Prologue
1In the land of Uza there lived a man whose name was Job.b This man was blamelessc and upright;d he feared Gode and shunned evil.f 2He had seven sonsg and three daughters,h 3and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys,i and had a large number of servants.j He was the greatest mank among all the people of the East.l Photo Photo
4His sons used to hold feastsm in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified.n Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offeringo for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinnedp and cursed Godq in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
6One day the angels1r came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan2s also came with them.t 7The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”u
8Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?v There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears Godw and shuns evil.”x
9“Does Job fear God for nothing?”y Satan replied. 10“Have you not put a hedgez around him and his household and everything he has?a You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.b 11But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,c and he will surely curse you to your face.”d
12The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he hase is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”f
Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
13One day when Job’s sons and daughtersg were feastingh and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazingi nearby, 15and the Sabeansj attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
16While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavensk and burned up the sheep and the servants,l and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
17While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeansm formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
18While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughtersn were feastingo and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19when suddenly a mighty windp swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead,q and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!r”
20At this, Job got up and tore his robes and shaved his head.t Then he fell to the ground in worshipu 21and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;w
may the name of the LORD be praised.”x
22In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.y
1On another day the angels1a came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with themb to present himself before him. 2And the LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”c
3Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.d And he still maintains his integrity,e though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”f
4“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he hasg for his own life. 5But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones,h and he will surely curse you to your face.”i
6The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands;j but you must spare his life.”k
7So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.l 8Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.m
9His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity?n Curse God and die!”o
10He replied, “You are talking like a foolish2 woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”p
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.q
11When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite,r Bildad the Shuhites and Zophar the Naamathite,t heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.u 12When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him;v they began to weep aloud,w and they tore their robesx and sprinkled dust on their heads.y 13Then they sat on the groundz with him for seven days and seven nights.a No one said a word to him,b because they saw how great his suffering was.
Job Speaks
1After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.a 2He said:
3“May the day of my birth perish,
and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’b
4That day—may it turn to darkness;
may God above not care about it;
may no light shine on it.
5May gloom and utter darknessc claim it once more;
may a cloud settle over it;
may blackness overwhelm it.
6That night—may thick darknessd seize it;
may it not be included among the days of the year
nor be entered in any of the months.
7May that night be barren;
may no shout of joye be heard in it.
8May those who curse days1 curse that day,f
those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.g
9May its morning stars become dark;
may it wait for daylight in vain
and not see the first rays of dawn,h
10for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me
to hide trouble from my eyes.
11“Why did I not perish at birth,
and die as I came from the womb?i
12Why were there knees to receive mej
and breasts that I might be nursed?
13For now I would be lying downk in peace;
I would be asleep and at restl
14with kings and rulers of the earth,m
who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,n
15with princeso who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.p
16Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,q
like an infant who never saw the light of day?r
17There the wicked cease from turmoil,s
and there the weary are at rest.t
18Captivesu also enjoy their ease;
they no longer hear the slave driver’sv shout.w
19The small and the great are there,x
and the slaves are freed from their owners.
20“Why is light given to those in misery,
and life to the bitter of soul,y
21to those who long for death that does not come,z
who search for it more than for hidden treasure,a
22who are filled with gladness
and rejoice when they reach the grave?b
23Why is life given to a man
whose way is hidden,c
whom God has hedged in?d
24For sighinge has become my daily food;f
my groansg pour out like water.h
25What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreadedi has happened to me.j
26I have no peace,k no quietness;
Eliphaz
1Then Eliphaz the Temanitea replied:
2“If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
But who can keep from speaking?b
3Think how you have instructed many,c
how you have strengthened feeble hands.d
4Your words have supported those who stumbled;e
you have strengthened faltering knees.f
5But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;g
it strikesh you, and you are dismayed.i
6Should not your piety be your confidencej
and your blamelessk ways your hope?
7“Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?l
Where were the upright ever destroyed?m
8As I have observed,n those who plow evilo
and those who sow trouble reap it.p
9At the breath of Godq they perish;
at the blast of his anger they are no more.r
10The lions may roars and growl,
yet the teeth of the great lionst are broken.u
11The lion perishes for lack of prey,v
and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.w
12“A wordx was secretly brought to me,
my ears caught a whispery of it.z
13Amid disquieting dreams in the night,
when deep sleep falls on people,a
14fear and tremblingb seized me
and made all my bones shake.c
15A spirit glided past my face,
and the hair on my body stood on end.d
16It stopped,
but I could not tell what it was.
A form stood before my eyes,
and I heard a hushed voice:e
17‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?f
Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker?g
18If God places no trust in his servants,h
if he charges his angels with error,i
19how much more those who live in houses of clay,j
whose foundationsk are in the dust,l
who are crushedm more readily than a moth!n
20Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces;
unnoticed, they perish forever.o
1“Call if you will, but who will answer you?a
To which of the holy onesb will you turn?
and envy slays the simple.d
3I myself have seene a fool taking root,f
but suddenlyg his house was cursed.h
4His childreni are far from safety,j
crushed in courtk without a defender.l
5The hungry consume his harvest,m
taking it even from among thorns,
and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6For hardship does not spring from the soil,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground.n
as surely as sparks fly upward.
8“But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
I would lay my cause before him.p
9He performs wondersq that cannot be fathomed,r
miracles that cannot be counted.s
10He provides rain for the earth;t
he sends water on the countryside.u
11The lowly he sets on high,v
and those who mournw are liftedx to safety.
12He thwarts the plansy of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.z
13He catches the wisea in their craftiness,b
and the schemes of the wily are swept away.c
14Darknessd comes upon them in the daytime;
at noon they grope as in the night.e
15He saves the needyf from the sword in their mouth;
he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.g
16So the poorh have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.i
17“Blessed is the one whom God corrects;j
so do not despise the disciplinek of the Almighty.1l
18For he wounds, but he also binds up;m
he injures, but his hands also heal.n
19From six calamities he will rescueo you;
in seven no harm will touch you.p
20In famineq he will deliver you from death,
and in battle from the stroke of the sword.r
21You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,s
and need not feart when destruction comes.u
22You will laughv at destruction and famine,w
and need not fear the wild animals.x
23For you will have a covenanty with the stonesz of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.a
24You will know that your tent is secure;b
you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.c
25You will know that your children will be many,d
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.e
26You will come to the grave in full vigor,f
like sheaves gathered in season.g
27“We have examined this, and it is true.
Job
1Then Job replied:
2“If only my anguish could be weighed
and all my misery be placed on the scales!a
3It would surely outweigh the sandb of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.c
4The arrowsd of the Almightye are in me,f
my spirit drinksg in their poison;h
God’s terrorsi are marshaled against me.j
5Does a wild donkeyk brayl when it has grass,
or an ox bellow when it has fodder?m
6Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow1?n
7I refuse to touch it;
such food makes me ill.o
8“Oh, that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for,p
9that God would be willing to crushq me,
to let loose his hand and cut off my life!r
10Then I would still have this consolations—
my joy in unrelenting paint—
that I had not denied the wordsu of the Holy One.v
11“What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
What prospects, that I should be patient?w
12Do I have the strength of stone?
Is my flesh bronze?x
13Do I have any power to help myself,y
now that success has been driven from me?
14“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friendz
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.a
15But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,b
as the streams that overflow
16when darkened by thawing ice
and swollen with melting snow,c
17but that stop flowing in the dry season,
and in the heatd vanish from their channels.
18Caravans turn aside from their routes;
they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19The caravans of Temae look for water,
the traveling merchants of Shebaf look in hope.
20They are distressed, because they had been confident;
they arrive there, only to be disappointed.g
21Now you too have proved to be of no help;
you see something dreadful and are afraid.h
22Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
pay a ransomi for me from your wealth,j
23deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?k
24“Teach me, and I will be quiet;l
show me where I have been wrong.m
25How painful are honest words!n
But what do your arguments prove?
26Do you mean to correct what I say,
and treat my desperate words as wind?o
27You would even cast lotsp for the fatherlessq
and barter away your friend.
28“But now be so kind as to look at me.
Would I lie to your face?r
29Relent, do not be unjust;s
reconsider, for my integrityt is at stake.2u
30Is there any wickedness on my lips?v
Can my mouth not discernw malice?
1“Do not mortals have hard servicea on earth?b
Are not their days like those of hired laborers?c
2Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,d
or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,e
3so I have been allotted months of futility,
and nights of misery have been assigned to me.f
4When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’g
The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.h
5My body is clothed with wormsi and scabs,
my skin is broken and festering.j
6“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,k
and they come to an end without hope.l
7Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;m
my eyes will never see happiness again.n
8The eye that now sees me will see me no longer;
you will look for me, but I will be no more.o
9As a cloud vanishesp and is gone,
so one who goes down to the graveq does not return.r
10He will never come to his house again;
his places will know him no more.t
11“Therefore I will not keep silent;u
I will speak out in the anguishv of my spirit,
I will complainw in the bitterness of my soul.x
12Am I the sea,y or the monster of the deep,z
that you put me under guard?a
13When I think my bed will comfort me
and my couch will ease my complaint,b
14even then you frighten me with dreams
and terrifyc me with visions,d
15so that I prefer strangling and death,e
rather than this body of mine.f
16I despise my life;g I would not live forever.h
Let me alone;i my days have no meaning.j
17“What is mankind that you make so much of them,
that you give them so much attention,k
18that you examine them every morningl
19Will you never look away from me,o
or let me alone even for an instant?p
20If I have sinned, what have I done to you,q
you who see everything we do?
Why have you made me your target?r
Have I become a burden to you?1s
21Why do you not pardon my offenses
and forgive my sins?t
For I will soon lie down in the dust;u
you will search for me, but I will be no more.”v
Bildad
1Then Bildad the Shuhitea replied:
2“How long will you say such things?b
Your words are a blustering wind.c
Does the Almighty pervert what is right?e
4When your children sinned against him,
he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.f
5But if you will seek God earnestly
and pleadg with the Almighty,h
6if you are pure and upright,
even now he will rouse himself on your behalfi
and restore you to your prosperous state.j
7Your beginnings will seem humble,
so prosperousk will your future be.l
and find out what their ancestors learned,
9for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,n
and our days on earth are but a shadow.o
10Will they not instructp you and tell you?
Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?q
11Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?r
Can reedss thrive without water?
12While still growing and uncut,
they wither more quickly than grass.t
13Such is the destinyu of all who forget God;v
so perishes the hope of the godless.w
14What they trust in is fragile1;
what they rely on is a spider’s web.x
15They lean on the web,y but it gives way;
they cling to it, but it does not hold.z
16They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
spreading its shootsa over the garden;b
17it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
and looks for a place among the stones.
18But when it is torn from its spot,
that place disownsc it and says, ‘I never saw you.’d
19Surely its life witherse away,
and2 from the soil other plants grow.f
20“Surely God does not reject one who is blamelessg
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.h
21He will yet fill your mouth with laughteri
and your lips with shouts of joy.j
22Your enemies will be clothed in shame,k
Job
1Then Job replied:
2“Indeed, I know that this is true.
But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?a
3Though they wished to dispute with him,b
they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.c
4His wisdomd is profound, his power is vast.e
Who has resistedf him and come out unscathed?g
5He moves mountainsh without their knowing it
and overturns them in his anger.i
6He shakes the earthj from its place
and makes its pillars tremble.k
7He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;l
he seals off the light of the stars.m
8He alone stretches out the heavensn
and treads on the waves of the sea.o
9He is the Makerp of the Bear1 and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.q Photo
10He performs wondersr that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.s
11When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.t
12If he snatches away, who can stop him?u
Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’v
13God does not restrain his anger;w
even the cohorts of Rahabx cowered at his feet.
14“How then can I dispute with him?
How can I find words to argue with him?y
15Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;z
I could only pleada with my Judgeb for mercy.c
16Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.d
17He would crush mee with a stormf
and multiplyg my wounds for no reason.h
18He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.i
19If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!j
And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him2?k
20Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.l
I have no concern for myself;n
I despise my own life.o
22It is all the same; that is why I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’p
23When a scourgeq brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent.r
24When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,s
he blindfolds its judges.t
If it is not he, then who is it?u
25“My days are swifter than a runner;v
they fly away without a glimpse of joy.w
26They skim pastx like boats of papyrus,y
like eagles swooping down on their prey.z
27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,a
I will change my expression, and smile,’
28I still dreadb all my sufferings,
for I know you will not hold me innocent.c
29Since I am already found guilty,
why should I struggle in vain?d
30Even if I washed myself with soape
and my handsf with cleansing powder,g
31you would plunge me into a slime pith
so that even my clothes would detest me.i
32“He is not a mere mortalj like me that I might answer him,k
that we might confront each other in court.l
33If only there were someone to mediate between us,m
someone to bring us together,n
34someone to remove God’s rod from me,o
so that his terror would frighten me no more.p
35Then I would speak up without fear of him,q
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.r
therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.b
2I say to God:c Do not declare me guilty,
but tell me what chargesd you have against me.e
3Does it please you to oppress me,f
to spurn the work of your hands,g
while you smile on the plans of the wicked?h
4Do you have eyes of flesh?
Do you see as a mortal sees?i
5Are your days like those of a mortal
or your years like those of a strong man,j
6that you must search out my faults
and probe after my sink—
7though you know that I am not guiltyl
and that no one can rescue me from your hand?m
8“Your hands shapedn me and made me.
Will you now turn and destroy me?o
9Remember that you molded me like clay.p
Will you now turn me to dust again?q
10Did you not pour me out like milk
and curdle me like cheese,
11clothe me with skin and flesh
and knit me togetherr with bones and sinews?
12You gave me lifes and showed me kindness,t
and in your providenceu watched overv my spirit.
13“But this is what you concealed in your heart,
and I know that this was in your mind:w
14If I sinned, you would be watching mex
and would not let my offense go unpunished.y
Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,b
for I am full of shame
and drowned in1 my affliction.c
16If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a liond
and again display your awesome power against me.e
17You bring new witnesses against mef
and increase your anger toward me;g
your forces come against me wave upon wave.h
18“Why then did you bring me out of the womb?i
I wish I had died before any eye saw me.j
19If only I had never come into being,
or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!k
20Are not my few daysl almost over?m
Turn away from men so I can have a moment’s joyo
21before I go to the place of no return,p
to the land of gloom and utter darkness,q
22to the land of deepest night,
of utter darknessr and disorder,
where even the light is like darkness.”s
Zophar
1Then Zophar the Naamathitea replied:
2“Are all these words to go unanswered?b
Is this talker to be vindicated?c
3Will your idle talkd reduce others to silence?
Will no one rebuke you when you mock?e
4You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawlessf
and I am pureg in your sight.’
5Oh, how I wish that God would speak,h
that he would open his lips against you
6and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,i
for true wisdom has two sides.
Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.j
7“Can you fathomk the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
8They are higherl than the heavensm above—what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths belown—what can you know?o
9Their measurep is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.q
10“If he comes along and confines you in prison
and convenes a court, who can oppose him?r
11Surely he recognizes deceivers;
and when he sees evil, does he not take note?s
12But the witless can no more become wise
than a wild donkey’s coltt can be born human.1u
13“Yet if you devote your heartv to him
and stretch out your handsw to him,x
14if you put awayy the sin that is in your hand
and allow no evilz to dwell in your tent,a
15then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;b
you will stand firmc and without fear.d
16You will surely forget your trouble,e
recalling it only as waters gone by.f
17Life will be brighter than noonday,g
and darkness will become like morning.h
18You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your resti in safety.j
19You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,k
and many will court your favor.l
20But the eyes of the wicked will fail,m
and escape will elude them;n
their hope will become a dying gasp.”o
Job
1Then Job replied:
2“Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
and wisdom will die with you!a
3But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?b
4“I have become a laughingstockc to my friends,d
though I called on God and he answerede—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!f
5Those who are at ease have contemptg for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.h
6The tents of marauders are undisturbed,i
and those who provoke God are securej—
those God has in his hand.1
7“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,k
or the birds in the sky,l and they will tell you;m
8or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9Which of all these does not known
that the hand of the LORD has done this?o
10In his hand is the lifep of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.q
11Does not the ear test words
as the tongue tastes food?r
12Is not wisdom found among the aged?s
Does not long life bring understanding?t
13“To God belong wisdomu and power;v
counsel and understanding are his.w
14What he tears downx cannot be rebuilt;y
those he imprisons cannot be released.z
15If he holds back the waters,a there is drought;b
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.c
16To him belong strength and insight;d
both deceived and deceiver are his.e
17He leads rulers away strippedf
and makes fools of judges.g
18He takes off the shacklesh put on by kings
and ties a loincloth2 around their waist.i
19He leads priests away strippedj
and overthrows officials long established.k
20He silences the lips of trusted advisers
and takes away the discernment of elders.l
21He pours contempt on noblesm
and disarms the mighty.n
22He reveals the deep things of darknesso
and brings utter darknessp into the light.q
23He makes nations great, and destroys them;r
he enlarges nations,s and disperses them.t
24He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;u
he makes them wander in a trackless waste.v
25They grope in darkness with no light;w
he makes them stagger like drunkards.x
1“My eyes have seen all this,a
my ears have heard and understood it.
2What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.b
3But I desire to speak to the Almightyc
and to argue my case with God.d
4You, however, smear me with lies;e
you are worthless physicians,f all of you!g
5If only you would be altogether silent!h
For you, that would be wisdom.i
6Hear now my argument;
listen to the pleas of my lips.j
7Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?k
8Will you show him partiality?l
Will you argue the case for God?
9Would it turn out well if he examined you?m
Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?n
10He would surely call you to account
if you secretly showed partiality.o
11Would not his splendorp terrify you?
Would not the dread of him fall on you?q
12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.r
13“Keep silents and let me speak;t
then let come to me what may.u
14Why do I put myself in jeopardy
and take my life in my hands?v
15Though he slay me, yet will I hopew in him;x
I will surely1 defend my ways to his face.y
16Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,z
for no godlessa person would dare come before him!b
17Listen carefully to what I say;c
let my words ring in your ears.
18Now that I have prepared my case,d
I know I will be vindicated.e
19Can anyone bring charges against me?f
If so, I will be silentg and die.h
20“Only grant me these two things, God,
and then I will not hide from you:
21Withdraw your handi far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.j
22Then summon me and I will answer,k
or let me speak, and you reply to me.l
23How many wrongs and sins have I committed?m
Show me my offense and my sin.n
and consider me your enemy?p
25Will you tormentq a windblown leaf?r
Will you chases after dry chaff?t
26For you write down bitter things against me
and make me reap the sins of my youth.u
27You fasten my feet in shackles;v
you keep close watch on all my pathsw
by putting marks on the soles of my feet. Photo
28“So man wastes away like something rotten,
are of few daysb and full of trouble.c
2They spring up like flowersd and wither away;e
like fleeting shadows,f they do not endure.g
3Do you fix your eye on them?h
Will you bring them1 before you for judgment?i
4Who can bring what is purej from the impure?k
No one!l
5A person’s days are determined;m
you have decreed the number of his monthsn
and have set limits he cannot exceed.o
6So look away from him and let him alone,p
till he has put in his time like a hired laborer.q
7“At least there is hope for a tree:r
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shootss will not fail.t
8Its roots may grow old in the ground
and its stumpu die in the soil,
9yet at the scent of waterv it will bud
and put forth shoots like a plant.w
10But a man dies and is laid low;x
he breathes his last and is no more.y
11As the water of a lake dries up
or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,z
12so he lies down and does not rise;a
till the heavens are no more,b people will not awake
or be roused from their sleep.c
13“If only you would hide me in the graved
and conceal me till your anger has passed!e
If only you would set me a time
14If someone dies, will they live again?
All the days of my hard serviceh
I will wait for my renewal2i to come.
15You will call and I will answer you;j
you will long for the creature your hands have made.k
16Surely then you will count my stepsl
but not keep track of my sin.m
17My offenses will be sealedn up in a bag;o
you will cover over my sin.p
18“But as a mountain erodes and crumblesq
and as a rock is moved from its place,r
19as water wears away stones
and torrentss wash away the soil,t
so you destroy a person’s hope.u
20You overpower them once for all, and they are gone;v
you change their countenance and send them away.w
21If their children are honored, they do not know it;
if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it.x
22They feel but the pain of their own bodiesy
and mourn only for themselves.z”
Eliphaz
1Then Eliphaz the Temanitea replied:
2“Would a wise person answer with empty notions
or fill their belly with the hot east wind?b
3Would they argue with useless words,
with speeches that have no value?c
4But you even undermine piety
and hinder devotion to God.d
5Your sine prompts your mouth;f
you adopt the tongue of the crafty.g
6Your own mouth condemns you, not mine;
your own lips testify against you.h
7“Are you the first man ever born?i
Were you brought forth before the hills?j
8Do you listen in on God’s council?k
Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?l
9What do you know that we do not know?
What insights do you have that we do not have?m
10The gray-haired and the agedn are on our side,
men even older than your father.o
11Are God’s consolationsp not enough for you,
12Why has your hearts carried you away,
and why do your eyes flash,
13so that you vent your raget against God
and pour out such wordsu from your mouth?v
14“What are mortals, that they could be pure,
or those born of woman,w that they could be righteous?x
15If God places no trust in his holy ones,y
if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,z
16how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt,a
who drink up evilb like water!c
17“Listen to me and I will explain to you;
let me tell you what I have seen,d
18what the wise have declared,
hiding nothing received from their ancestorse
19(to whom alone the landf was given
when no foreigners moved among them):
20All his days the wicked man suffers torment,g
the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.h
21Terrifying sounds fill his ears;i
when all seems well, marauders attack him.j
22He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;k
he is marked for the sword.l
23He wanders aboutm for food like a vulture;n
he knows the day of darknesso is at hand.p
24Distress and anguishq fill him with terror;r
troubles overwhelm him, like a kings poised to attack,
25because he shakes his fistt at God
and vaunts himself against the Almighty,u
26defiantly charging against him
with a thick, strong shield.v
27“Though his face is covered with fat
and his waist bulges with flesh,w
28he will inhabit ruined towns
and houses where no one lives,x
houses crumbling to rubble.y
29He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure,z
nor will his possessions spread over the land.a
30He will not escape the darkness;b
a flamec will wither his shoots,d
and the breath of God’s mouthe will carry him away.f
31Let him not deceiveg himself by trusting what is worthless,h
for he will get nothing in return.i
32Before his timej he will wither,k
and his branches will not flourish.l
33He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes,m
like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.n
34For the company of the godlesso will be barren,
and fire will consumep the tents of those who love bribes.q
35They conceive troubler and give birth to evil;s
their womb fashions deceit.”
Job
1Then Job replied:
2“I have heard many things like these;
you are miserable comforters,a all of you!b
3Will your long-winded speeches never end?c
What ails you that you keep on arguing?d
4I also could speak like you,
if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
and shake my heade at you.
5But my mouth would encourage you;
comfortf from my lips would bring you relief.g
6“Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
and if I refrain, it does not go away.h
7Surely, God, you have worn me out;i
you have devastated my entire household.j
8You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness;
my gauntnessk rises up and testifies against me.l
9God assails me and tearsm me in his angern
and gnashes his teeth at me;o
my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.p
10People open their mouthsq to jeer at me;r
they strike my cheeks in scorn
and unite together against me.t
11God has turned me over to the ungodly
and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.u
12All was well with me, but he shattered me;
he seized me by the neck and crushed me.v
He has made me his target;w
13his archers surround me.x
Without pity, he piercesy my kidneys
and spills my gall on the ground.
14Again and againz he bursts upon me;
he rushes at me like a warrior.a
15“I have sewed sackclothb over my skin
and buried my brow in the dust.c
16My face is red with weeping,d
dark shadows ring my eyes;e
17yet my hands have been free of violencef
and my prayer is pure.g
18“Earth, do not cover my blood;h
may my cryi never be laid to rest!j
19Even now my witnessk is in heaven;l
my advocate is on high.m
20My intercessorn is my friend1o
as my eyes pour outp tearsq to God;
21on behalf of a man he pleadsr with God
as one pleads for a friend.
22“Only a few years will pass
before I take the path of no return.s
1My spirita is broken,
my days are cut short,b
the grave awaits me.c
2Surely mockersd surround me;e
my eyes must dwell on their hostility.
3“Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.f
Who else will put up securityg for me?h
4You have closed their minds to understanding;i
therefore you will not let them triumph.
5If anyone denounces their friends for reward,j
the eyes of their children will fail.k
6“God has made me a bywordl to everyone,m
a man in whose face people spit.n
7My eyes have grown dim with grief;o
my whole frame is but a shadow.p
8The upright are appalled at this;
the innocent are arousedq against the ungodly.
9Nevertheless, the righteousr will hold to their ways,
and those with clean handss will grow stronger.t
10“But come on, all of you, try again!
I will not find a wise man among you.u
11My days have passed,v my plans are shattered.
Yet the desires of my heartw
12turn night into day;x
in the face of the darkness light is near.y
13If the only home I hope for is the grave,z
if I spread out my beda in the realm of darkness,b
14if I say to corruption,c ‘You are my father,’
and to the worm,d ‘My mother’ or ‘My sister,’
15where then is my hope—e
who can see any hope for me?f
16Will it go down to the gates of death?g
Will we descend together into the dust?”h
Bildad
1Then Bildad the Shuhitea replied:
2“When will you end these speeches?b
Be sensible, and then we can talk.
3Why are we regarded as cattlec
and considered stupid in your sight?d
4You who tear yourselfe to pieces in your anger,f
is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
Or must the rocks be moved from their place?g
5“The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;h
the flame of his fire stops burning.i
6The light in his tentj becomes dark;k
the lamp beside him goes out.l
7The vigorm of his step is weakened;n
his own schemeso throw him down.p
8His feet thrust him into a net;q
he wanders into its mesh.
9A trap seizes him by the heel;
10A nooset is hidden for him on the ground;
11Terrorsw startle him on every sidex
and dogy his every step.
12Calamityz is hungrya for him;
disasterb is ready for him when he falls.c
13It eats away parts of his skin;d
death’s firstborn devours his limbs.e
14He is torn from the security of his tentf
and marched off to the kingg of terrors.h
burning sulfurj is scattered over his dwelling.
16His roots dry up belowk
and his branches wither above.l
17The memory of him perishes from the earth;m
18He is driven from light into the realm of darknessp
and is banishedq from the world.r
19He has no offsprings or descendantst among his people,
no survivoru where once he lived.v
20People of the west are appalledw at his fate;x
those of the east are seized with horror.
Job
1Then Job replied:
2“How long will you tormenta me
and crushb me with words?
3Ten timesc now you have reproachedd me;
shamelessly you attack me.
4If it is true that I have gone astray,
my errore remains my concern alone.
5If indeed you would exalt yourselves above mef
and use my humiliation against me,
6then know that God has wronged meg
and drawn his neth around me.i
7“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;j
though I call for help,k there is no justice.l
8He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;m
he has shrouded my paths in darkness.n
9He has strippedo me of my honorp
and removed the crown from my head.q
10He tears me downr on every side till I am gone;
he uproots my hopes like a tree.t
11His angeru burns against me;
he counts me among his enemies.v
12His troops advance in force;w
they build a siege rampx against me
and encamp around my tent.y
13“He has alienated my familyz from me;
my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.a
14My relatives have gone away;
my closest friendsb have forgotten me.
15My guestsc and my female servantsd count me a foreigner;
they look on me as on a stranger.
16I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
though I beg him with my own mouth.
17My breath is offensive to my wife;
I am loathsomee to my own family.
18Even the little boysf scorn me;
when I appear, they ridicule me.g
19All my intimate friendsh detest me;i
those I love have turned against me.j
20I am nothing but skin and bones;k
I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.1
21“Have pity on me, my friends,l have pity,
for the hand of God has struckm me.
22Why do you pursuen me as God does?o
Will you never get enough of my flesh?p
23“Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,q
24that they were inscribed with an iron toolr on2 lead,
or engraved in rock forever!s Photo
25I know that my redeemer3t lives,u
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.4
26And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet5 in6 my flesh I will see God;v
27I myself will see him
with my own eyesw—I, and not another.
How my heart yearnsx within me!
28“If you say, ‘How we will houndy him,
since the root of the trouble lies in him,7’
29you should fear the sword yourselves;
for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,z
Zophar
1Then Zophar the Naamathitea replied:
2“My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.b
3I hear a rebukec that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4“Surely you know how it has been from of old,d
ever since mankind1 was placed on the earth,
5that the mirth of the wickede is brief,
the joy of the godlessf lasts but a moment.g
6Though the prideh of the godless person reaches to the heavensi
and his head touches the clouds,j
7he will perish forever,k like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’l
8Like a dreamm he flies away,n no more to be found,
banishedo like a vision of the night.p
9The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.q
10His childrenr must make amends to the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.s
11The youthful vigort that fills his bonesu
will lie with him in the dust.v
12“Though evilw is sweet in his mouth
and he hides it under his tongue,x
13though he cannot bear to let it go
and lets it linger in his mouth,y
14yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;z
it will become the venom of serpentsa within him.
15He will spit out the richesb he swallowed;
God will make his stomach vomitc them up.
16He will suck the poisond of serpents;
the fangs of an adder will kill him.e
17He will not enjoy the streams,
the riversf flowing with honeyg and cream.h
18What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;i
he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.j
19For he has oppressed the poork and left them destitute;l
he has seized housesm he did not build.
20“Surely he will have no respite from his craving;n
he cannot save himself by his treasure.o
21Nothing is left for him to devour;
his prosperity will not endure.p
22In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;q
the full force of misery will come upon him.r
23When he has filled his belly,s
God will vent his burning angert against him
and rain down his blows on him.u
24Though he fleesv from an iron weapon,
a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.w
25He pulls it out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
26total darknessz lies in wait for his treasures.
A firea unfanned will consume himb
and devour what is left in his tent.c
27The heavens will expose his guilt;
the earth will rise up against him.d
28A flood will carry off his house,e
rushing waters2 on the day of God’s wrath.f
29Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God.”g
Job
1Then Job replied:
2“Listen carefully to my words;a
let this be the consolation you give me.b
3Bear with me while I speak,
and after I have spoken, mock on.c
4“Is my complaintd directed to a human being?
Why should I not be impatient?e
5Look at me and be appalled;
clap your hand over your mouth.f
6When I think about this, I am terrified;g
trembling seizes my body.h
7Why do the wicked live on,
growing old and increasing in power?i
8They see their children established around them,
their offspring before their eyes.j
9Their homes are safe and free from fear;k
the rod of God is not on them.l
10Their bulls never fail to breed;
their cows calve and do not miscarry.m
11They send forth their children as a flock;n
their little ones dance about.
12They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;o
they make merry to the sound of the pipe.p
13They spend their years in prosperityq
and go down to the graver in peace.1s
14Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!t
We have no desire to know your ways.u
15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
What would we gain by praying to him?’v
16But their prosperity is not in their own hands,
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.w
17“Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out?x
How often does calamityy come upon them,
the fate God allots in his anger?z
18How often are they like straw before the wind,
like chaffa swept awayb by a gale?c
19It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’d
Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it!e
20Let their own eyes see their destruction;f
let them drinkg the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.h
21For what do they care about the families they leave behindi
when their allotted monthsj come to an end?k
22“Can anyone teach knowledge to God,l
since he judges even the highest?m
23One person dies in full vigor,n
completely secure and at ease,o
25Another dies in bitterness of soul,s
never having enjoyed anything good.
26Side by side they lie in the dust,t
27“I know full well what you are thinking,
the schemes by which you would wrong me.
28You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great,w
the tents where the wicked lived?’x
29Have you never questioned those who travel?
Have you paid no regard to their accounts—
30that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity,y
that they are delivered from3 the day of wrath?z
31Who denounces their conduct to their face?
Who repays them for what they have done?a
32They are carried to the grave,
and watch is kept over their tombs.b
33The soil in the valley is sweet to them;c
everyone follows after them,
and a countless throng goes4 before them.d
34“So how can you console mee with your nonsense?
Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”f
Eliphaz
1Then Eliphaz the Temanitea replied:
2“Can a man be of benefit to God?b
Can even a wise person benefit him?c
3What pleasured would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?e
What would he gain if your ways were blameless?f
4“Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
and brings charges against you?g
5Is not your wickedness great?
6You demanded securityj from your relatives for no reason;k
you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.l Photo
7You gave no waterm to the weary
and you withheld food from the hungry,n
8though you were a powerful man, owning lando—
an honored man,p living on it.q
9And you sent widowsr away empty-handeds
and broke the strength of the fatherless.t
10That is why snaresu are all around you,v
why sudden peril terrifies you,w
11why it is so darkx you cannot see,
and why a flood of water covers you.y
12“Is not God in the heights of heaven?z
And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13Yet you say, ‘What does God know?a
Does he judge through such darkness?b
14Thick cloudsc veil him, so he does not see usd
as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’e
15Will you keep to the old path
16They were carried off before their time,h
their foundationsi washed away by a flood.j
17They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
What can the Almighty do to us?’k
18Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,l
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.m
19The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;n
the innocent mocko them, saying,
20‘Surely our foes are destroyed,p
and fireq devours their wealth.’
21“Submit to God and be at peacer with him;s
in this way prosperity will come to you.t
22Accept instruction from his mouthu
and lay up his wordsv in your heart.w
23If you returnx to the Almighty, you will be restored:y
If you remove wickedness far from your tentz
24and assign your nuggetsa to the dust,
your goldb of Ophirc to the rocks in the ravines,d
25then the Almighty will be your gold,e
the choicest silver for you.f
26Surely then you will find delight in the Almightyg
and will lift up your faceh to God.i
27You will pray to him,j and he will hear you,k
and you will fulfill your vows.l
28What you decide on will be done,m
and lightn will shine on your ways.o
29When people are brought lowp and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
then he will save the downcast.q
30He will deliver even one who is not innocent,r
who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”s
Job
1Then Job replied:
2“Even today my complainta is bitter;b
his hand1 is heavy in spite of2 my groaning.c
3If only I knew where to find him;
if only I could go to his dwelling!d
4I would state my casee before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.f
5I would find out what he would answer me,g
and consider what he would say to me.
6Would he vigorously oppose me?h
No, he would not press charges against me.i
7There the uprightj can establish their innocence before him,k
and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.l
8“But if I go to the east, he is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not find him.
9When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.m
10But he knows the way that I take;n
when he has tested me,o I will come forth as gold.p
11My feet have closely followed his steps;q
I have kept to his way without turning aside.r
12I have not departed from the commands of his lips;s
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.t
13“But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?u
He does whatever he pleases.v
14He carries out his decree against me,
and many such plans he still has in store.w
15That is why I am terrified before him;x
when I think of all this, I fear him.y
16God has made my heart faint;z
the Almightya has terrified me.b
17Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,c
by the thick darkness that covers my face.
1“Why does the Almighty not set timesa for judgment?b
Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?c
2There are those who move boundary stones;d
they pasture flocks they have stolen.e Photo
3They drive away the orphan’s donkey
and take the widow’s ox in pledge.f
4They thrust the needyg from the path
and force all the poorh of the land into hiding.i
5Like wild donkeysj in the desert,
the poor go about their labork of foraging food;
the wastelandl provides food for their children.
6They gather fodderm in the fields
and glean in the vineyardsn of the wicked.o
7Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked;
they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold.p
8They are drenchedq by mountain rains
and hugr the rocks for lack of shelter.s
9The fatherlesst child is snatchedu from the breast;
the infant of the poor is seizedv for a debt.w
10Lacking clothes, they go about naked;x
they carry the sheaves,y but still go hungry.
11They crush olives among the terraces1;
they tread the winepresses,z yet suffer thirst.a
12The groans of the dying rise from the city,
and the souls of the wounded cry out for help.b
But God charges no one with wrongdoing.c
13“There are those who rebel against the light,d
who do not know its ways
or stay in its paths.e
14When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up,
and in the night steals forth like a thief.h
15The eye of the adultereri watches for dusk;j
he thinks, ‘No eye will see me,’k
and he keeps his face concealed.
16In the dark, thieves break into houses,l
but by day they shut themselves in;
they want nothing to do with the light.m
17For all of them, midnight is their morning;
they make friends with the terrorsn of darkness.o
18“Yet they are foamp on the surface of the water;q
their portion of the land is cursed,r
so that no one goes to the vineyards.s
19As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow,t
so the graveu snatches away those who have sinned.
20The womb forgets them,
the wicked are no longer rememberedx
but are broken like a tree.y
21They prey on the barren and childless woman,
and to the widow they show no kindness.z
22But God drags away the mighty by his power;a
though they become established,b they have no assurance of life.c
23He may let them rest in a feeling of security,d
but his eyese are on their ways.f
24For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone;g
they are brought low and gathered up like all others;h
they are cut off like heads of grain.i
25“If this is not so, who can prove me false
and reduce my words to nothing?”j
Bildad
1Then Bildad the Shuhitea replied:
2“Dominion and awe belong to God;b
he establishes order in the heights of heaven.c
3Can his forces be numbered?
On whom does his light not rise?d
4How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
How can one born of woman be pure?e
5If even the moonf is not bright
and the stars are not pure in his eyes,g
6how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot—
Job
1Then Job replied:
2“How you have helped the powerless!a
How you have saved the arm that is feeble!b
3What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
And what great insightc you have displayed!
4Who has helped you utter these words?
And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?d
5“The dead are in deep anguish,e
those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
6The realm of the deadf is naked before God;
Destruction1g lies uncovered.h
7He spreads out the northern skiesi over empty space;
he suspends the earth over nothing.j
8He wraps up the watersk in his clouds,l
yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
9He covers the face of the full moon,
spreading his cloudsm over it.
10He marks out the horizon on the face of the watersn
for a boundary between light and darkness.o
11The pillars of the heavens quake,p
aghast at his rebuke.
12By his power he churned up the sea;q
by his wisdomr he cut Rahabs to pieces.
13By his breath the skiest became fair;
his hand pierced the gliding serpent.u
14And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
how faint the whisperv we hear of him!w
Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”x
Job’s Final Word to His Friends
1And Job continued his discourse:a
2“As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,b
the Almighty,c who has made my life bitter,d
3as long as I have life within me,
the breath of Gode in my nostrils,
4my lips will not say anything wicked,
and my tongue will not utter lies.f
5I will never admit you are in the right;
till I die, I will not deny my integrity.g
6I will maintain my innocenceh and never let go of it;
my consciencei will not reproach me as long as I live.j
7“May my enemy be like the wicked,k
my adversaryl like the unjust!
8For what hope have the godlessm when they are cut off,
when God takes away their life?n
9Does God listen to their cry
when distress comes upon them?o
10Will they find delight in the Almighty?p
Will they call on God at all times?
11“I will teach you about the power of God;
the waysq of the Almighty I will not conceal.r
12You have all seen this yourselves.
Why then this meaningless talk?
13“Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:s
14However many his children,t their fate is the sword;u
his offspring will never have enough to eat.v
15The plague will bury those who survive him,
and their widows will not weep for them.w
16Though he heaps up silver like dustx
and clothes like piles of clay,y
17what he lays upz the righteous will wear,a
and the innocent will divide his silver.b
18The housec he builds is like a moth’s cocoon,d
like a hute made by a watchman.
19He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;f
when he opens his eyes, all is gone.g
20Terrorsh overtake him like a flood;i
a tempest snatches him away in the night.j
21The east windk carries him off, and he is gone;l
it sweeps him out of his place.m
22It hurls itself against him without mercyn
as he flees headlongo from its power.p
23It claps its handsq in derision
and hisses him out of his place.”r
Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found
1There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined.a
2Iron is taken from the earth,
and copper is smelted from ore.b
3Mortals put an end to the darkness;c
they search out the farthest recesses
for ore in the blackest darkness.d
4Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,e
in places untouched by human feet;
far from other people they dangle and sway.
5The earth, from which food comes,f
is transformed below as by fire;
6lapis lazulig comes from its rocks,
and its dust contains nuggets of gold.h
7No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
no falcon’s eye has seen it.i
8Proud beastsj do not set foot on it,
and no lion prowls there.k
9People assault the flinty rockl with their hands
and lay bare the roots of the mountains.m
10They tunnel through the rock;n
their eyes see all its treasures.o
11They search1 the sources of the riversp
and bring hidden thingsq to light. Photo
12But where can wisdom be found?r
Where does understanding dwell?s
13No mortal comprehends its worth;t
it cannot be found in the land of the living.u
14The deepv says, “It is not in me”;
the seaw says, “It is not with me.”
15It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed out in silver.x
16It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,y
with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.z
17Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,a
nor can it be had for jewels of gold.b
18Coralc and jasperd are not worthy of mention;
the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.e
19The topazf of Cushg cannot compare with it;
it cannot be bought with pure gold.h
20Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?i
21It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds in the sky.j
22Destruction2k and Deathl say,
“Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
23God understands the way to it
and he alonem knows where it dwells,n
24for he views the ends of the eartho
and sees everything under the heavens.p
25When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters,q
26when he made a decree for the rainr
and a path for the thunderstorm,s
27then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.t
28And he said to the human race,
“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
Job’s Final Defense
1Job continued his discourse:a
2“How I long for the months gone by,b
for the days when God watched over me,c
3when his lamp shone on my head
and by his light I walked through darkness!d
4Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God’s intimate friendshipe blessed my house,f
5when the Almighty was still with me
and my childreng were around me,h
6when my path was drenched with creami
and the rockj poured out for me streams of olive oil.k
7“When I went to the gatel of the city
and took my seat in the public square,
8the young men saw me and stepped asidem
and the old men rose to their feet;n
9the chief men refrained from speakingo
and covered their mouths with their hands;p
10the voices of the nobles were hushed,q
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.r
11Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me,s
12because I rescued the poort who cried for help,
and the fatherlessu who had none to assist them.v
13The one who was dying blessed me;w
I made the widow’sx heart sing.
14I put on righteousnessy as my clothing;
justice was my robe and my turban.z
15I was eyesa to the blind
and feet to the lame.b
16I was a father to the needy;c
I took up the cased of the stranger.e
17I broke the fangs of the wicked
and snatched the victimsf from their teeth.g
18“I thought, ‘I will die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.h
19My roots will reach to the water,i
and the dew will lie all night on my branches.j
20My glory will not fade;k
the bowl will be ever new in my hand.’m
21“People listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel.n
22After I had spoken, they spoke no more;o
my words fell gently on their ears.p
23They waited for me as for showers
and drank in my words as the spring rain.q
24When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
the light of my facer was precious to them.1s
25I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;t
I dwelt as a kingu among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.v
men younger than I,
whose fathers I would have disdained
to put with my sheep dogs.b
2Of what use was the strength of their hands to me,
since their vigor had gone from them?
3Haggard from want and hunger,
they roamed1 the parched landc
in desolate wastelandsd at night.e
4In the brush they gathered salt herbs,f
and their food2 was the root of the broom bush.g
5They were banished from human society,
shouted at as if they were thieves.
6They were forced to live in the dry stream beds,
among the rocks and in holes in the ground.h
7They brayedi among the bushesj
and huddled in the undergrowth.
8A base and nameless brood,k
they were driven out of the land.l
9“And now those young men mock mem in song;n
I have become a bywordo among them.
10They detest mep and keep their distance;
they do not hesitate to spit in my face.q
11Now that God has unstrung my bowr and afflicted me,s
they throw off restraintt in my presence.
12On my rightu the tribe3 attacks;
they lay snaresv for my feet,w
they build their siege ramps against me.x
13They break up my road;y
they succeed in destroying me.z
‘No one can help him,’ they say.
14They advance as through a gaping breach;a
amid the ruins they come rolling in.
my dignity is driven away as by the wind,
my safety vanishes like a cloud.d
16“And now my life ebbs away;e
days of suffering grip me.f
17Night pierces my bones;
my gnawing pains never rest.g
18In his great powerh God becomes like clothing to me4;
he binds me like the neck of my garment.
19He throws me into the mud,i
and I am reduced to dust and ashes.j
20“I cry out to you,k God, but you do not answer;l
I stand up, but you merely look at me.
21You turn on me ruthlessly;m
with the might of your handn you attack me.o
22You snatch me up and drive me before the wind;p
you toss me about in the storm.q
23I know you will bring me down to death,r
to the place appointed for all the living.s
24“Surely no one lays a hand on a broken mant
when he cries for help in his distress.u
25Have I not wept for those in trouble?v
Has not my soul grieved for the poor?w
26Yet when I hoped for good, evil came;
when I looked for light, then came darkness.x
27The churning inside me never stops;y
days of suffering confront me.z
28I go about blackened,a but not by the sun;
I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.b
29I have become a brother of jackals,c
a companion of owls.d
30My skin grows blacke and peels;f
my body burns with fever.g Photo
31My lyre is tuned to mourning,h
and my pipei to the sound of wailing.