do not know its ways
Nor abide in its paths.
14The murderer rises with the light;
He kills the poor and needy;
And in the night he is like a thief.
15The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight,
Saying, ‘No eye will see me’;
And he disguises his face.
16In the dark they break into houses
Which they marked for themselves in the daytime;
They do not know the light.
17For the morning is the same to them as the shadow of death;
If someone recognizes them,
They are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
18“They should be swift on the face of the waters,
Their portion should be cursed in the earth,
So that no one would turn into the way of their vineyards.
19As drought and heat consume the snow waters,
So the gravea consumes those who have sinned.
20The womb should forget him,
The worm should feed sweetly on him;
He should be remembered no more,
And wickedness should be broken like a tree.
21For he preys on the barren who do not bear,
And does no good for the widow.
22“But God draws the mighty away with His power;
He rises up, but no man is sure of life.
23He gives them security, and they rely on it;
Yet His eyes are on their ways.
24They are exalted for a little while,
Then they are gone.
They are brought low;
They are taken out of the way like all others;
They dry out like the heads of grain.
25“Now if it is not so, who will prove me a liar,
And make my speech worth nothing?”
Bildad: How Can Man Be Righteous?
1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2“Dominion and fear belong to Him;
He makes peace in His high places.
3Is there any number to His armies?
Upon whom does His light not rise?
4How then can man be righteous before God?
Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman?
5If even the moon does not shine,
And the stars are not pure in His sight,
6How much less man, who is a maggot,
And a son of man, who is a worm?” Focus: Unworthy but Not Worthless
Job: Man’s Frailty and God’s Majesty
1But Job answered and said:
2“How have you helped him who is without power?
How have you saved the arm that has no strength?
3How have you counseled one who has no wisdom?
And how have you declared sound advice to many?
4To whom have you uttered words?
And whose spirit came from you?
5“The dead tremble,
Those under the waters and those inhabiting them.
6Sheol is naked before Him,
And Destruction has no covering. Focus: Naked Before God
7He stretches out the north over empty space;
He hangs the earth on nothing.
8He binds up the water in His thick clouds,
Yet the clouds are not broken under it.
9He covers the face of His throne,
And spreads His cloud over it.
10He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters,
At the boundary of light and darkness.
11The pillars of heaven tremble,
And are astonished at His rebuke.
12He stirs up the sea with His power,
And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.
13By His Spirit He adorned the heavens;
His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
14Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?”
Job Maintains His Integrity
1Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
2“As God lives, who has taken away my justice,
And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
3As long as my breath is in me,
And the breath of God in my nostrils,
4My lips will not speak wickedness,
Nor my tongue utter deceit.
5Far be it from me
That I should say you are right;
Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.
6My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go;
My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.
7“May my enemy be like the wicked,
And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
8For what is the hope of the hypocrite,
Though he may gain much,
If God takes away his life?
9Will God hear his cry
When trouble comes upon him?
10Will he delight himself in the Almighty?
Will he always call on God?
11“I will teach you about the hand of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12Surely all of you have seen it;
Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?
13“This is the portion of a wicked man with God,
And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty: Focus: God Is Fair
14If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword;
And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15Those who survive him shall be buried in death,
And theira widows shall not weep,
16Though he heaps up silver like dust,
And piles up clothing like clay—
17He may pile it up, but the just will wear it,
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18He builds his house like a moth,b
Like a booth which a watchman makes.
19The rich man will lie down,
But not be gathered up;c
He opens his eyes,
And he is no more.
20Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A tempest steals him away in the night.
21The east wind carries him away, and he is gone;
It sweeps him out of his place.
22It hurls against him and does not spare;
He flees desperately from its power.
23Men shall clap their hands at him,
And shall hiss him out of his place.
Job’s Discourse on Wisdom
1“Surely there is a mine for silver,
And a place where gold is refined.
2Iron is taken from the earth,
And copper is smelted from ore.
3Man puts an end to darkness,
And searches every recess
For ore in the darkness and the shadow of death.
4He breaks open a shaft away from people;
In places forgotten by feet
They hang far away from men;
They swing to and fro.
5As for the earth, from it comes bread,
But underneath it is turned up as by fire;
6Its stones are the source of sapphires,
And it contains gold dust.
7That path no bird knows,
Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it.
8The proud lionsa have not trodden it,
Nor has the fierce lion passed over it.
9He puts his hand on the flint;
He overturns the mountains at the roots.
10He cuts out channels in the rocks,
And his eye sees every precious thing.
11He dams up the streams from trickling;
What is hidden he brings forth to light.
12“But where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13Man does not know its value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;
And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15It cannot be purchased for gold,
Nor can silver be weighed for its price.
16It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx or sapphire.
17Neither gold nor crystal can equal it,
Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold.
18No mention shall be made of coral or quartz,
For the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
Nor can it be valued in pure gold.
20“From where then does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
21It is hidden from the eyes of all living,
And concealed from the birds of the air.
22Destruction and Death say,
‘We have heard a report about it with our ears.’
23God understands its way,
And He knows its place.
24For He looks to the ends of the earth,
And sees under the whole heavens,
25To establish a weight for the wind,
And apportion the waters by measure.
26When He made a law for the rain,
And a path for the thunderbolt,
27Then He saw wisdomb and declared it;
He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.
28And to man He said,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
Job’s Summary Defense
1Job further continued his discourse, and said: Focus: Better Days and Big Questions
2“Oh, that I were as in months past,
As in the days when God watched over me;
3When His lamp shone upon my head,
And when by His light I walked through darkness;
4Just as I was in the days of my prime,
When the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;
5When the Almighty was yet with me,
When my children were around me;
6When my steps were bathed with cream,a
And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!
7“When I went out to the gate by the city,
When I took my seat in the open square,
8The young men saw me and hid,
And the aged arose and stood;
9The princes refrained from talking,
And put their hand on their mouth;
10The voice of nobles was hushed,
And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11When the ear heard, then it blessed me,
And when the eye saw, then it approved me;
12Because I delivered the poor who cried out,
The fatherless and the one who had no helper.
13The blessing of a perishing man came upon me,
And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15I was eyes to the blind,
And I was feet to the lame.
16I was a father to the poor,
And I searched out the case that I did not know.
17I broke the fangs of the wicked,
And plucked the victim from his teeth.
18“Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest,
And multiply my days as the sand.
19My root is spread out to the waters,
And the dew lies all night on my branch.
20My glory is fresh within me,
And my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21“Men listened to me and waited,
And kept silence for my counsel.
22After my words they did not speak again,
And my speech settled on them as dew.
23They waited for me as for the rain,
And they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.
24If I mocked at them, they did not believe it,
And the light of my countenance they did not cast down.
25I chose the way for them, and sat as chief;
So I dwelt as a king in the army,
As one who comforts mourners.
1“But now they mock at me, men younger than I,
Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.
2Indeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me?
Their vigor has perished.
3They are gaunt from want and famine,
Fleeing late to the wilderness, desolate and waste,
4Who pluck mallow by the bushes,
And broom tree roots for their food.
5They were driven out from among men,
They shouted at them as at a thief.
6They had to live in the clefts of the valleys,
In caves of the earth and the rocks.
7Among the bushes they brayed,
Under the nettles they nestled.
8They were sons of fools,
Yes, sons of vile men;
They were scourged from the land.
9“And now I am their taunting song;
Yes, I am their byword.
10They abhor me, they keep far from me;
They do not hesitate to spit in my face.
11Because He has loosed mya bowstring and afflicted me,
They have cast off restraint before me.
12At my right hand the rabble arises;
They push away my feet,
And they raise against me their ways of destruction.
13They break up my path,
They promote my calamity;
They have no helper.
14They come as broad breakers;
Under the ruinous storm they roll along.
15Terrors are turned upon me;
They pursue my honor as the wind,
And my prosperity has passed like a cloud.
16“And now my soul is poured out because of my plight;
The days of affliction take hold of me.
17My bones are pierced in me at night,
And my gnawing pains take no rest.
18By great force my garment is disfigured;
It binds me about as the collar of my coat.
19He has cast me into the mire,
And I have become like dust and ashes.
20“I cry out to You, but You do not answer me;
I stand up, and You regard me.
21But You have become cruel to me;
With the strength of Your hand You oppose me.
22You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride on it;
You spoil my success.
23For I know that You will bring me to death,
And to the house appointed for all living.
24“Surely He would not stretch out His hand against a heap of ruins,
If they cry out when He destroys it.
25Have I not wept for him who was in trouble?
Has not my soul grieved for the poor?
26But when I looked for good, evil came to me;
And when I waited for light, then came darkness.
27My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest;
Days of affliction confront me.
28I go about mourning, but not in the sun;
I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help.
29I am a brother of jackals,
And a companion of ostriches.
30My skin grows black and falls from me;
My bones burn with fever.
31My harp is turned to mourning,
And my flute to the voice of those who weep.
1“I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I look upon a young woman? Focus: Defending Against Desire
2For what is the allotment of God from above,
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3Is it not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4Does He not see my ways,
And count all my steps?
5“If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,
6Let me be weighed on honest scales,
That God may know my integrity.
7If my step has turned from the way,
Or my heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands,
8Then let me sow, and another eat;
Yes, let my harvest be rooted out.
9“If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10Then let my wife grind for another,
And let others bow down over her.
11For that would be wickedness;
Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.
12For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction,
And would root out all my increase.
13“If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant
When they complained against me, Focus: Befriending the Friendless
14What then shall I do when God rises up?
When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?
15Did not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
16“If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it
18(But from my youth I reared him as a father,
And from my mother’s womb I guided the widowa);
19If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;
20If his heartb has not blessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21If I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
When I saw I had help in the gate;
22Then let my arm fall from my shoulder,
Let my arm be torn from the socket.
23For destruction from God is a terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.
24“If I have made gold my hope,
Or said to fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’;
25If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had gained much;
26If I have observed the sunc when it shines,
Or the moon moving in brightness,
27So that my heart has been secretly enticed,
And my mouth has kissed my hand;
28This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment,
For I would have denied God who is above.
29“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,
Or lifted myself up when evil found him
30(Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for a curse on his soul);
31If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’
32(But no sojourner had to lodge in the street,
For I have opened my doors to the travelerd);
33If I have covered my transgressions as Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34Because I feared the great multitude,
And dreaded the contempt of families,
So that I kept silence
And did not go out of the door—
35Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh, that the Almighty would answer me,
That my Prosecutor had written a book!
36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
And bind it on me like a crown;
37I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.
38“If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39If I have eaten its fruite without money,
Or caused its owners to lose their lives;
40Then let thistles grow instead of wheat,
And weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Elihu Contradicts Job’s Friends
1So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Person Profile: Elihu
2Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God.
3Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
4Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job.a Focus: The Kind Counselor
5When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused.
6So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said:
“I am young in years, and you are very old;
Therefore I was afraid,
And dared not declare my opinion to you.
7I said, ‘Ageb should speak,
And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’
8But there is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
9Great menc are not always wise,
Nor do the aged always understand justice.
10“Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me,
I also will declare my opinion.’
11Indeed I waited for your words,
I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.
12I paid close attention to you;
And surely not one of you convinced Job,
Or answered his words—
13Lest you say,
‘We have found wisdom’;
God will vanquish him, not man.
14Now he has not directed his words against me;
So I will not answer him with your words.
15“They are dismayed and answer no more;
Words escape them.
16And I have waited, because they did not speak,
Because they stood still and answered no more.
17I also will answer my part,
I too will declare my opinion.
18For I am full of words;
The spirit within me compels me.
19Indeed my belly is like wine that has no vent;
It is ready to burst like new wineskins.
20I will speak, that I may find relief;
I must open my lips and answer.
21Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone;
Nor let me flatter any man.
22For I do not know how to flatter,
Else my Maker would soon take me away.
Elihu Contradicts Job
1“But please, Job, hear my speech,
And listen to all my words.
2Now, I open my mouth;
My tongue speaks in my mouth.
3My words come from my upright heart;
My lips utter pure knowledge.
4The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5If you can answer me,
Set your words in order before me;
Take your stand.
6Truly I am as your spokesmana before God;
I also have been formed out of clay.
7Surely no fear of me will terrify you,
Nor will my hand be heavy on you.
8“Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,
9‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.
10Yet He finds occasions against me,
He counts me as His enemy;
11He puts my feet in the stocks,
He watches all my paths.’
12“Look, in this you are not righteous.
I will answer you,
For God is greater than man.
13Why do you contend with Him?
For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.
14For God may speak in one way, or in another,
Yet man does not perceive it.
15In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds,
16Then He opens the ears of men,
And seals their instruction.
17In order to turn man from his deed,
And conceal pride from man,
18He keeps back his soul from the Pit,
And his life from perishing by the sword.
19“Man is also chastened with pain on his bed,
And with strong pain in many of his bones,
20So that his life abhors bread,
And his soul succulent food.
21His flesh wastes away from sight,
And his bones stick out which once were not seen.
22Yes, his soul draws near the Pit,
And his life to the executioners.
23“If there is a messenger for him,
A mediator, one among a thousand,
To show man His uprightness,
24Then He is gracious to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit;
I have found a ransom’;
25His flesh shall be young like a child’s,
He shall return to the days of his youth.
26He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him,
He shall see His face with joy,
For He restores to man His righteousness.
27Then he looks at men and says,
‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right,
And it did not profit me.’
28He will redeem hisb soul from going down to the Pit,
And hisc life shall see the light.
29“Behold, God works all these things,
Twice, in fact, three times with a man,
30To bring back his soul from the Pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of life.
31“Give ear, Job, listen to me;
Hold your peace, and I will speak.
32If you have anything to say, answer me;
Speak, for I desire to justify you.
33If not, listen to me;
Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Elihu Proclaims God’s Justice
1Elihu further answered and said:
2“Hear my words, you wise men;
Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3For the ear tests words
As the palate tastes food.
4Let us choose justice for ourselves;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
But God has taken away my justice;
6Should I lie concerning my right?
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7What man is like Job,
Who drinks scorn like water,
8Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,
And walks with wicked men?
9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
That he should delight in God.’
10“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding:
Far be it from God to do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to commit iniquity.
11For He repays man according to his work,
And makes man to find a reward according to his way.
12Surely God will never do wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13Who gave Him charge over the earth?
Or who appointed Him over the whole world?
14If He should set His heart on it,
If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,
15All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.
16“If you have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words:
17Should one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn Him who is most just?
18Is it fitting to say to a king, ‘You are worthless,’
And to nobles, ‘You are wicked’?
19Yet He is not partial to princes,
Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor;
For they are all the work of His hands.
20In a moment they die, in the middle of the night;
The people are shaken and pass away;
The mighty are taken away without a hand.
21“For His eyes are on the ways of man,
And He sees all his steps.
22There is no darkness nor shadow of death
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23For He need not further consider a man,
That he should go before God in judgment.
24He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry,
And sets others in their place.
25Therefore He knows their works;
He overthrows them in the night,
And they are crushed.
26He strikes them as wicked men
In the open sight of others,
27Because they turned back from Him,
And would not consider any of His ways,
28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him;
For He hears the cry of the afflicted.
29When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble?
And when He hides His face, who then can see Him,
Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?—
30That the hypocrite should not reign,
Lest the people be ensnared.
31“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne chastening;
I will offend no more;
32Teach me what I do not see;
If I have done iniquity, I will do no more’?
33Should He repay it according to your terms,
Just because you disavow it?
You must choose, and not I;
Therefore speak what you know.
34“Men of understanding say to me,
Wise men who listen to me:
35‘Job speaks without knowledge,
His words are without wisdom.’
36Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost,
Because his answers are like those of wicked men!
37For he adds rebellion to his sin;
He claps his hands among us,
And multiplies his words against God.”
Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness
1Moreover Elihu answered and said:
2“Do you think this is right?
Do you say,
‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
3For you say,
‘What advantage will it be to You?
What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?’
4“I will answer you,
And your companions with you.
5Look to the heavens and see;
And behold the clouds—
They are higher than you.
6If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him?
Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?
7If you are righteous, what do you give Him?
Or what does He receive from your hand?
8Your wickedness affects a man such as you,
And your righteousness a son of man.
9“Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out;
They cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty.
10But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
Who gives songs in the night,
11Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth,
And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’
12There they cry out, but He does not answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
13Surely God will not listen to empty talk,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
14Although you say you do not see Him,
Yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him.
15And now, because He has not punished in His anger,
Nor taken much notice of folly,
16Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain;
He multiplies words without knowledge.”
Elihu Proclaims God’s Goodness
1Elihu also proceeded and said:
2“Bear with me a little, and I will show you
That there are yet words to speak on God’s behalf.
3I will fetch my knowledge from afar;
I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4For truly my words are not false;
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5“Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one;
He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6He does not preserve the life of the wicked,
But gives justice to the oppressed.
7He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;
But they are on the throne with kings,
For He has seated them forever,
And they are exalted.
8And if they are bound in fetters,
Held in the cords of affliction,
9Then He tells them their work and their transgressions—
That they have acted defiantly.
10He also opens their ear to instruction,
And commands that they turn from iniquity.
11If they obey and serve Him,
They shall spend their days in prosperity,
And their years in pleasures.
12But if they do not obey,
They shall perish by the sword,
And they shall die without knowledge.a Life Studies: Josephine Bakhita
13“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath;
They do not cry for help when He binds them.
14They die in youth,
And their life ends among the perverted persons.b
15He delivers the poor in their affliction,
And opens their ears in oppression.
16“Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress,
Into a broad place where there is no restraint;
And what is set on your table would be full of richness.
17But you are filled with the judgment due the wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow;
For a large ransom would not help you avoid it.
19Will your riches,
Or all the mighty forces,
Keep you from distress?
20Do not desire the night,
When people are cut off in their place.
21Take heed, do not turn to iniquity,
For you have chosen this rather than affliction.
22“Behold, God is exalted by His power;
Who teaches like Him?
23Who has assigned Him His way,
Or who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
24“Remember to magnify His work,
Of which men have sung.
25Everyone has seen it;
Man looks on it from afar.
26“Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him;
Nor can the number of His years be discovered.
27For He draws up drops of water,
Which distill as rain from the mist,
28Which the clouds drop down
And pour abundantly on man.
29Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds,
The thunder from His canopy?
30Look, He scatters His light upon it,
And covers the depths of the sea.
31For by these He judges the peoples;
He gives food in abundance.
32He covers His hands with lightning,
And commands it to strike.
33His thunder declares it,
The cattle also, concerning the rising storm.
1“At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
2Hear attentively the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
3He sends it forth under the whole heaven,
His lightning to the ends of the earth.
4After it a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.
5God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
6For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’;
Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.
7He seals the hand of every man,
That all men may know His work.
8The beasts go into dens,
And remain in their lairs.
9From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind,
And cold from the scattering winds of the north.
10By the breath of God ice is given,
And the broad waters are frozen.
11Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;
He scatters His bright clouds.
12And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,
That they may do whatever He commands them
On the face of the whole earth.a
13He causes it to come,
Whether for correction,
Or for His land,
Or for mercy.
14“Listen to this, O Job;
Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Focus: Still Life
15Do you know when God dispatches them,
And causes the light of His cloud to shine?
16Do you know how the clouds are balanced,
Those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
17Why are your garments hot,
When He quiets the earth by the south wind?
18With Him, have you spread out the skies,
Strong as a cast metal mirror?
19“Teach us what we should say to Him,
For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.
20Should He be told that I wish to speak?
If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up.
21Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies,
When the wind has passed and cleared them.
22He comes from the north as golden splendor;
With God is awesome majesty.
23As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him;
He is excellent in power,
In judgment and abundant justice;
He does not oppress.
24Therefore men fear Him;
He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.”
The LORD Reveals His Omnipotence to Job
1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
2“Who is this who darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
3Now prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
4“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
5Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7When the morning stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy? Insight: A Heavenly Creation
8“Or who shut in the sea with doors,
When it burst forth and issued from the womb;
9When I made the clouds its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling band;
10When I fixed My limit for it,
And set bars and doors;
11When I said,
‘This far you may come, but no farther,
And here your proud waves must stop!’
12“Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And the wicked be shaken out of it?
14It takes on form like clay under a seal,
And stands out like a garment.
15From the wicked their light is withheld,
And the upraised arm is broken.
16“Have you entered the springs of the sea?
Or have you walked in search of the depths?
17Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.
19“Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And darkness, where is its place,
20That you may take it to its territory,
That you may know the paths to its home?
21Do you know it, because you were born then,
Or because the number of your days is great?
22“Have you entered the treasury of snow,
Or have you seen the treasury of hail,
23Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
For the day of battle and war?
24By what way is light diffused,
Or the east wind scattered over the earth?
25“Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water,
Or a path for the thunderbolt,
26To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one,
A wilderness in which there is no man;
27To satisfy the desolate waste,
And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?
28Has the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29From whose womb comes the ice?
And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth?
30The waters harden like stone,
And the surface of the deep is frozen.
31“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades,
Or loose the belt of Orion?
32Can you bring out Mazzarotha in its season?
Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?
33Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you set their dominion over the earth?
34“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
That an abundance of water may cover you?
35Can you send out lightnings, that they may go,
And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?
36Who has put wisdom in the mind?b
Or who has given understanding to the heart?
37Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
38When the dust hardens in clumps,
And the clods cling together?
39“Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40When they crouch in their dens,
Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait?
41Who provides food for the raven,
When its young ones cry to God,
And wander about for lack of food?
1“Do you know the time when the wild mountain goats bear young?
Or can you mark when the deer gives birth?
2Can you number the months that they fulfill?
Or do you know the time when they bear young?
3They bow down,
They bring forth their young,
They deliver their offspring.a
4Their young ones are healthy,
They grow strong with grain;
They depart and do not return to them.
5“Who set the wild donkey free?
Who loosed the bonds of the onager, Insight: The Onager
6Whose home I have made the wilderness,
And the barren land his dwelling?
7He scorns the tumult of the city;
He does not heed the shouts of the driver.
8The range of the mountains is his pasture,
And he searches after every green thing.
9“Will the wild ox be willing to serve you?
Will he bed by your manger?
10Can you bind the wild ox in the furrow with ropes?
Or will he plow the valleys behind you?
11Will you trust him because his strength is great?
Or will you leave your labor to him?
12Will you trust him to bring home your grain,
And gather it to your threshing floor?
13“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly,
But are her wings and pinions like the kindly stork’s?
14For she leaves her eggs on the ground,
And warms them in the dust;
15She forgets that a foot may crush them,
Or that a wild beast may break them.
16She treats her young harshly, as though they were not hers;
Her labor is in vain, without concern,
17Because God deprived her of wisdom,
And did not endow her with understanding.
18When she lifts herself on high,
She scorns the horse and its rider.
19“Have you given the horse strength?
Have you clothed his neck with thunder?b
20Can you frighten him like a locust?
His majestic snorting strikes terror.
21He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength;
He gallops into the clash of arms.
22He mocks at fear, and is not frightened;
Nor does he turn back from the sword.
23The quiver rattles against him,
The glittering spear and javelin.
24He devours the distance with fierceness and rage;
Nor does he come to a halt because the trumpet has sounded.
25At the blast of the trumpet he says, ‘Aha!’
He smells the battle from afar,
The thunder of captains and shouting.
26“Does the hawk fly by your wisdom,
And spread its wings toward the south?
27Does the eagle mount up at your command,
And make its nest on high?
28On the rock it dwells and resides,
On the crag of the rock and the stronghold.
29From there it spies out the prey;
Its eyes observe from afar.
30Its young ones suck up blood;
And where the slain are, there it is.”
1Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said:
2“Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?
He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”
Job’s Response to God
3Then Job answered the LORD and said:
4“Behold, I am vile;
What shall I answer You?
I lay my hand over my mouth.
5Once I have spoken, but I will not answer;
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
God’s Challenge to Job
6Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
7“Now prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me:
8“Would you indeed annul My judgment?
Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?
9Have you an arm like God?
Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
10Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
And array yourself with glory and beauty.
11Disperse the rage of your wrath;
Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.
12Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low;
Tread down the wicked in their place.
13Hide them in the dust together,
Bind their faces in hidden darkness.
14Then I will also confess to you
That your own right hand can save you.
15“Look now at the behemoth,a which I made along with you;
He eats grass like an ox.
16See now, his strength is in his hips,
And his power is in his stomach muscles.
17He moves his tail like a cedar;
The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
18His bones are like beams of bronze,
His ribs like bars of iron.
19He is the first of the ways of God;
Only He who made him can bring near His sword.
20Surely the mountains yield food for him,
And all the beasts of the field play there.
21He lies under the lotus trees,
In a covert of reeds and marsh.
22The lotus trees cover him with their shade;
The willows by the brook surround him.
23Indeed the river may rage,
Yet he is not disturbed;
He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth,
24Though he takes it in his eyes,
Or one pierces his nose with a snare.
1“Can you draw out Leviathana with a hook,
Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? Insight: Leviathan
2Can you put a reed through his nose,
Or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3Will he make many supplications to you?
Will he speak softly to you?
4Will he make a covenant with you?
Will you take him as a servant forever?
5Will you play with him as with a bird,
Or will you leash him for your maidens?
6Will your companions make a banquetb of him?
Will they apportion him among the merchants? Insight: Beyond Our Means
7Can you fill his skin with harpoons,
Or his head with fishing spears?
8Lay your hand on him;
Remember the battle—
Never do it again!
9Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false;
Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him?
10No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up.
Who then is able to stand against Me?
11Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him?
Everything under heaven is Mine.
12“I will not concealc his limbs,
His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.
13Who can remove his outer coat?
Who can approach him with a double bridle?
14Who can open the doors of his face,
With his terrible teeth all around?
15His rows of scales are his pride,
Shut up tightly as with a seal;
16One is so near another
That no air can come between them;
17They are joined one to another,
They stick together and cannot be parted.
18His sneezings flash forth light,
And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19Out of his mouth go burning lights;
Sparks of fire shoot out.
20Smoke goes out of his nostrils,
As from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21His breath kindles coals,
And a flame goes out of his mouth.
22Strength dwells in his neck,
And sorrow dances before him.
23The folds of his flesh are joined together;
They are firm on him and cannot be moved.
24His heart is as hard as stone,
Even as hard as the lower millstone.
25When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid;
Because of his crashings they are besided themselves.
26Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail;
Nor does spear, dart, or javelin.
27He regards iron as straw,
And bronze as rotten wood.
28The arrow cannot make him flee;
Slingstones become like stubble to him.
29Darts are regarded as straw;
He laughs at the threat of javelins.
30His undersides are like sharp potsherds;
He spreads pointed marks in the mire.
31He makes the deep boil like a pot;
He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32He leaves a shining wake behind him;
One would think the deep had white hair.
33On earth there is nothing like him,
Which is made without fear.
34He beholds every high thing;
He is king over all the children of pride.”
Job’s Repentance and Restoration
1Then Job answered the LORD and said: Focus: Knowing the Unknown
2“I know that You can do everything,
And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
3You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4Listen, please, and let me speak;
You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’
5“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You.
6Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.”
7And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. Focus: Beware of Folly
8“Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”
9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them; for the LORD had accepted Job.
10And the LORD restored Job’s lossesa when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. Insight: Family Stories
12Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys.
13He also had seven sons and three daughters. Focus: Lasting Scars
14And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch.
15In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
16After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations.
17So Job died, old and full of days.