Bildad: Job Should Repent

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

“How long will you speak these things,
And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
(A)Does God subvert judgment?
Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
If (B)your sons have sinned against Him,
He has cast them away [a]for their transgression.
(C)If you would earnestly seek God
And make your supplication to the Almighty,
If you were pure and upright,
Surely now He would [b]awake for you,
And prosper your rightful dwelling place.
Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would (D)increase abundantly.

“For(E) inquire, please, of the former age,
And consider the things discovered by their fathers;
For (F)we were born yesterday, and know [c]nothing,
Because our days on earth are a shadow.
10 Will 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?
12 (G)While it is yet green and not cut down,
It withers before any other plant.
13 So are the paths of all who (H)forget God;
And the hope of the (I)hypocrite shall perish,
14 Whose confidence shall be cut off,
And whose trust is [d]a spider’s web.
15 (J)He leans on his house, but it does not stand.
He holds it fast, but it does not endure.
16 He grows green in the sun,
And his branches spread out in his garden.
17 His roots wrap around the rock heap,
And look for a place in the stones.
18 (K)If 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 (L)out of the earth others will grow.
20 Behold, (M)God will not [e]cast away the blameless,
Nor will He uphold the evildoers.
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughing,
And your lips with [f]rejoicing.
22 Those who hate you will be (N)clothed with shame,
And the dwelling place of the wicked [g]will come to nothing.”

Job: There Is No Mediator

Then Job answered and said:

“Truly I know it is so,
But how can a (O)man be (P)righteous before God?
If one wished to [h]contend with Him,
He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
(Q)God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
He removes the mountains, and they do not know
When He overturns them in His anger;
He (R)shakes the earth out of its place,
And its (S)pillars tremble;
He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
He seals off the stars;
(T)He alone spreads out the heavens,
And [i]treads on the [j]waves of the sea;
(U)He made [k]the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;
10 (V)He does great things past finding out,
Yes, wonders without number.
11 (W)If He goes by me, I do not see Him;
If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;
12 (X)If He takes away, [l]who can hinder Him?
Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
13 God will not withdraw His anger,
(Y)The allies of [m]the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.

14 “How then can I answer Him,
And choose my words to reason with Him?
15 (Z)For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him;
I would beg mercy of my Judge.
16 If I called and He answered me,
I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 For He crushes me with a tempest,
And multiplies my wounds (AA)without cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath,
But fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong;
And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?
20 Though 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.
22 It is all one thing;
Therefore I say, (AB)‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’
23 If the scourge slays suddenly,
He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
24 The 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 (AC)my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, they see no good.
26 They pass by like [n]swift ships,
(AD)Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
27 (AE)If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’
28 (AF)I am afraid of all my sufferings;
I know that You (AG)will not hold me innocent.
29 If I am condemned,
Why then do I labor in vain?
30 (AH)If I wash myself with snow water,
And cleanse my hands with [o]soap,
31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes will [p]abhor me.

32 “For (AI)He is not a man, as I am,
That I may answer Him,
And that we should go to court together.
33 (AJ)Nor is there any mediator between us,
Who may lay his hand on us both.
34 (AK)Let Him take His rod away from me,
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
35 Then I would speak and not fear Him,
But it is not so with me.

Job: I Would Plead with God

10 “My (AL)soul loathes my life;
I will [q]give free course to my complaint,
(AM)I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Show me why You contend with me.
Does 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?
Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or (AN)do You see as man sees?
Are Your days like the days of a mortal man?
Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,
That You should seek for my iniquity
And search out my sin,
Although You know that I am not wicked,
And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?

‘Your(AO) hands have made me and fashioned me,
An intricate unity;
Yet You would (AP)destroy me.
Remember, I pray, (AQ)that You have made me like clay.
And will You turn me into dust again?
10 (AR)Did You not pour me out like milk,
And curdle me like cheese,
11 Clothe me with skin and flesh,
And knit me together with bones and sinews?
12 You 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:
14 If I sin, then (AS)You mark me,
And will not acquit me of my iniquity.
15 If I am wicked, (AT)woe to me;
(AU)Even if I am righteous, I [r]cannot lift up my head.
I am full of disgrace;
(AV)See my misery!
16 If my head is exalted,
(AW)You hunt me like a fierce lion,
And again You show Yourself awesome against me.
17 You renew Your witnesses against me,
And increase Your indignation toward me;
Changes and war are ever with me.

18 ‘Why(AX) then have You brought me out of the womb?
Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!
19 I would have been as though I had not been.
I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 (AY)Are not my days few?
Cease! (AZ)Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,
21 Before I go to the place from which I shall not return,
(BA)To the land of darkness (BB)and the shadow of death,
22 A 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

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should [s]a man full of talk be vindicated?
Should your empty talk make men [t]hold their peace?
And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?
For you have said,
(BC)‘My doctrine is pure,
And I am clean in your eyes.’
But oh, that God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
That He would show you the secrets of wisdom!
For they would double your prudence.
Know therefore that (BD)God [u]exacts from you
Less than your iniquity deserves.

“Can(BE) you search out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than [v]Sheol—what can you know?
Their measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.

10 “If(BF) He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment,
Then who can [w]hinder Him?
11 For (BG)He knows deceitful men;
He sees wickedness also.
Will He not then consider it?
12 For an (BH)empty-headed man will be wise,
When a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.

13 “If you would (BI)prepare your heart,
And (BJ)stretch out your hands toward Him;
14 If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away,
And (BK)would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;
15 (BL)Then surely you could lift up your face without spot;
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
16 Because you would (BM)forget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away,
17 And your life (BN)would be brighter than noonday.
Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
18 And you would be secure, because there is hope;
Yes, you would dig around you, and (BO)take your rest in safety.
19 You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid;
Yes, many would court your favor.
20 But (BP)the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And they shall not escape,
And (BQ)their hope—[x]loss of life!”

Job Answers His Critics

12 Then Job answered and said:

“No doubt you are the people,
And wisdom will die with you!
But I have [y]understanding as well as you;
I am not (BR)inferior to you.
Indeed, who does not know such things as these?

“I(BS) am one mocked by his friends,
Who (BT)called on God, and He answered him,
The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
A [z]lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease;
It is made ready for (BU)those whose feet slip.
(BV)The tents of robbers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure—
In what God provides by His hand.

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
10 (BW)In whose hand is the [aa]life of every living thing,
And the (BX)breath of [ab]all mankind?
11 Does not the ear test words
And the [ac]mouth taste its food?
12 Wisdom is with aged men,
And with [ad]length of days, understanding.

13 “With Him are (BY)wisdom and strength,
He has counsel and understanding.
14 If (BZ)He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt;
If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
15 If He (CA)withholds the waters, they dry up;
If He (CB)sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.
16 With Him are strength and prudence.
The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He leads counselors away plundered,
And makes fools of the judges.
18 He loosens the bonds of kings,
And binds their waist with a belt.
19 He leads [ae]princes away plundered,
And overthrows the mighty.
20 (CC)He deprives the trusted ones of speech,
And takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 (CD)He pours contempt on princes,
And [af]disarms the mighty.
22 He (CE)uncovers deep things out of darkness,
And brings the shadow of death to light.
23 (CF)He makes nations great, and destroys them;
He [ag]enlarges nations, and guides them.
24 He takes away the [ah]understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth,
And (CG)makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
25 (CH)They grope in the dark without light,
And He makes them (CI)stagger like a drunken man.

Job Defends Himself

13 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
(CJ)What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
(CK)But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
But you forgers of lies,
(CL)You are all worthless physicians.
Oh, that you would be silent,
And (CM)it would be your wisdom!
Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
(CN)Will you speak [ai]wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
10 He will surely rebuke you
If you secretly show partiality.
11 Will not His [aj]excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12 Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.

13 “Hold[ak] your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14 Why (CO)do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15 (CP)Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
(CQ)Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16 He also shall be my salvation,
For a (CR)hypocrite could not come before Him.
17 Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.
18 See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be (CS)vindicated.
19 (CT)Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.

Job’s Despondent Prayer

20 “Only(CU) two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide myself from You:
21 (CV)Withdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22 Then call, and I will (CW)answer;
Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24 (CX)Why do You hide Your face,
And (CY)regard me as Your enemy?
25 (CZ)Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?
26 For You write bitter things against me,
And (DA)make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 (DB)You put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You [al]set a limit for the [am]soles of my feet.

28 Man[an] decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Job Speaks of Life’s Woes

14 “Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and (DC)full of [ao]trouble.
(DD)He comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
And (DE)do You open Your eyes on such a one,
And (DF)bring [ap]me to judgment with Yourself?
Who (DG)can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
No one!
(DH)Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
(DI)Look away from him that he may [aq]rest,
Till (DJ)like a hired man he finishes his day.

“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.
Though its root may grow old in the earth,
And its stump may die in the ground,
Yet at the scent of water it will bud
And bring forth branches like a plant.
10 But man dies and [ar]is laid away;
Indeed he [as]breathes his last
And where is (DK)he?
11 As water disappears from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dries up,
12 So man lies down and does not rise.
(DL)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!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my hard service (DM)I will wait,
Till my change comes.
15 (DN)You shall call, and I will answer You;
You shall desire the work of Your hands.
16 For now (DO)You number my steps,
But do not watch over my sin.
17 (DP)My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
And You [at]cover my iniquity.

18 “But as a mountain falls and crumbles away,
And as a rock is moved from its place;
19 As water wears away stones,
And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
So You destroy the hope of man.
20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes on;
You change his countenance and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and (DQ)he does not know it;
They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.
22 But his flesh will be in pain over it,
And his soul will mourn over it.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 8:4 Lit. into the hand of their transgression
  2. Job 8:6 arise
  3. Job 8:9 Lit. not
  4. Job 8:14 Lit. a spider’s house
  5. Job 8:20 reject
  6. Job 8:21 Lit. shouts of joy
  7. Job 8:22 Lit. will not be
  8. Job 9:3 argue
  9. Job 9:8 walks
  10. Job 9:8 Lit. heights
  11. Job 9:9 Heb. Ash, Kesil, and Kimah
  12. Job 9:12 Lit. who can turn Him back?
  13. Job 9:13 Heb. rahab
  14. Job 9:26 Lit. ships of reeds
  15. Job 9:30 lye
  16. Job 9:31 loathe
  17. Job 10:1 Lit. leave on myself
  18. Job 10:15 Lit. will not
  19. Job 11:2 Lit. a man of lips
  20. Job 11:3 be silent
  21. Job 11:6 Lit. forgets some of your iniquity for you
  22. Job 11:8 The abode of the dead
  23. Job 11:10 restrain
  24. Job 11:20 Lit. the breathing out of life
  25. Job 12:3 Lit. a heart
  26. Job 12:5 Or disaster
  27. Job 12:10 Or soul
  28. Job 12:10 Lit. all flesh of men
  29. Job 12:11 palate
  30. Job 12:12 Long life
  31. Job 12:19 Lit. priests, but not in a technical sense
  32. Job 12:21 loosens the belt of
  33. Job 12:23 Lit. spreads out
  34. Job 12:24 Lit. heart
  35. Job 13:7 unrighteously
  36. Job 13:11 Lit. exaltation
  37. Job 13:13 Be silent
  38. Job 13:27 Lit. inscribe a print
  39. Job 13:27 Lit. roots
  40. Job 13:28 Lit. He
  41. Job 14:1 turmoil
  42. Job 14:3 LXX, Syr., Vg. him
  43. Job 14:6 Lit. cease
  44. Job 14:10 lies prostrate
  45. Job 14:10 expires
  46. Job 14:17 Lit. plaster over

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