Job

23 Then Job replied:

‘Even today my complaint is bitter;
    his hand[a] is heavy in spite of[b] my groaning.
If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!
I would state my case before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would find out what he would answer me,
    and consider what he would say to me.
Would he vigorously oppose me with great power?
    No, he would not press charges against me.
There the upright can establish their innocence before him,
    and there I would be delivered for ever from my judge.

‘But if I go to the east, he is not there;
    if I go to the west, I do not find him.
When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
    when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
    when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;
    I have kept to his way without turning aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

13 ‘But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?
    He does whatever he pleases.
14 He carries out his decree against me,
    and many such plans he still has in store.
15 That is why I am terrified before him;
    when I think of all this, I fear him.
16 God has made my heart faint;
    the Almighty has terrified me.
17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,
    by the thick darkness that covers my face.

24 ‘Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment?
    Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?
There are those who move boundary stones;
    they pasture flocks they have stolen.
They drive away the orphan’s donkey
    and take the widow’s ox in pledge.
They thrust the needy from the path
    and force all the poor of the land into hiding.
Like wild donkeys in the desert,
    the poor go about their labour of foraging food;
    the wasteland provides food for their children.
They gather fodder in the fields
    and glean in the vineyards of the wicked.
Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked;
    they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold.
They are drenched by mountain rains
    and hug the rocks for lack of shelter.
The fatherless child is snatched from the breast;
    the infant of the poor is seized for a debt.
10 Lacking clothes, they go about naked;
    they carry the sheaves, but still go hungry.
11 They crush olives among the terraces[c];
    they tread the winepresses, yet suffer thirst.
12 The groans of the dying rise from the city,
    and the souls of the wounded cry out for help.
    But God charges no one with wrongdoing.

13 ‘There are those who rebel against the light,
    who do not know its ways
    or stay in its paths.
14 When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up,
    kills the poor and needy,
    and in the night steals forth like a thief.
15 The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk;
    he thinks, “No eye will see me,”
    and he keeps his face concealed.
16 In the dark, thieves break into houses,
    but by day they shut themselves in;
    they want nothing to do with the light.
17 For all of them, midnight is their morning;
    they make friends with the terrors of darkness.

18 ‘Yet they are foam on the surface of the water;
    their portion of the land is cursed,
    so that no one goes to the vineyards.
19 As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow,
    so the grave snatches away those who have sinned.
20 The womb forgets them,
    the worm feasts on them;
the wicked are no longer remembered
    but are broken like a tree.
21 They prey on the barren and childless woman,
    and to the widow they show no kindness.
22 But God drags away the mighty by his power;
    though they become established, they have no assurance of life.
23 He may let them rest in a feeling of security,
    but his eyes are on their ways.
24 For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone;
    they are brought low and gathered up like all others;
    they are cut off like ears of corn.

25 ‘If this is not so, who can prove me false
    and reduce my words to nothing?’

Bildad

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

‘Dominion and awe belong to God;
    he establishes order in the heights of heaven.
Can his forces be numbered?
    On whom does his light not rise?
How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?
If even the moon is not bright
    and the stars are not pure in his eyes,
how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot –
    a human being, who is only a worm!’

Job

26 Then Job replied:

‘How you have helped the powerless!
    How you have saved the arm that is feeble!
What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
    And what great insight you have displayed!
Who has helped you utter these words?
    And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?

‘The dead are in deep anguish,
    those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
The realm of the dead is naked before God;
    Destruction[d] lies uncovered.
He spreads out the northern skies over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.
He wraps up the waters in his clouds,
    yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
He covers the face of the full moon,
    spreading his clouds over it.
10 He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters
    for a boundary between light and darkness.
11 The pillars of the heavens quake,
    aghast at his rebuke.
12 By his power he churned up the sea;
    by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.
13 By his breath the skies became fair;
    his hand pierced the gliding serpent.
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper we hear of him!
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?’

Footnotes

  1. Job 23:2 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew / the hand on me
  2. Job 23:2 Or heavy on me in
  3. Job 24:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  4. Job 26:6 Hebrew Abaddon

Job

23 Then Job replied:

“Even today my complaint(A) is bitter;(B)
    his hand[a] is heavy in spite of[b] my groaning.(C)
If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!(D)
I would state my case(E) before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.(F)
I would find out what he would answer me,(G)
    and consider what he would say to me.
Would he vigorously oppose me?(H)
    No, he would not press charges against me.(I)
There the upright(J) can establish their innocence before him,(K)
    and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.(L)

“But if I go to the east, he is not there;
    if I go to the west, I do not find him.
When 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)
10 But he knows the way that I take;(N)
    when he has tested me,(O) I will come forth as gold.(P)
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;(Q)
    I have kept to his way without turning aside.(R)
12 I 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)
14 He carries out his decree against me,
    and many such plans he still has in store.(W)
15 That is why I am terrified before him;(X)
    when I think of all this, I fear him.(Y)
16 God has made my heart faint;(Z)
    the Almighty(AA) has terrified me.(AB)
17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,(AC)
    by the thick darkness that covers my face.

24 “Why does the Almighty not set times(AD) for judgment?(AE)
    Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?(AF)
There are those who move boundary stones;(AG)
    they pasture flocks they have stolen.(AH)
They drive away the orphan’s donkey
    and take the widow’s ox in pledge.(AI)
They thrust the needy(AJ) from the path
    and force all the poor(AK) of the land into hiding.(AL)
Like wild donkeys(AM) in the desert,
    the poor go about their labor(AN) of foraging food;
    the wasteland(AO) provides food for their children.
They gather fodder(AP) in the fields
    and glean in the vineyards(AQ) of the wicked.(AR)
Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked;
    they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold.(AS)
They are drenched(AT) by mountain rains
    and hug(AU) the rocks for lack of shelter.(AV)
The fatherless(AW) child is snatched(AX) from the breast;
    the infant of the poor is seized(AY) for a debt.(AZ)
10 Lacking clothes, they go about naked;(BA)
    they carry the sheaves,(BB) but still go hungry.
11 They crush olives among the terraces[c];
    they tread the winepresses,(BC) yet suffer thirst.(BD)
12 The groans of the dying rise from the city,
    and the souls of the wounded cry out for help.(BE)
    But God charges no one with wrongdoing.(BF)

13 “There are those who rebel against the light,(BG)
    who do not know its ways
    or stay in its paths.(BH)
14 When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up,
    kills(BI) the poor and needy,(BJ)
    and in the night steals forth like a thief.(BK)
15 The eye of the adulterer(BL) watches for dusk;(BM)
    he thinks, ‘No eye will see me,’(BN)
    and he keeps his face concealed.
16 In the dark, thieves break into houses,(BO)
    but by day they shut themselves in;
    they want nothing to do with the light.(BP)
17 For all of them, midnight is their morning;
    they make friends with the terrors(BQ) of darkness.(BR)

18 “Yet they are foam(BS) on the surface of the water;(BT)
    their portion of the land is cursed,(BU)
    so that no one goes to the vineyards.(BV)
19 As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow,(BW)
    so the grave(BX) snatches away those who have sinned.
20 The womb forgets them,
    the worm(BY) feasts on them;(BZ)
the wicked are no longer remembered(CA)
    but are broken like a tree.(CB)
21 They prey on the barren and childless woman,
    and to the widow they show no kindness.(CC)
22 But God drags away the mighty by his power;(CD)
    though they become established,(CE) they have no assurance of life.(CF)
23 He may let them rest in a feeling of security,(CG)
    but his eyes(CH) are on their ways.(CI)
24 For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone;(CJ)
    they are brought low and gathered up like all others;(CK)
    they are cut off like heads of grain.(CL)

25 “If this is not so, who can prove me false
    and reduce my words to nothing?”(CM)

Bildad

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite(CN) replied:

“Dominion and awe belong to God;(CO)
    he establishes order in the heights of heaven.(CP)
Can his forces be numbered?
    On whom does his light not rise?(CQ)
How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?(CR)
If even the moon(CS) is not bright
    and the stars are not pure in his eyes,(CT)
how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot—
    a human being,(CU) who is only a worm!”(CV)

Job

26 Then Job replied:

“How you have helped the powerless!(CW)
    How you have saved the arm that is feeble!(CX)
What advice you have offered to one without wisdom!
    And what great insight(CY) you have displayed!
Who has helped you utter these words?
    And whose spirit spoke from your mouth?(CZ)

“The dead are in deep anguish,(DA)
    those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
The realm of the dead(DB) is naked before God;
    Destruction[d](DC) lies uncovered.(DD)
He spreads out the northern skies(DE) over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.(DF)
He wraps up the waters(DG) in his clouds,(DH)
    yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
He covers the face of the full moon,
    spreading his clouds(DI) over it.
10 He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters(DJ)
    for a boundary between light and darkness.(DK)
11 The pillars of the heavens quake,(DL)
    aghast at his rebuke.
12 By his power he churned up the sea;(DM)
    by his wisdom(DN) he cut Rahab(DO) to pieces.
13 By his breath the skies(DP) became fair;
    his hand pierced the gliding serpent.(DQ)
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper(DR) we hear of him!(DS)
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”(DT)

Footnotes

  1. Job 23:2 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew / the hand on me
  2. Job 23:2 Or heavy on me in
  3. Job 24:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  4. Job 26:6 Hebrew Abaddon

23 Then Job answered and said,

Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

24 Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?

Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.

They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.

Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.

They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.

They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.

They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.

They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.

10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;

11 Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.

12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.

13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.

14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.

15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.

18 He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.

19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.

20 The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.

21 He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.

22 He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.

23 Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.

24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.

25 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?

25 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places.

Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.

How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

26 But Job answered and said,

How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?

How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?

To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?

Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.

Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.

He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.

He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.

10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.

11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.

12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.

13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

14 Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?