Bible in 90 Days
The Third Speech of Bildad
25 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied,
2 “God is King. He should be feared.
He establishes peace in the highest parts of heaven.
3 Can anyone count his troops?
Is there anyone his light doesn’t shine on?
4 How can human beings be right with God?
How can mere people really be pure?
5 Even the moon isn’t bright
and the stars aren’t pure in God’s eyes.
6 So how about human beings? They are like maggots.
How about mere people? They are like worms.”
Job’s Reply
26 Job replied,
2 “Bildad, you haven’t helped people who aren’t strong!
You haven’t saved people who are weak!
3 You haven’t offered advice to those who aren’t wise!
In fact, you haven’t understood anything at all!
4 Who helped you say these things?
Whose spirit was speaking through you?
5 “The spirits of the dead are suffering greatly.
So are those that are under the waters.
And so are all those that live in them.
6 The place of the dead is naked in the sight of God.
The grave lies open in front of him.
7 He spreads out the northern skies over empty space.
He hangs the earth over nothing.
8 He wraps up water in his clouds.
They are heavy, but they don’t burst.
9 He covers the face of the full moon.
He spreads his clouds over it.
10 He marks out the place where the sky meets the sea.
He marks out the boundary between light and darkness.
11 The pillars of the heavens shake.
They are terrified when his anger blazes out.
12 With his power he stirred up the oceans.
In his wisdom he cut the sea monster Rahab to pieces.
13 His breath made the skies bright and clear.
His hand wounded the serpent that glides through the sea.
14 Those are only on the edges of what he does.
They are only the soft whispers that we hear from him.
So who can understand how very powerful he is?”
Job’s Final Reply to His Friends
27 Job continued to speak. He said,
2 “God hasn’t treated me fairly.
The Mighty One has made my life bitter.
You can be sure that God lives.
And here’s something else you can be sure of.
3 As long as I have life
and God gives me breath,
4 my mouth won’t say evil things.
My lips won’t tell lies.
5 I’ll never admit you people are right.
Until I die, I’ll say I’m telling the truth.
6 I’ll continue to say I’m right.
I’ll never let go of that.
I won’t blame myself as long as I live.
7 “May my enemies suffer like sinful people!
May my attackers be punished like those who aren’t fair!
8 What hope do ungodly people have when their lives are cut short?
What hope do they have when God takes away their lives?
9 God won’t listen to their cry
when trouble comes on them.
10 They won’t take delight in the Mighty One.
They’ll never call out to God.
11 “I’ll teach all of you about God’s power.
I won’t hide the things the Mighty One does.
12 You have seen those things yourselves.
So why do you continue your useless talk?
13 “Here’s what God does to sinful people.
Here’s what those who are mean receive from the Mighty One.
14 All their children will be killed by swords.
They’ll never have enough to eat.
15 A plague will kill those who are left alive.
The widows of sinful men
won’t even weep over their own children.
16 Sinners might store up silver like dust
and clothes like piles of clay.
17 But people who do what is right will wear those clothes.
People who haven’t done anything wrong
will divide up that silver.
18 The house an evil person builds is like a moth’s cocoon.
It’s like a hut that’s made by someone on guard duty.
19 Sinful people lie down wealthy, but their wealth is taken away.
When they open their eyes, everything is gone.
20 Terrors sweep over them like a flood.
A storm takes them away during the night.
21 The east wind carries them off, and they are gone.
It sweeps them out of their houses.
22 It blows against them without mercy.
They try to escape from its power.
23 It claps its hands and makes fun of them.
It hisses them out of their houses.”
The Place Where Wisdom Is Found Is Explained
28 There are mines where silver is found.
There are places where gold is purified.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth.
Copper is melted down from ore.
3 Human beings light up the darkness.
They search for ore in the deepest pits.
They look for it in the blackest darkness.
4 Far from where people live they cut a tunnel.
They do it in places where other people don’t go.
Far away from people they swing back and forth on ropes.
5 Food grows on the surface of the earth.
But far below, the earth is changed as if by fire.
6 Lapis lazuli is taken from the rocky earth.
Its dust contains nuggets of gold.
7 No bird knows that hidden path.
No falcon’s eye has seen it.
8 Proud animals don’t walk on it.
Lions don’t prowl there.
9 Human hands attack the hardest rock.
Their strong hands uncover the base of the mountains.
10 They tunnel through the rock.
Their eyes see all its treasures.
11 They search the places where the rivers begin.
They bring hidden things out into the light.
12 But where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding live?
13 No human being understands how much it’s worth.
It can’t be found anywhere in the world.
14 The ocean says, “It’s not in me.”
The sea says, “It’s not here either.”
15 It can’t be bought with the finest gold.
Its price can’t be weighed out in silver.
16 It can’t be bought with gold from Ophir.
It can’t be bought with priceless onyx or lapis lazuli.
17 Gold or crystal can’t compare with it.
It can’t be bought with jewels made of gold.
18 Don’t bother to talk about coral and jasper.
Wisdom is worth far more than rubies.
19 A topaz from Cush can’t compare with it.
It can’t be bought with the purest gold.
20 So where does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding live?
21 It’s hidden from the eyes of every living thing.
Even the birds in the sky can’t find it.
22 Death and the Grave say,
“Only reports about it have reached our ears.”
23 But God understands the way to it.
He is the only one who knows where it lives.
24 He sees from one end of the earth to the other.
He views everything in the world.
25 He made the mighty wind.
He measured out the waters.
26 He gave orders for the rain to fall.
He made paths for the thunderstorms.
27 Then he looked at wisdom and set its price.
He established it and tested it.
28 He said to human beings,
“Have respect for the Lord. That will prove you are wise.
Avoid evil. That will show you have understanding.”
Job’s Final Speech
29 Job continued to speak. He said,
2 “How I long for the times when things were better!
That’s when God watched over me.
3 The light of his lamp shone on me.
I walked through darkness by his light.
4 Those were the best days of my life.
That’s when God’s friendship blessed my house.
5 The Mighty One was still with me.
My children were all around me.
6 The path in front of me was like sweet cream.
It was as if the rock poured out olive oil for me.
7 “In those days I went to the city gate.
I took my seat as a member of the council.
8 Young people who saw me stepped to one side.
Old people stood up as I approached.
9 The leaders stopped speaking.
They covered their mouths with their hands.
10 The voices of the nobles became quiet.
Their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 Everyone who heard me said good things about me.
Those who saw me honored me.
12 That’s because I saved poor people who cried out for help.
I saved helpless children whose fathers had died.
13 Those who were dying gave me their blessing.
I made the hearts of widows sing.
14 I put on a godly life as if it were my clothes.
Fairness was my robe and my turban.
15 I was like eyes for those who were blind.
I was like feet for those who couldn’t walk.
16 I was like a father to needy people.
I stood up for strangers in court.
17 Sinners are like animals that have powerful teeth.
But I took from their mouths the people they had caught.
18 “I thought, ‘I’ll die in my own house.
The days of my life will be as many as the grains of sand.
19 My roots will reach down to the water.
The dew will lie all night on my branches.
20 I will remain healthy and strong.
My bow will stay as good as new in my hand.’
21 “People wanted to hear what I had to say.
They waited silently for the advice I gave them.
22 After I had spoken, they didn’t speak anymore.
My words fell gently on their ears.
23 They waited for me just as they would wait for rain showers.
They drank my words just as they would drink the spring rain.
24 When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it.
The light of my face lifted their spirits.
25 I chose the way they should go. I sat as their chief.
I lived as a king lives among his troops.
I was like someone who comforts those who are sad.
30 “But now those who are younger than I am make fun of me.
I wouldn’t even put their parents with my sheep dogs!
2 Their strong hands couldn’t give me any help.
That’s because their strength was gone.
3 They were weak because they were needy and hungry.
They wandered through dry and empty deserts at night.
4 Among the bushes they gathered salty plants.
They ate the roots of desert bushes.
5 They were driven away from human society.
They were shouted at as if they were robbers.
6 They were forced to live in dry stream beds.
They had to stay among rocks
and in holes in the ground.
7 Like donkeys they cried out among the bushes.
There they crowded together and hid.
8 They were so foolish that no one respected them.
They were driven out of the land.
9 “Now their children laugh at me.
They make fun of me with their songs.
10 They hate me. They stay away from me.
They even dare to spit in my face.
11 God has made my body weak.
It’s like a tent that has fallen down.
So those children do what they want to in front of me.
12 Many people attack me on my right side.
They lay traps for my feet.
They come at me from every direction.
13 They tear up the road I walk on.
They succeed in destroying me.
They say, ‘No one can help him.’
14 They attack me like troops smashing through a wall.
Among the destroyed buildings they come rolling in.
15 Terrors sweep over me.
My honor is driven away as if by the wind.
My safety vanishes like a cloud.
16 “Now my life is slipping away.
Days of suffering grab hold of me.
17 At night my bones hurt.
My aches and pains never stop.
18 God’s great power becomes like clothes to me.
He chokes me like the neck of my shirt.
19 He throws me down into the mud.
I’m nothing but dust and ashes.
20 “God, I cry out to you. But you don’t answer me.
I stand up. But all you do is look at me.
21 You do mean things to me.
You attack me with your mighty power.
22 You pick me up and blow me away with the wind.
You toss me around in the storm.
23 I know that you will bring me down to death.
That’s what you have appointed for everyone.
24 “No one would crush people
when they cry out for help in their trouble.
25 Haven’t I wept for those who are in trouble?
Haven’t I felt sorry for poor people?
26 I hoped good things would happen, but something evil came.
I looked for light, but all I saw was darkness.
27 My insides are always churning.
Nothing but days of suffering are ahead of me.
28 My skin has become dark, but the sun didn’t do it.
I stand up in the community and cry out for help.
29 I’ve become a brother to wild dogs.
Owls are my companions.
30 My skin grows black and peels.
My body burns with fever.
31 My lyre is tuned to sadness.
My flute makes a sound like weeping.
31 “I made an agreement with my eyes.
I promised not to look at a young woman with impure thoughts.
2 What do we receive from God above?
What do we get from the Mighty One in heaven?
3 Sinful people are destroyed.
Trouble comes to those who do what is wrong.
4 Doesn’t God see how I live?
Doesn’t he count every step I take?
5 “I haven’t told any lies.
My feet haven’t hurried to cheat others.
6 So let God weigh me in honest scales.
Then he’ll know I haven’t done anything wrong.
7 Suppose my steps have turned away from the right path.
Suppose my heart has wanted what my eyes have seen.
Or suppose my hands have become ‘unclean.’
8 Then may others eat what I’ve planted.
May my crops be pulled up by the roots.
9 “Suppose my heart has been tempted by a woman.
Or suppose I’ve prowled around my neighbor’s home.
10 Then may my wife grind another man’s grain.
May other men sleep with her.
11 Wanting another woman would have been an evil thing.
It would have been a sin that should be judged.
12 It’s like a fire that burns down to the grave.
It would have caused my crops to be pulled up by the roots.
13 “Suppose I haven’t treated any of my male and female servants fairly
when they’ve brought charges against me.
14 Then what will I do when God opposes me?
What answer will I give him
when he asks me to explain myself?
15 Didn’t he who made me make my servants also?
Didn’t the same God form us inside our mothers?
16 “I haven’t said no to what poor people have wanted.
I haven’t let widows lose their hope.
17 I haven’t kept my bread to myself.
I’ve shared it with children whose fathers had died.
18 From the time I was young, I’ve helped those widows.
I’ve raised those children as a father would.
19 Suppose I’ve seen people dying
because they didn’t have enough clothes.
I’ve seen needy people
who didn’t have enough to keep warm.
20 And they didn’t give me their blessing
when I warmed them with wool from my sheep.
21 Suppose I’ve raised my hand
against children whose fathers have died.
And I did it because I knew
I had power in the courts.
22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder.
Let it be broken off at the joint.
23 I was afraid God would destroy me.
His glory terrifies me.
So I’d never do things like that.
24 “Suppose I’ve put my trust in gold.
I’ve said to pure gold, ‘You make me feel secure.’
25 And I’m happy because I’m so wealthy.
I’m glad because my hands have earned so much.
26 Suppose I’ve worshiped the sun in all its glory.
I’ve bowed down to the moon in all its beauty.
27 My heart has been secretly tempted.
My hand has thrown kisses to the sun and moon.
28 Then these things would have been sins that should be judged.
And I wouldn’t have been faithful to God in heaven.
29 “I wasn’t happy when hard times came to my enemies.
I didn’t enjoy seeing the trouble they had.
30 I didn’t allow my mouth to sin
by asking for bad things to happen to them.
31 The workers in my house always said,
‘Job always gives plenty of food to everyone.’
32 No stranger ever had to spend the night in the street.
My door was always open to travelers.
33 I didn’t hide my sin as other people do.
I didn’t hide my guilt in my heart.
34 I was never afraid of the crowd.
I never worried that my relatives might hate me.
I didn’t have to keep quiet or stay inside.
35 “I wish someone would listen to me!
I’m signing my name to everything I’ve said.
I hope the Mighty One will give me his answer.
I hope the one who brings charges against me will write them down.
36 I’ll wear them on my shoulder.
I’ll put them on my head like a crown.
37 I’ll give that person a report of every step I take.
I’ll present it to him like I would to a ruler.
38 “Suppose my land cries out against me.
And all its soil is wet with tears.
39 Suppose I’ve used up its crops without paying for them.
Or I’ve broken the spirit of its renters.
40 Then let thorns grow instead of wheat.
Let stinkweed come up instead of barley.”
The words of Job end here.
The Speech of Elihu
32 So the three men stopped answering Job, because he thought he was right. 2 But Elihu the Buzite was very angry with Job. That’s because Job said he himself was right instead of God. Elihu was the son of Barakel. He was from the family of Ram. 3 Elihu was also very angry with Job’s three friends. They hadn’t found any way to prove that Job was wrong. But they still said he was guilty. 4 Elihu had waited before he spoke to Job. That’s because the others were older than he was. 5 But he saw that the three men didn’t have anything more to say. So he was very angry.
6 Elihu the Buzite, the son of Barakel, said,
“I’m young, and you are old.
So I was afraid to tell you what I know.
7 I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak first.
Those who have lived for many years
should teach people how to be wise.’
8 But the spirit in people gives them understanding.
The breath of the Mighty One gives them wisdom.
9 Older people aren’t the only ones who are wise.
They aren’t the only ones who understand what is right.
10 “So I’m saying you should listen to me.
I’ll tell you what I know.
11 I waited while you men spoke.
I listened to your reasoning.
While you were searching for words,
12 I paid careful attention to you.
But not one of you has proved that Job is wrong.
None of you has answered his arguments.
13 Don’t claim, ‘We have enough wisdom to answer Job.’
Let God, not a mere man, prove that he’s wrong.
14 Job hasn’t directed his words against me.
I won’t answer him with your arguments.
15 “Job, these men are afraid.
They don’t have anything else to say.
They’ve run out of words.
16 Do I have to keep on waiting, now that they are silent?
They are just standing there with nothing to say.
17 I too have something to say.
I too will tell what I know.
18 I’m full of words.
My spirit inside me forces me to speak.
19 Inside I’m like wine that is bottled up.
I’m like new wineskins ready to burst.
20 I must speak so I can feel better.
I must open my mouth and reply.
21 I’ll treat everyone the same.
I won’t praise anyone without meaning it.
22 If I weren’t honest when I praised people,
my Maker would soon take me from this life.
33 “Job, listen now to my words.
Pay attention to everything I say.
2 I’m about to open my mouth.
My words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 What I say comes from an honest heart.
My lips speak only what I know is true.
4 The Spirit of God has made me.
The breath of the Mighty One gives me life.
5 So answer me if you can.
Stand up and argue your case in front of me.
6 To God I’m just the same as you.
I too am a piece of clay.
7 You don’t have to be afraid of me.
My hand won’t be too heavy on you.
8 “But I heard what you said.
And here are the exact words I heard.
9 You said, ‘I’m pure. I have done no wrong.
I’m clean. I’m free from sin.
10 But God has found fault with me.
He thinks I’m his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in chains.
He watches every step I take.’
12 “But I’m telling you that you aren’t right when you talk like that.
After all, God is greater than any human being.
13 Why do you claim that God
never answers anybody’s questions?
14 He speaks in one way and then another.
But we do not even realize it.
15 He might speak in a dream or in a vision at night.
That’s when people are sound asleep in their beds.
16 He might speak in their ears.
His warnings might terrify them.
17 He warns them in order to turn them away from sinning.
He wants to keep them from being proud.
18 He wants to stop them from going down into the grave.
He doesn’t want them to be killed by swords.
19 Someone might be punished by suffering in bed.
The pain in their bones might never go away.
20 They might feel so bad they can’t eat anything.
They might even hate the finest food.
21 Their body might waste away to nothing.
Their bones might have been hidden.
But now they stick out.
22 They might approach the very edge of the grave.
The messengers of death might come for them.
23 “But suppose there is an angel who will speak up for him.
The angel is very special. He’s one out of a thousand.
He will tell that person how to do what is right.
24 That angel will be gracious to them. He’ll say to God,
‘Spare them from going down into the grave.
I know a way that can set them free.’
25 Then their body is made like new again.
They become as strong and healthy as when they were young.
26 Then that person can pray to God and be blessed by him.
They will see God’s face and shout for joy.
God will make them well and happy again.
27 Then that person will come to others and say,
‘I sinned. I made what is wrong appear to be right.
But I wasn’t punished as I should have been.
28 God has set me free. He has kept me from going down into the darkness of the grave.
So I’ll live to enjoy the light of life.’
29 “God does all these things to people.
In fact, he does them again and again.
30 He wants to stop people from going down into the darkness of the grave.
Then the light of life will shine on them.
31 “Pay attention, Job! Listen to me!
Be quiet so I can speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak up. I want to help you be cleared of all charges.
33 But if you don’t have anything to say, listen to me.
Be quiet so I can teach you how to be wise.”
34 Elihu continued,
2 “Hear what I’m saying, you wise men.
Listen to me, you who have learned so much.
3 Our tongues tell us what tastes good and what doesn’t.
And our ears tell us what’s true and what isn’t.
4 So let’s choose for ourselves what is right.
Let’s learn together what is good.
5 “Job says, ‘I’m not guilty of doing anything wrong.
But God doesn’t treat me fairly.
6 Even though I’m right,
he thinks I’m a liar.
Even though I’m not guilty,
his arrows give me wounds that can’t be healed.’
7 Is there anyone like Job?
He accuses God as easily as he drinks water.
8 He’s a companion of those who do evil.
He spends his time with sinful people.
9 He asks, ‘What good is it
to try to please God?’
10 “So listen to me, you men who have understanding.
God would never do what is evil.
The Mighty One would never do what is wrong.
11 He pays back everyone for what they’ve done.
He gives them exactly what they should get.
12 It isn’t possible for God to do wrong.
The Mighty One would never treat people unfairly.
13 Who appointed him to rule over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?
14 If he really wanted to,
he could hold back his spirit and breath.
15 Then everyone would die together.
They would return to the dust.
16 “Job, if you have understanding, listen to me.
Pay attention to what I’m saying.
17 Can someone who hates to be fair govern?
Will you bring charges against the holy and mighty God?
18 He says to kings, ‘You are worthless.’
He says to nobles, ‘You are evil.’
19 He doesn’t favor princes.
He treats rich people and poor people the same.
His hands created all of them.
20 They die suddenly in the middle of the night.
God strikes them down, and they pass away.
Even people who are mighty are removed, but not by human hands.
21 “His eyes see how people live.
He watches every step they take.
22 There is no deep shadow or total darkness
where those who do what is evil can hide.
23 God doesn’t need to bring charges against anyone.
He knows they are guilty.
So he doesn’t need to have them appear in his court to be judged.
24 He destroys the mighty without asking them questions in court.
Then he sets others up in their places.
25 He knows what they do.
So he crushes them during the night.
26 He punishes them for the sins they commit.
He does it where everyone can see them.
27 That’s because they turned away from following him.
They didn’t have respect for anything he does.
28 They caused poor people to cry out to him.
He heard the cries of those who were in need.
29 But if he remains silent, who can judge him?
If he turns his face away, who can see him?
He rules over individual people and nations alike.
30 He keeps those who are ungodly from ruling.
He keeps them from laying traps for others.
31 “Someone might say to God,
‘I’m guilty of sinning,
but I won’t do it anymore.
32 Show me my sins that I’m not aware of.
If I’ve done what is wrong,
I won’t do it again.’
33 But you refuse to turn away from your sins.
So God won’t treat you the way you want to be treated.
You must decide, Job. I can’t do it for you.
So tell me what you know.
34 “You men who have understanding have spoken.
You wise men who hear me have said to me,
35 ‘Job doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
The things he has said don’t make any sense.’
36 I wish Job would be given the hardest test possible!
He answered like someone who is evil.
37 To his sin he adds even more sin.
He claps his hands and makes fun of us.
He multiplies his words against God.”
35 Elihu continued,
2 “Job, do you think it’s fair for you to say,
‘I am the one who is right, not God’?
3 You ask him, ‘What good is it for me not to sin?
What do I get by not sinning?’
4 “I’d like to reply to you
and to your friends who are with you.
5 Look up at the heavens.
Observe the clouds that are high above you.
6 If you sin, what does that mean to God?
If you sin many times, what does that do to him?
7 If you do what is right, how does that help him?
What does he get from you?
8 The evil things you do only hurt people like yourself.
The right things you do only help other human beings.
9 “People cry out when they are treated badly.
They beg to be set free from the power of those who are over them.
10 But no one says, ‘Where is the God who made me?
He gives us songs even during the night.
11 He teaches us more than he teaches the wild animals.
He makes us wiser than the birds in the sky.’
12 He doesn’t answer sinful people when they cry out to him.
That’s because they are so proud.
13 In fact, God doesn’t listen to their empty cries.
The Mighty One doesn’t pay any attention to them.
14 So he certainly won’t listen to you.
When you say you don’t see him, he won’t hear you.
He won’t listen when you state your case to him.
He won’t pay attention even if you wait for him.
15 When you say his anger never punishes sin, he won’t hear you.
He won’t listen when you say he doesn’t pay any attention to evil.
16 So you say things that don’t mean anything.
You use a lot of words,
but you don’t know what you are talking about.”
36 Elihu continued,
2 “Put up with me a little longer.
I’ll show you I can speak up for God even more.
3 I get my knowledge from far away.
I’ll announce that the God who made me is fair.
4 You can be sure that my words are true.
One who has perfect knowledge is talking to you.
5 “God is mighty, but he doesn’t hate people.
He’s mighty, and he knows exactly what he’s going to do.
6 He doesn’t keep alive those who are evil.
Instead, he gives suffering people their rights.
7 He watches over those who do what is right.
He puts them on thrones as if they were kings.
He honors them forever.
8 But some people are held by chains.
Their pain ties them up like ropes.
9 God tells them what they’ve done.
He tells them they’ve become proud and sinned against him.
10 He makes them listen when he corrects them.
He commands them to turn away
from the evil things they’ve done.
11 If they obey him and serve him,
they’ll enjoy a long and happy life.
Things will go well with them.
12 But if they don’t listen to him,
they’ll be killed by swords.
They’ll die because they didn’t want to know anything about him.
13 “Those whose hearts are ungodly are always angry.
Even when God puts them in chains,
they don’t cry out for help.
14 They die while they are still young.
They die among the male prostitutes at the temples.
15 But God saves suffering people while they suffer.
He speaks to them while they are hurting.
16 “Job, he wants to take you out of the jaws of trouble.
He wants to bring you to a wide and safe place.
He’d like to seat you at a table that is loaded with the best food.
17 But now you are loaded down
with the punishment sinners will receive.
You have been judged fairly.
18 Be careful that no one tempts you with riches.
Don’t take money from people who want special favors,
no matter how much it is.
19 Can your wealth keep you out of trouble?
Can all your mighty efforts keep you going?
20 Don’t wish for the night to come
so you can drag people away from their homes.
21 Be careful not to do what is evil.
You seem to like evil better than suffering!
22 “God is honored because he is so powerful.
There is no teacher equal to him.
23 Who has told him what he can do?
Who has said to him, ‘You have done what is wrong’?
24 Remember to thank him for what he’s done.
People have praised him with their songs.
25 Every human being has seen his work.
People can see it from far away.
26 How great God is! We’ll never completely understand him.
We’ll never find out how long he has lived.
27 “He makes mist rise from the water.
Then it falls as rain into the streams.
28 The clouds pour down their moisture.
Rain showers fall on people everywhere.
29 Who can understand how God spreads out the clouds?
Who can explain how he thunders from his home in heaven?
30 See how he scatters his lightning around him!
He lights up the deepest parts of the ocean.
31 The rain he sends makes things grow for the nations.
He provides them with plenty of food.
32 He holds lightning bolts in his hands.
He commands them to strike their marks.
33 His thunder announces that a storm is coming.
Even the cattle let us know it’s approaching.
37 “When I hear the thunder, my heart pounds.
It beats faster inside me.
2 Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice!
Listen to the thunder that comes from him!
3 He sends his lightning across the sky.
It reaches from one end of the earth to the other.
4 Next comes the sound of his roaring thunder.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice fills the air,
he doesn’t hold anything back.
5 God’s voice thunders in wonderful ways.
We’ll never understand the great things he does.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth.’
He tells the rain, ‘Pour down your mighty waters.’
7 He stops everyone from working.
He wants them to see his work.
8 The animals go inside.
They remain in their dens.
9 The storm comes out of its storeroom in the heavens.
The cold comes from the driving winds.
10 The breath of God produces ice.
The shallow water freezes over.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture.
He scatters his lightning through them.
12 He directs the clouds to circle
above the surface of the whole earth.
They do everything he commands them to do.
13 He tells the clouds to punish people.
Or he brings them to water his earth and show his love.
14 “Job, listen to me.
Stop and think about the wonderful things God does.
15 Do you know how he controls the clouds?
Do you understand how he makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds stay up in the sky?
Do you understand the wonders of the God who has perfect knowledge?
17 Even your clothes are too hot for you
when the land lies quiet under the south wind.
18 Can you help God spread out the skies?
They are as hard as a mirror
that’s made out of bronze.
19 “Job, tell us what we should say to God.
We can’t prepare our case
because our minds are dark.
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
Would anyone ask to be destroyed by him?
21 No one can look at the sun.
It’s too bright after the wind has swept the skies clean.
22 Out of the north, God comes in his shining glory.
He comes in all his wonderful majesty.
23 We can’t reach up to the Mighty One.
He is lifted high because of his power.
Everything he does is fair and right.
So he doesn’t crush people.
24 That’s why they have respect for him.
He cares about all those who are wise.”
The Lord Speaks
38 The Lord spoke to Job out of a storm. He said,
2 “Who do you think you are to disagree with my plans?
You do not know what you are talking about.
3 Get ready to stand up for yourself.
I will ask you some questions.
Then I want you to answer me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you know.
5 Who measured it? I am sure you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 What was it built on?
Who laid its most important stone?
7 When it happened, the morning stars sang together.
All the angels shouted with joy.
8 “Who created the ocean?
Who caused it to be born?
9 I put clouds over it as if they were its clothes.
I wrapped it in thick darkness.
10 I set limits for it.
I put its doors and metal bars in place.
11 I said, ‘You can come this far.
But you can’t come any farther.
Here is where your proud waves have to stop.’
12 “Job, have you ever commanded the morning to come?
Have you ever shown the sun where to rise?
13 The daylight takes the earth by its edges
as if it were a blanket.
Then it shakes sinful people out of it.
14 The earth takes shape like clay stamped with an official’s mark.
Its features stand out
like the different parts of your clothes.
15 Sinners would rather have darkness than light.
When the light comes, their power is broken.
16 “Have you traveled to the springs at the bottom of the ocean?
Have you walked in its deepest parts?
17 Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
18 Do you understand how big the earth is?
Tell me, if you know all these things.
19 “Where does light come from?
And where does darkness live?
20 Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their houses?
21 I am sure you know! After all, you were already born!
You have lived so many years!
22 “Have you entered the places where the snow is kept?
Have you seen the storerooms for the hail?
23 I store up snow and hail for times of trouble.
I keep them for days of war and battle.
24 Where does lightning come from?
Where do the east winds live that blow across the earth?
25 Who tells the rain where it should fall?
Who makes paths for the thunderstorms?
26 They bring water to places where no one lives.
They water deserts that do not have anyone in them.
27 They satisfy the needs of dry and empty lands.
They make grass start growing there.
28 Does the rain have a father?
Who is the father of the drops of dew?
29 Does the ice have a mother?
Who is the mother of the frost from the heavens?
30 The waters become as hard as stone.
The surface of the ocean freezes over.
31 “Can you tie up the cords of the Pleiades?
Can you untie the belt that Orion wears?
32 Can you bring out all the stars in their seasons?
Can you lead out the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper?
33 Do you know the laws that govern the heavens?
Can you rule over the earth the way I do?
34 “Can you give orders to the clouds?
Can you make them pour rain down on you?
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who gives the ibis wisdom?
Who gives the rooster understanding?
37 Who is wise enough to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens?
38 I tip them over when the ground becomes hard.
I do it when the dirt sticks together.
39 “Do you hunt for food for mother lions?
Do you satisfy the hunger of their cubs?
40 Some of them lie low in their dens.
Others lie waiting in the bushes.
41 Who provides food for ravens
when their babies cry out to me?
They wander around because they do not have anything to eat.
39 “Job, do you know when mountain goats have their babies?
Do you watch when female deer give birth?
2 Do you count the months until the animals have their babies?
Do you know the time when they give birth?
3 They bend their back legs and have their babies.
Then their labor pains stop.
4 Their little ones grow strong and healthy in the wild.
They leave and do not come home again.
5 “Who let the wild donkeys go free?
Who untied their ropes?
6 I gave them the dry and empty land as their home.
I gave them salt flats to live in.
7 They laugh at all the noise in town.
They do not hear the shouts of the donkey drivers.
8 They wander over the hills to look for grass.
They search for anything green to eat.
9 “Job, will wild oxen agree to serve you?
Will they stay by your feed box at night?
10 Can you keep them in straight rows with harnesses?
Will they plow the valleys behind you?
11 Will you depend on them for their great strength?
Will you let them do your heavy work?
12 Can you trust them to haul in your grain?
Will they bring it to your threshing floor?
13 “The wings of ostriches flap with joy.
But they can’t compare with the wings and feathers of storks.
14 Ostriches lay their eggs on the ground.
They let them get warm in the sand.
15 They do not know that something might step on them.
A wild animal might walk all over them.
16 Ostriches are mean to their little ones.
They treat them as if they did not belong to them.
They do not care that their work was useless.
17 I did not provide ostriches with wisdom.
I did not give them good sense.
18 But when they spread their feathers to run,
they laugh at a horse and its rider.
19 “Job, do you give horses their strength?
Do you put flowing manes on their necks?
20 Do you make them jump like locusts?
They terrify others with their proud snorting.
21 They paw the ground wildly.
They are filled with joy.
They charge at their enemies.
22 They laugh at fear. They are not afraid of anything.
They do not run away from swords.
23 Many arrows rattle at their sides.
Flashing spears and javelins are also there.
24 They are so excited that they race over the ground.
They can’t stand still when trumpets are blown.
25 When they hear the trumpets they snort, ‘Aha!’
They catch the smells of battle far away.
They hear the shouts of commanders and the battle cries.
26 “Job, are you wise enough to teach hawks where to fly?
They spread their wings and fly toward the south.
27 Do you command eagles to fly so high?
They build their nests as high as they can.
28 They live on cliffs and stay there at night.
High up on the rocks they think they are safe.
29 From there they look for their food.
They can see it from far away.
30 Their little ones like to eat blood.
Eagles gather where they see dead bodies.”
40 The Lord continued,
2 “I am the Mighty One.
Will the man who argues with me correct me?
Let him who brings charges against me answer me!”
3 Job replied to the Lord,
4 “I’m not worthy. How can I reply to you?
I’m putting my hand over my mouth. I’ll stop talking.
5 I spoke once. But I really don’t have any answer.
I spoke twice. But I won’t say anything else.”
6 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said,
7 “Get ready to stand up for yourself.
I will ask you some more questions.
Then I want you to answer me.
8 “Would you dare to claim that I am not being fair?
Would you judge me in order to make yourself seem right?
9 Is your arm as powerful as mine is?
Can your voice thunder as mine does?
10 Then put on glory and beauty as if they were your clothes.
Also put on honor and majesty.
11 Let loose your great anger.
Look at those who are proud and bring them low.
12 Look at proud people and make them humble.
Crush evil people right where they are.
13 Bury their bodies together in the dust.
Cover their faces in the grave.
14 Then I myself will admit to you
that your own right hand can save you.
15 “Look at Behemoth. It is a huge animal.
I made both of you.
It eats grass like an ox.
16 Look at the strength it has in its hips!
What power it has in the muscles of its stomach!
17 Its tail sways back and forth like a cedar tree.
The tendons of its thighs are close together.
18 Its bones are like tubes made out of bronze.
Its legs are like rods made out of iron.
19 It ranks first among my works.
I made it. I can approach it with my sword.
20 The hills produce food for it.
All the other wild animals play near it.
21 It lies under lotus plants.
It hides in tall grass in the swamps.
22 The lotus plants hide it in their shade.
Poplar trees near streams surround it.
23 It is not afraid when the river roars.
It is secure even when the Jordan River rushes against its mouth.
24 Can anyone capture it by its eyes?
Can anyone trap it and poke a hole through its nose?
41 “Job, can you pull Leviathan out of the sea with a fishhook?
Can you tie down its tongue with a rope?
2 Can you put a rope through its nose?
Can you stick a hook through its jaw?
3 Will it keep begging you for mercy?
Will it speak gently to you?
4 Will it make an agreement with you?
Can you make it your slave for life?
5 Can you make a pet out of it like a bird?
Can you put it on a leash for the young women in your house?
6 Will traders offer you something for it?
Will they divide it up among the merchants?
7 Can you fill its body with harpoons?
Can you throw fishing spears into its head?
8 If you touch it, it will fight you.
Then you will remember never to touch it again!
9 No one can possibly control Leviathan.
Just looking at it will terrify you.
10 No one dares to wake it up.
So who can possibly stand up to me?
11 Who has a claim against me that I must pay?
Everything on earth belongs to me.
12 “Now I will speak about the Leviathan’s legs.
I will talk about its strength and its graceful body.
13 Who can strip off its outer coat?
Who would try to pierce its double coat of armor?
14 Who dares to open its jaws?
Its mouth is filled with terrifying teeth.
15 Its back has rows of shields
that are close together.
16 Each one is so close to the next one
that not even air can pass between them.
17 They are joined tightly to one another.
They stick together and can’t be forced apart.
18 Leviathan’s snorting throws out flashes of light.
Its eyes shine like the first light of day.
19 Flames spray out of its mouth.
Sparks of fire shoot out.
20 Smoke pours out of its nose.
It is like smoke from a boiling pot over burning grass.
21 Its breath sets coals on fire.
Flames fly out of its mouth.
22 Its neck is very strong.
People run to get out of its way.
23 Its rolls of fat are close together.
They are firm and can’t be moved.
24 Its chest is as hard as rock.
It is as hard as a lower millstone.
25 When Leviathan rises up,
even mighty people are terrified.
They run away when it moves around wildly.
26 A sword that strikes it has no effect.
Neither does a spear or dart or javelin.
27 It treats iron as if it were straw.
It crushes bronze as if it were rotten wood.
28 Arrows do not make it run away.
Stones that are thrown from slings are like straw hitting it.
29 A club seems like a piece of straw to it.
It laughs when it hears a javelin rattling.
30 Its undersides are like broken pieces of pottery.
It leaves a trail in the mud like a threshing sled.
31 It makes the ocean churn like a boiling pot.
It stirs up the sea like perfume someone is making.
32 It leaves a shiny trail behind it.
You would think the ocean had white hair.
33 Nothing on earth is equal to Leviathan.
That creature is not afraid of anything.
34 It looks down on proud people.
It rules over all those who are proud.”
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