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Job 8-14
New King James Version
Job 8-14
New King James Version
Bildad: Job Should Repent
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long will you speak these things,
And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3 (A)Does God subvert judgment?
Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
4 If (B)your sons have sinned against Him,
He has cast them away [a]for their transgression.
5 (C)If you would earnestly seek God
And make your supplication to the Almighty,
6 If you were pure and upright,
Surely now He would [b]awake for you,
And prosper your rightful dwelling place.
7 Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would (D)increase abundantly.
8 “For(E) inquire, please, of the former age,
And consider the things discovered by their fathers;
9 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
9 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Truly I know it is so,
But how can a (O)man be (P)righteous before God?
3 If one wished to [h]contend with Him,
He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
4 (Q)God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5 He removes the mountains, and they do not know
When He overturns them in His anger;
6 He (R)shakes the earth out of its place,
And its (S)pillars tremble;
7 He commands the sun, and it does not rise;
He seals off the stars;
8 (T)He alone spreads out the heavens,
And [i]treads on the [j]waves of the sea;
9 (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.
2 I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Show me why You contend with me.
3 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?
4 Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or (AN)do You see as man sees?
5 Are Your days like the days of a mortal man?
Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,
6 That You should seek for my iniquity
And search out my sin,
7 Although You know that I am not wicked,
And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?
8 ‘Your(AO) hands have made me and fashioned me,
An intricate unity;
Yet You would (AP)destroy me.
9 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:
2 “Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should [s]a man full of talk be vindicated?
3 Should your empty talk make men [t]hold their peace?
And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?
4 For you have said,
(BC)‘My doctrine is pure,
And I am clean in your eyes.’
5 But oh, that God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
6 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.
7 “Can(BE) you search out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than [v]Sheol—what can you know?
9 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:
2 “No doubt you are the people,
And wisdom will die with you!
3 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?
4 “I(BS) am one mocked by his friends,
Who (BT)called on God, and He answered him,
The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
5 A [z]lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease;
It is made ready for (BU)those whose feet slip.
6 (BV)The tents of robbers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure—
In what God provides by His hand.
7 “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
9 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.
2 (CJ)What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 (CK)But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
4 But you forgers of lies,
(CL)You are all worthless physicians.
5 Oh, that you would be silent,
And (CM)it would be your wisdom!
6 Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
7 (CN)Will you speak [ai]wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
8 Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9 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.
2 (DD)He comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
3 And (DE)do You open Your eyes on such a one,
And (DF)bring [ap]me to judgment with Yourself?
4 Who (DG)can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
No one!
5 (DH)Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
6 (DI)Look away from him that he may [aq]rest,
Till (DJ)like a hired man he finishes his day.
7 “For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that its tender shoots will not cease.
8 Though its root may grow old in the earth,
And its stump may die in the ground,
9 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
- Job 8:4 Lit. into the hand of their transgression
- Job 8:6 arise
- Job 8:9 Lit. not
- Job 8:14 Lit. a spider’s house
- Job 8:20 reject
- Job 8:21 Lit. shouts of joy
- Job 8:22 Lit. will not be
- Job 9:3 argue
- Job 9:8 walks
- Job 9:8 Lit. heights
- Job 9:9 Heb. Ash, Kesil, and Kimah
- Job 9:12 Lit. who can turn Him back?
- Job 9:13 Heb. rahab
- Job 9:26 Lit. ships of reeds
- Job 9:30 lye
- Job 9:31 loathe
- Job 10:1 Lit. leave on myself
- Job 10:15 Lit. will not
- Job 11:2 Lit. a man of lips
- Job 11:3 be silent
- Job 11:6 Lit. forgets some of your iniquity for you
- Job 11:8 The abode of the dead
- Job 11:10 restrain
- Job 11:20 Lit. the breathing out of life
- Job 12:3 Lit. a heart
- Job 12:5 Or disaster
- Job 12:10 Or soul
- Job 12:10 Lit. all flesh of men
- Job 12:11 palate
- Job 12:12 Long life
- Job 12:19 Lit. priests, but not in a technical sense
- Job 12:21 loosens the belt of
- Job 12:23 Lit. spreads out
- Job 12:24 Lit. heart
- Job 13:7 unrighteously
- Job 13:11 Lit. exaltation
- Job 13:13 Be silent
- Job 13:27 Lit. inscribe a print
- Job 13:27 Lit. roots
- Job 13:28 Lit. He
- Job 14:1 turmoil
- Job 14:3 LXX, Syr., Vg. him
- Job 14:6 Lit. cease
- Job 14:10 lies prostrate
- Job 14:10 expires
- Job 14:17 Lit. plaster over
Job 8-14
New International Version
Job 8-14
New International Version
Bildad
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:
2 “How long will you say such things?(B)
Your words are a blustering wind.(C)
3 Does God pervert justice?(D)
Does the Almighty pervert what is right?(E)
4 When your children sinned against him,
he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.(F)
5 But if you will seek God earnestly
and plead(G) with the Almighty,(H)
6 if you are pure and upright,
even now he will rouse himself on your behalf(I)
and restore you to your prosperous state.(J)
7 Your beginnings will seem humble,
so prosperous(K) will your future be.(L)
8 “Ask the former generation(M)
and find out what their ancestors learned,
9 for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,(N)
and our days on earth are but a shadow.(O)
10 Will they not instruct(P) you and tell you?
Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?(Q)
11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?(R)
Can reeds(S) thrive without water?
12 While still growing and uncut,
they wither more quickly than grass.(T)
13 Such is the destiny(U) of all who forget God;(V)
so perishes the hope of the godless.(W)
14 What they trust in is fragile[a];
what they rely on is a spider’s web.(X)
15 They lean on the web,(Y) but it gives way;
they cling to it, but it does not hold.(Z)
16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
spreading its shoots(AA) over the garden;(AB)
17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
and looks for a place among the stones.
18 But when it is torn from its spot,
that place disowns(AC) it and says, ‘I never saw you.’(AD)
19 Surely its life withers(AE) away,
and[b] from the soil other plants grow.(AF)
20 “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless(AG)
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.(AH)
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter(AI)
and your lips with shouts of joy.(AJ)
22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame,(AK)
and the tents(AL) of the wicked will be no more.”(AM)
Job
9 Then Job replied:
2 “Indeed, I know that this is true.
But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?(AN)
3 Though they wished to dispute with him,(AO)
they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.(AP)
4 His wisdom(AQ) is profound, his power is vast.(AR)
Who has resisted(AS) him and come out unscathed?(AT)
5 He moves mountains(AU) without their knowing it
and overturns them in his anger.(AV)
6 He shakes the earth(AW) from its place
and makes its pillars tremble.(AX)
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;(AY)
he seals off the light of the stars.(AZ)
8 He alone stretches out the heavens(BA)
and treads on the waves of the sea.(BB)
9 He is the Maker(BC) of the Bear[c] and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.(BD)
10 He performs wonders(BE) that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.(BF)
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.(BG)
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?(BH)
Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’(BI)
13 God does not restrain his anger;(BJ)
even the cohorts of Rahab(BK) cowered at his feet.
14 “How then can I dispute with him?
How can I find words to argue with him?(BL)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;(BM)
I could only plead(BN) with my Judge(BO) for mercy.(BP)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.(BQ)
17 He would crush me(BR) with a storm(BS)
and multiply(BT) my wounds for no reason.(BU)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.(BV)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!(BW)
And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him[d]?(BX)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.(BY)
21 “Although I am blameless,(BZ)
I have no concern for myself;(CA)
I despise my own life.(CB)
22 It is all the same; that is why I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’(CC)
23 When a scourge(CD) brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent.(CE)
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,(CF)
he blindfolds its judges.(CG)
If it is not he, then who is it?(CH)
25 “My days are swifter than a runner;(CI)
they fly away without a glimpse of joy.(CJ)
26 They skim past(CK) like boats of papyrus,(CL)
like eagles swooping down on their prey.(CM)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,(CN)
I will change my expression, and smile,’
28 I still dread(CO) all my sufferings,
for I know you will not hold me innocent.(CP)
29 Since I am already found guilty,
why should I struggle in vain?(CQ)
30 Even if I washed myself with soap(CR)
and my hands(CS) with cleansing powder,(CT)
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit(CU)
so that even my clothes would detest me.(CV)
32 “He is not a mere mortal(CW) like me that I might answer him,(CX)
that we might confront each other in court.(CY)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,(CZ)
someone to bring us together,(DA)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,(DB)
so that his terror would frighten me no more.(DC)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,(DD)
but as it now stands with me, I cannot.(DE)
10 “I loathe my very life;(DF)
therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.(DG)
2 I say to God:(DH) Do not declare me guilty,
but tell me what charges(DI) you have against me.(DJ)
3 Does it please you to oppress me,(DK)
to spurn the work of your hands,(DL)
while you smile on the plans of the wicked?(DM)
4 Do you have eyes of flesh?
Do you see as a mortal sees?(DN)
5 Are your days like those of a mortal
or your years like those of a strong man,(DO)
6 that you must search out my faults
and probe after my sin(DP)—
7 though you know that I am not guilty(DQ)
and that no one can rescue me from your hand?(DR)
8 “Your hands shaped(DS) me and made me.
Will you now turn and destroy me?(DT)
9 Remember that you molded me like clay.(DU)
Will you now turn me to dust again?(DV)
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
and curdle me like cheese,
11 clothe me with skin and flesh
and knit me together(DW) with bones and sinews?
12 You gave me life(DX) and showed me kindness,(DY)
and in your providence(DZ) watched over(EA) my spirit.
13 “But this is what you concealed in your heart,
and I know that this was in your mind:(EB)
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me(EC)
and would not let my offense go unpunished.(ED)
15 If I am guilty(EE)—woe to me!(EF)
Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,(EG)
for I am full of shame
and drowned in[e] my affliction.(EH)
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion(EI)
and again display your awesome power against me.(EJ)
17 You bring new witnesses against me(EK)
and increase your anger toward me;(EL)
your forces come against me wave upon wave.(EM)
18 “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?(EN)
I wish I had died before any eye saw me.(EO)
19 If only I had never come into being,
or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!(EP)
20 Are not my few days(EQ) almost over?(ER)
Turn away from me(ES) so I can have a moment’s joy(ET)
21 before I go to the place of no return,(EU)
to the land of gloom and utter darkness,(EV)
22 to the land of deepest night,
of utter darkness(EW) and disorder,
where even the light is like darkness.”(EX)
Zophar
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite(EY) replied:
2 “Are all these words to go unanswered?(EZ)
Is this talker to be vindicated?(FA)
3 Will your idle talk(FB) reduce others to silence?
Will no one rebuke you when you mock?(FC)
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless(FD)
and I am pure(FE) in your sight.’
5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,(FF)
that he would open his lips against you
6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,(FG)
for true wisdom has two sides.
Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.(FH)
7 “Can you fathom(FI) the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher(FJ) than the heavens(FK) above—what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths below(FL)—what can you know?(FM)
9 Their measure(FN) is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.(FO)
10 “If he comes along and confines you in prison
and convenes a court, who can oppose him?(FP)
11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;
and when he sees evil, does he not take note?(FQ)
12 But the witless can no more become wise
than a wild donkey’s colt(FR) can be born human.[f](FS)
13 “Yet if you devote your heart(FT) to him
and stretch out your hands(FU) to him,(FV)
14 if you put away(FW) the sin that is in your hand
and allow no evil(FX) to dwell in your tent,(FY)
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;(FZ)
you will stand firm(GA) and without fear.(GB)
16 You will surely forget your trouble,(GC)
recalling it only as waters gone by.(GD)
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,(GE)
and darkness will become like morning.(GF)
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your rest(GG) in safety.(GH)
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,(GI)
and many will court your favor.(GJ)
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,(GK)
and escape will elude them;(GL)
their hope will become a dying gasp.”(GM)
Job
12 Then Job replied:
2 “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
and wisdom will die with you!(GN)
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?(GO)
4 “I have become a laughingstock(GP) to my friends,(GQ)
though I called on God and he answered(GR)—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!(GS)
5 Those who are at ease have contempt(GT) for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.(GU)
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,(GV)
and those who provoke God are secure(GW)—
those God has in his hand.[g]
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,(GX)
or the birds in the sky,(GY) and they will tell you;(GZ)
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know(HA)
that the hand of the Lord has done this?(HB)
10 In his hand is the life(HC) of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.(HD)
11 Does not the ear test words
as the tongue tastes food?(HE)
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?(HF)
Does not long life bring understanding?(HG)
13 “To God belong wisdom(HH) and power;(HI)
counsel and understanding are his.(HJ)
14 What he tears down(HK) cannot be rebuilt;(HL)
those he imprisons cannot be released.(HM)
15 If he holds back the waters,(HN) there is drought;(HO)
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.(HP)
16 To him belong strength and insight;(HQ)
both deceived and deceiver are his.(HR)
17 He leads rulers away stripped(HS)
and makes fools of judges.(HT)
18 He takes off the shackles(HU) put on by kings
and ties a loincloth[h] around their waist.(HV)
19 He leads priests away stripped(HW)
and overthrows officials long established.(HX)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
and takes away the discernment of elders.(HY)
21 He pours contempt on nobles(HZ)
and disarms the mighty.(IA)
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness(IB)
and brings utter darkness(IC) into the light.(ID)
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;(IE)
he enlarges nations,(IF) and disperses them.(IG)
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;(IH)
he makes them wander in a trackless waste.(II)
25 They grope in darkness with no light;(IJ)
he makes them stagger like drunkards.(IK)
13 “My eyes have seen all this,(IL)
my ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.(IM)
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty(IN)
and to argue my case with God.(IO)
4 You, however, smear me with lies;(IP)
you are worthless physicians,(IQ) all of you!(IR)
5 If only you would be altogether silent!(IS)
For you, that would be wisdom.(IT)
6 Hear now my argument;
listen to the pleas of my lips.(IU)
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?(IV)
8 Will you show him partiality?(IW)
Will you argue the case for God?
9 Would it turn out well if he examined you?(IX)
Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?(IY)
10 He would surely call you to account
if you secretly showed partiality.(IZ)
11 Would not his splendor(JA) terrify you?
Would not the dread of him fall on you?(JB)
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.(JC)
13 “Keep silent(JD) and let me speak;(JE)
then let come to me what may.(JF)
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
and take my life in my hands?(JG)
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope(JH) in him;(JI)
I will surely[i] defend my ways to his face.(JJ)
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,(JK)
for no godless(JL) person would dare come before him!(JM)
17 Listen carefully to what I say;(JN)
let my words ring in your ears.
18 Now that I have prepared my case,(JO)
I know I will be vindicated.(JP)
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?(JQ)
If so, I will be silent(JR) and die.(JS)
20 “Only grant me these two things, God,
and then I will not hide from you:
21 Withdraw your hand(JT) far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.(JU)
22 Then summon me and I will answer,(JV)
or let me speak, and you reply to me.(JW)
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?(JX)
Show me my offense and my sin.(JY)
24 Why do you hide your face(JZ)
and consider me your enemy?(KA)
25 Will you torment(KB) a windblown leaf?(KC)
Will you chase(KD) after dry chaff?(KE)
26 For you write down bitter things against me
and make me reap the sins of my youth.(KF)
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;(KG)
you keep close watch on all my paths(KH)
by putting marks on the soles of my feet.
14 “Mortals, born of woman,(KK)
are of few days(KL) and full of trouble.(KM)
2 They spring up like flowers(KN) and wither away;(KO)
like fleeting shadows,(KP) they do not endure.(KQ)
3 Do you fix your eye on them?(KR)
Will you bring them[j] before you for judgment?(KS)
4 Who can bring what is pure(KT) from the impure?(KU)
No one!(KV)
5 A person’s days are determined;(KW)
you have decreed the number of his months(KX)
and have set limits he cannot exceed.(KY)
6 So look away from him and let him alone,(KZ)
till he has put in his time like a hired laborer.(LA)
7 “At least there is hope for a tree:(LB)
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shoots(LC) will not fail.(LD)
8 Its roots may grow old in the ground
and its stump(LE) die in the soil,
9 yet at the scent of water(LF) it will bud
and put forth shoots like a plant.(LG)
10 But a man dies and is laid low;(LH)
he breathes his last and is no more.(LI)
11 As the water of a lake dries up
or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,(LJ)
12 so he lies down and does not rise;(LK)
till the heavens are no more,(LL) people will not awake
or be roused from their sleep.(LM)
13 “If only you would hide me in the grave(LN)
and conceal me till your anger has passed!(LO)
If only you would set me a time
and then remember(LP) me!(LQ)
14 If someone dies, will they live again?
All the days of my hard service(LR)
I will wait for my renewal[k](LS) to come.
15 You will call and I will answer you;(LT)
you will long for the creature your hands have made.(LU)
16 Surely then you will count my steps(LV)
but not keep track of my sin.(LW)
17 My offenses will be sealed(LX) up in a bag;(LY)
you will cover over my sin.(LZ)
18 “But as a mountain erodes and crumbles(MA)
and as a rock is moved from its place,(MB)
19 as water wears away stones
and torrents(MC) wash away the soil,(MD)
so you destroy a person’s hope.(ME)
20 You overpower them once for all, and they are gone;(MF)
you change their countenance and send them away.(MG)
21 If their children are honored, they do not know it;
if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it.(MH)
22 They feel but the pain of their own bodies(MI)
and mourn only for themselves.(MJ)”
Footnotes
- Job 8:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Job 8:19 Or Surely all the joy it has / is that
- Job 9:9 Or of Leo
- Job 9:19 See Septuagint; Hebrew me.
- Job 10:15 Or and aware of
- Job 11:12 Or wild donkey can be born tame
- Job 12:6 Or those whose god is in their own hand
- Job 12:18 Or shackles of kings / and ties a belt
- Job 13:15 Or He will surely slay me; I have no hope — / yet I will
- Job 14:3 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew me
- Job 14:14 Or release
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.