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Bildad Talks

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, “How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a strong wind? Does God make wrong what is fair? Does the All-powerful make wrong what is right? If your children have sinned against Him, He has given them over to the power of their sin. If you will look for God and pray to the All-powerful, if you are pure and right and good, for sure He will help you. Because you are right and good He will put you back where you should be. And even if your beginning was small, your end will be very great.

“Ask about those who have lived before. Think about what their fathers learned. For we are only of yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are as a shadow. 10 Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak words of wisdom?

11 “Can the tall river grass grow up from dry ground? Can the grass that grows in wet places grow without water? 12 While it is still green and not cut, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant. 13 So are the ways of all who forget God. The hope of the man without God is destroyed. 14 What he trusts in is easy to break, like the home of a spider. 15 The spider trusts in his house, but it falls apart. He holds on to it, but it does not hold. 16 He is full of strength in the sunshine, and his branches spread out over his garden. 17 His roots grow around rocks and they work their way among the stones. 18 If he is taken from his place, then it will turn away from him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’ 19 See, this is the joy of His way. And out of the dust others will come. 20 See, God will not turn away from a man who is honest and faithful. And He will not help those who do wrong. 21 He will yet make you laugh and call out with joy. 22 Those who hate you will be dressed with shame. And the tent of the sinful will be no more.”

Job Talks

Then Job answered, “Yes, I know this is true. But how can a man be right and good before God? If one wished to argue with Him, he would not be able to answer one out of a thousand of His questions. He is wise in heart and powerful in strength. Who has ever stood against Him without being hurt? It is He Who takes away the mountains without their knowing it, when He destroys them in His anger. He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars shake. He tells the sun not to shine, and He keeps the stars from shining. He alone spreads out the heavens and walks upon the waves of the sea. He makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades and the stars of the south. 10 He does things too great for us to understand, and more wonderful works than we can number. 11 When He passes by me, I do not see Him. When He goes by me, I do not know Him. 12 If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13 “God will not stop His anger. The helpers of Rahab bow under Him. 14 How then can I answer Him, and choose the right words to speak with Him? 15 Even if I am right, I cannot answer Him. I must beg Him who is against me to have pity. 16 If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice. 17 For He crushes me with a storm, and hurts me more and more without a reason. 18 He will not let me get my breath, but fills me with much that is bitter. 19 If it is a question of power, see, He is the strong one! If it is a question of what is right and fair, who can call Him to a trial? 20 Even if I were right, my mouth would say that I am guilty. Even if I were without blame, He would say I am guilty. 21 Even though I am without blame, I do not care about myself. I hate my life. 22 It is all the same, so I say, ‘He destroys both those who are without blame and the sinful.’ 23 If death comes fast by disease, He makes fun of the trouble of those who have done no wrong. 24 The earth is given into the hand of the sinful. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?

25 “My days go faster than a runner. They fly away, and see no good. 26 They go by like fast boats, like an eagle coming down to catch its food. 27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaining. I will put off my sad face and be happy,’ 28 I am still afraid of all my pains for I know You will not take away my guilt. 29 Because I am already guilty, why should I try for nothing? 30 If I wash myself with snow and clean my hands using the best soap, 31 You would still throw me down into a deep hole. And my own clothes would hate me. 32 For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, that we might go to trial together. 33 There is no one to decide between us, who might lay his hand upon us both. 34 Let Him stop punishing me. And do not let fear of Him make me so afraid. 35 Then I would speak and not be afraid of Him. But I am not like that in myself.

Job Keeps On Talking

10 “I hate my life. I will be free in my complaining. I will show how bitter I am in my soul when I speak. I will say to God, ‘Do not say that I am guilty and punish me. Let me know why You work against me. Do You think it is right for You to make it hard for me, to turn away from the work of Your hands and favor the plans of the sinful? Do You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as a man sees? Are Your days as the days of man, or Your years as man’s years, that You should look for my wrong-doing and my sin? You know that I am not guilty, yet there is no one who can take me away from Your hand.

‘Your hands put me together and made me, and now would You destroy me? Remember that You have made me as clay. Would You turn me into dust again? 10 Did You not pour me out like milk and make me become hard like cheese? 11 You have given me clothing of skin and flesh, and have tied me together with bones and cord. 12 You have given me life and loving-kindness. Your care has kept my spirit alive. 13 Yet You have hidden these things in Your heart. I know that this is in Your thoughts. 14 If I sin, You would see me, and would not free me from my guilt. 15 If I am sinful, it would be bad for me! If I am right and good, I cannot lift my head for I am filled with shame and see all my trouble. 16 If I would lift up my head, You would hunt me like a lion. Again You would show Your power against me. 17 You would send new ones who would speak against me, and become more angry with me. You would send me more and more trouble.

18 ‘Why then did You let me be born? If only I had died and no one had seen me! 19 I should have been as if I had never lived, carried from my mother to the grave.’ 20 Are not my days few? Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort 21 before I go to a place from which I will not return. I will go to the land of darkness and shadow. 22 It is the land of complete darkness and shadow and trouble, where the light is darkness.”