Bible in 90 Days

Bildad Talks

8 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, ² “How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a strong wind? ³ Does God make wrong what is fair? Does the All-powerful make wrong what is right? ⁴ If your children have sinned against Him, He has given them over to the power of their sin. ⁵ If you will look for God and pray to the All-powerful, ⁶ 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. ⁷ And even if your beginning was small, your end will be very great.

⁸ “Ask about those who have lived before. Think about what their fathers learned. ⁹ 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

9 Then Job answered, ² “Yes, I know this is true. But how can a man be right and good before God? ³ If one wished to argue with Him, he would not be able to answer one out of a thousand of His questions. ⁴ He is wise in heart and powerful in strength. Who has ever stood against Him without being hurt? ⁵ It is He Who takes away the mountains without their knowing it, when He destroys them in His anger. ⁶ He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars shake. ⁷ He tells the sun not to shine, and He keeps the stars from shining. ⁸ He alone spreads out the heavens and walks upon the waves of the sea. ⁹ 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. ² I will say to God, ‘Do not say that I am guilty and punish me. Let me know why You work against me. ³ 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? ⁴ Do You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as a man sees? ⁵ Are Your days as the days of man, or Your years as man’s years, ⁶ that You should look for my wrong-doing and my sin? ⁷ You know that I am not guilty, yet there is no one who can take me away from Your hand.

⁸ ‘Your hands put me together and made me, and now would You destroy me? ⁹ 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.”

Zophar Talks

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, ² “Should many words go without an answer? Should a man full of talk be said to be without blame? ³ Should your words of pride make men quiet? Should you make fun of truth and no one speak sharp words to you? ⁴ For you say, ‘What I believe is pure. I am without fault in Your eyes.’ ⁵ If only God would speak, and open His lips against you. ⁶ He would show you the secrets of wisdom because there are two sides. Then you would know that God is punishing you less than you should get.

⁷ “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out how far the All-powerful can go? ⁸ They are higher than the heavens. What can you do? They are deeper than the place of the dead. What can you know? ⁹ They are longer than the earth and wider than the sea. ¹⁰ If He passes by, puts a man in prison, or calls him to trial, who can stop Him? ¹¹ For He knows men who are no good. When He sees wrong-doing, will He not look into it? ¹² A fool cannot become wise anymore than a wild donkey can give birth to a man.

¹³ “If you set your heart right, and put out your hands to Him, ¹⁴ and if you put away the sin that is in your hand, do not let wrong-doing be in your tents. ¹⁵ Then you will be able to lift up your face without sin. You would be strong and not afraid. ¹⁶ For you would forget your trouble, remembering it as waters that have passed by. ¹⁷ Your life would be brighter than noon. Darkness would be like the morning. ¹⁸ Then you would trust, because there is hope. You would look around and rest and be safe. ¹⁹ You would lie down and no one would make you afraid. Many would ask for your favor. ²⁰ But the eyes of the sinful will waste away. There will be no way for them to get away. And their hope is to breathe their last.”

Job Talks

12 Then Job answered, ² “No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. ³ But I have understanding as well as you. I am not less than you. Who does not know such things as these? ⁴ Even my friends laugh at me. The man who called on God, and God answered him, the man who is right and without blame is laughed at. ⁵ He who lives in comfort laughs at one who has trouble and whose feet are slipping. ⁶ The tents of those who destroy have much. Those who make God angry are safe and have their god in their own hands.

⁷ “But ask the wild animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. ⁸ Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you. Let the fish of the sea make it known to you. ⁹ Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? ¹⁰ In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all men. ¹¹ Does not the ear test words as the mouth tastes food? ¹² Wisdom is with old men, and understanding with long life.

¹³ “With God are wisdom and strength. Wise words and understanding belong to Him. ¹⁴ See, He tears down, and it cannot be built again. He puts a man in prison, and no one can free him. ¹⁵ See, He stops the waters and they dry up. He sends them out, and they cover the earth. ¹⁶ Strength and wisdom are with Him. Both the fool and the one who fools him belong to God. ¹⁷ He takes wisdom away from leaders and makes fools of judges. ¹⁸ He takes off chains put on by kings, and holds back the power of kings. ¹⁹ He makes religious leaders walk without pride, and takes the power away from those who think they are safe. ²⁰ He stops the trusted ones from speaking and takes away the wisdom of the leaders. ²¹ He pours anger on rulers, and takes away the strength of the strong. ²² He makes known hidden truth from the darkness, and brings deep darkness to light. ²³ He makes the nations great, and then destroys them. He helps nations to become large, then leads them away. ²⁴ He takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth, and makes them travel in a waste-land with no path. ²⁵ They feel their way in darkness with no light. And He makes them walk from side to side like a drunk man.

Job Talks

13 “See, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it. ² What you know I also know. I am not less than you.

³ “But I wish to speak to the All-powerful. I want to argue with God. ⁴ But you cover things with lies. You are doctors of no worth. ⁵ If only you would be quiet, and that would show your wisdom! ⁶ Hear what I think. Listen to the arguing of my lips. ⁷ Will you say what is not true for God? Will you lie for Him? ⁸ Will you show favor for Him? Will you argue for God? ⁹ Will it be well when He tests you? Or do you lie to Him as one lies to a man? ¹⁰ For sure He will speak strong words to you if you show favor in secret. ¹¹ Will not His great power make you afraid? Will not the fear of Him come upon you? ¹² Your wise sayings are sayings of ashes. Your strength is the strength of clay.

¹³ “Be quiet so that I may speak. Then let come on me what will. ¹⁴ Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hands? ¹⁵ Even though He would kill me, yet I will trust in Him. I will argue my ways to His face. ¹⁶ This will save me, for a sinful man may not come to Him. ¹⁷ Be careful to listen to my words. Let what I say fill your ears. ¹⁸ See, I am ready to tell everything, and all will know I am right. ¹⁹ Who will talk against me? For then I would be quiet and die.

²⁰ “Only two things I ask of You, and then I will not hide from Your face. ²¹ Take Your hand from me, and do not let the fear of You make me so afraid. ²² Then call, and I will answer. Or let me speak, and You answer me. ²³ How many are my sins and wrong-doings? Help me to know my wrong-doing and sin. ²⁴ Why do You hide Your face, and think of me as one who hates You? ²⁵ Will You make a wind-blown leaf afraid? Will You go after the dry parts of a grain-field that have no worth? ²⁶ For You write bitter things against me. You punish me for the sins I did when I was young. ²⁷ You put chains on my feet, and watch everything I do. You let me walk only so far. ²⁸ I am wasting away like a piece of dead wood, like clothing eaten by the moth.

Job Keeps On Talking—Death Is Sure

14 “Man who is born of woman lives only a short time and is full of trouble. ² He grows up and dries like a flower. He leaves like a shadow and does not stay. ³ You open Your eyes on him and decide about him. ⁴ Who can make clean what is unclean? No one! ⁵ A man’s days are numbered. You know the number of his months. He cannot live longer than the time You have set. ⁶ So now look away from him that he may rest, until he has lived the time set for him like a man paid to work.

⁷ “For there is hope for a tree, when it is cut down, that it will grow again, and that its branches will not stop growing. ⁸ Its roots grow old in the ground, and the base of the tree dies in the dry ground. ⁹ But with water it will grow. Branches will grow from it like a plant. ¹⁰ But man dies and is laid low. Man dies, and where is he? ¹¹ As water goes into the air from the sea, and the river wastes away and dries up, ¹² so man lies down and does not get up again. Until the heavens are no more, he will not wake up or come out of his sleep.

¹³ “If only You would hide me in the place of the dead! If only You would hide me until Your anger is past, and set a time for me and remember me! ¹⁴ If a man dies, will he live again? I will wait all the days of my trouble until a change comes. ¹⁵ You will call and I will answer You. You will wait for the work of Your hands. ¹⁶ For now You number my steps. You do not write down my sin. ¹⁷ My sin is locked up in a bag. You cover my wrong-doing.

¹⁸ “But the mountain falls and breaks apart to nothing. The rock moves from its place. ¹⁹ Water wears away the stones. Its floods wash away the dust of the earth. So You destroy man’s hope. ²⁰ You have power over him forever, and he leaves. You change what he looks like and send him away. ²¹ His sons receive honor, but he does not know it. Or they lose honor, but he does not see it. ²² His body gives him pain, and he has sorrow only for himself.”

Eliphaz Talks

15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, ² “Should a wise man answer with learning that is of no worth, and fill himself with the east wind? ³ Should he argue with talk that will not help, or with words that do no good? ⁴ For sure you are doing away with the fear of the Lord. You are stopping the quiet worship of God. ⁵ You show your sin by what you say. You are trying to hide behind your words. ⁶ Your own mouth says you are guilty, and not I. Your own lips speak against you.

⁷ “Were you the first man to be born? Or were you made before the hills? ⁸ Were you there to hear the secret plans of God? Are you the only one who has wisdom? ⁹ What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to us? ¹⁰ Men whose hair has grown white and those who have lived many years are among us. They are older than your father. ¹¹ Are the gentle words spoken to you, which give comfort from God, too little for you? ¹² Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes shine, ¹³ that you turn your spirit against God and let such words go out of your mouth? ¹⁴ What is man, that he can be pure, or he who is born of a woman, that he can be right and good? ¹⁵ See, God puts no trust in His holy ones. The heavens are not pure in His eyes. ¹⁶ How much less one who is hated and sinful, a man who drinks sin like water!

¹⁷ “I will tell you, listen to me. I will make known what I have seen, ¹⁸ what wise men have told that they learned from their fathers. They have not hidden anything. ¹⁹ These were the ones to whom the land was given, and no stranger passed among them. ²⁰ The sinful man suffers in pain all his days. His years are numbered because of all his sin. ²¹ Sounds of fear are in his ears. When all seems to be going well, the one who destroys will come upon him. ²² He does not believe that he will be taken away from darkness, and the sword is meant for him. ²³ He goes to look for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that a day of darkness is near. ²⁴ Trouble and pain fill him with fear. They have power over him like a king ready for battle. ²⁵ He has put out his hand against God, and is full of pride against the All-powerful. ²⁶ He rushes in pride against Him with his big battle-covering. ²⁷ His face is fat, and his thighs are heavy with fat. ²⁸ He has lived in cities that have been laid waste, in houses where no one lives which will be destroyed. ²⁹ He will no longer be rich, and what he has will not last. His grain will come to nothing. ³⁰ He will not get away from darkness. The fire will dry up his branches, and the breath of God’s mouth will drive him away. ³¹ Let him not lie to himself and trust in what is empty. For what is empty will be his reward. ³² It will be paid in full while he still lives, and his branch will not be green. ³³ He will be like the vine that drops off its grapes before they are ready. And he will throw off his flower like the olive tree. ³⁴ Those who visit the sinful bring no fruit. And fire destroys the tents of those who do wrong. ³⁵ They give birth to trouble and bring sin. Their minds plan lies.”

Job Talks

16 Then Job answered, ² “I have heard many such things. All of you bring trouble instead of comfort. ³ Is there no end to your words that are full of wind? What is your problem that you keep on talking? ⁴ I also could speak like you, if I were in your place. I could put words together against you, and shake my head at you. ⁵ I could give you strength with my mouth. I could speak words of comfort and make your pain less.

⁶ “If I speak, my pain is not made less. And if I keep quiet, it does not leave me. ⁷ But now God has taken away my strength. He has taken away all my family. ⁸ He has made me dry up, and this speaks against me. The wasting away of my body rises up against me. It speaks against me to my face. ⁹ His anger has torn me and hated me. He has ground His teeth at me. The one against me looks hard at me. ¹⁰ Men have looked at me with their mouths open. They have hit me on the face with anger. They have gathered together against me. ¹¹ God gives me over to bad men. He throws me into the hands of the sinful. ¹² I was living in comfort, but He has taken that away. He has taken hold of me by the neck and shaken me to pieces. He has set me up for something to shoot at. ¹³ His arrows are all around me. He cuts my kidneys open without pity. He pours the bitter insides on the ground. ¹⁴ He hurts me again and again. He runs at me like a man of war. ¹⁵ I have sewed cloth made from hair over my skin, and have laid my hope in the dust. ¹⁶ My face is red from crying, and darkness is over my eyes. ¹⁷ But my hands have done nothing bad, and my prayer is pure.

¹⁸ “O earth, do not cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest. ¹⁹ See, even now there is One Who sees me from heaven. The One Who speaks for me is on high. ²⁰ My friends make fun of me. My eyes pour out tears to God. ²¹ If only a man could give reasons to God, as a man does for his neighbor! ²² In a few years I will go the way that I cannot return.

Job Keeps On Talking

17 “My spirit is broken. My days are gone. The grave is ready for me. ² For sure those with me make fun of me. My eyes see how they laugh at me.

³ “Promise that You will hear me. Who is there that will trust me? ⁴ For You have kept their heart from understanding, so You will not honor them. ⁵ If one speaks against friends to get money, the eyes of his children also will become weak.

⁶ “But He has made me an object of shame to the people. Men spit on me. ⁷ My eyes have become weak with sorrow. All the parts of my body are like a shadow. ⁸ Men who are right and good will be surprised and afraid at this. He who is without guilt will be moved to go against the sinful. ⁹ But the one who is right with God will hold to his way. And he who has clean hands will become stronger and stronger. ¹⁰ But all of you try again, and I will not find a wise man among you. ¹¹ My days are past. My plans are torn apart, even the wishes of my heart. ¹² They make night into day, saying, ‘The light is near,’ when there is darkness. ¹³ If I look for the place of the dead as my home, I make my bed in the darkness. ¹⁴ If I say to the grave, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother and my sister,’ ¹⁵ then where is my hope? Who sees hope for me? ¹⁶ Will it go down with me to the place of the dead? Will we go down together into the dust?”

Bildad Talks

18 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, ² “How long will you keep talking? Show understanding and then we can talk. ³ Why are we thought of as animals? Why do you see us as not being able to think? ⁴ You who tear yourself in your anger, will the earth be left alone because of you? Or will the rocks be moved from their place?

⁵ “Yes, the light of the sinful is put out. His fire does not give light. ⁶ The light in his tent is made dark, and his lamp goes out above him. ⁷ His strong steps are made short, and his own plans make him fall. ⁸ For he is thrown down into a net by his own feet and walks on it. ⁹ A trap catches him by the foot and holds him. ¹⁰ A tied rope is hidden in the ground for him. A trap is set for him on the path. ¹¹ He is filled with fear on every side. It follows him at every step. ¹² His strength leaves him because trouble is waiting for him at every side. ¹³ His skin is eaten by disease and the beginning of death eats his legs. ¹⁴ He is taken away from his tent where he was safe, and is brought to the king of fears. ¹⁵ Fire destroys everything in his tent and sulphur is spread where he lives. ¹⁶ His roots are dried below and his branch is cut off above. ¹⁷ No one on earth will remember him. His name will not be known in the land. ¹⁸ He is sent from light into darkness, and driven away from where people live. ¹⁹ He has no children among his people to carry on his name where he lived. ²⁰ Those in the west are surprised and afraid at what happened to him. And those in the east are filled with fear. ²¹ For sure, these are the houses of the sinful. This is the place of him who does not know God.”

Job Talks

19 Then Job answered, ² “How long will you make me suffer and crush me with words? ³ Ten times you have put me to shame and are not ashamed to wrong me. ⁴ Even if it is true that I have done wrong, it stays with me. ⁵ You put yourselves up high against me, and try to prove my shame to me. ⁶ You will know then that God has wronged me, and has set a trap around me.

⁷ “See, I cry, ‘Someone is hurting me!’ but I get no answer. I call for help, but no one stands for what is right and fair. ⁸ He has built a wall in my way so that I cannot pass. And He has put darkness on my paths. ⁹ He has taken my honor from me, and taken the crown from my head. ¹⁰ He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone. He has pulled up my hope like a tree. ¹¹ He has made His anger burn against me, and thinks of me as one who fights against Him. ¹² His armies come together and build a path against me. They camp around my tent.

¹³ “He has taken my brothers far away from me and my friends have all left me. ¹⁴ My brothers have left me, and my close friends have forgotten me. ¹⁵ Those who live in my house and my women servants think of me as a stranger. I am like one from another country in their eyes. ¹⁶ I call to my servant, but he does not answer. I have to beg him. ¹⁷ My breath smells bad to my wife, and I am hated by my own brothers. ¹⁸ Even young children hate me. When I get up they speak against me. ¹⁹ All my friends hate me. Those I love have turned against me. ²⁰ I am only skin and flesh. And I have gotten away only by the skin of my teeth. ²¹ Have pity on me. Have pity on me, O you my friends. For the hand of God has hit me. ²² Why do you make it hard for me as God does? Have I not suffered enough to please you?

²³ “If only my words were written! If only they were written down in a book! ²⁴ If only they were cut forever into the rock with an iron cutter and lead! ²⁵ But as for me, I know that the One Who bought me and made me free from sin lives, and that He will stand upon the earth in the end. ²⁶ Even after my skin is destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. ²⁷ I myself will see Him. With my own eyes I will see Him and not another. My heart becomes weak within me. ²⁸ If you say, ‘How will we make it hard for him?’ and, ‘The root of the problem is in him,’ ²⁹ you should be afraid of the sword for yourselves. For anger is punished by the sword, that you may know there is punishment for wrong-doing.”

Zophar Talks

20 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, ² “My troubled thoughts make me answer, because I have no rest inside. ³ I heard the strong words that take away my honor. The spirit of my understanding makes me answer. ⁴ Do you not know from long ago, since man was put on earth, ⁵ that the honor of the sinful is short, and the joy of the sinful lasts only a short time? ⁶ Even if his pride is as high as the heavens and his head touches the clouds, ⁷ he will be gone forever, like his own waste. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ ⁸ He will fly away like a dream, and not be found. He will be driven away like a dream of the night. ⁹ The eye which saw him will see him no more. His place will no longer see him. ¹⁰ His sons will look for the favor of the poor. And his hands will give back his riches. ¹¹ His bones are full of the strength of the young, but it will lie down with him in the dust.

¹² “Sin is sweet in his mouth. He hides it under his tongue. ¹³ He hates to let it go, and holds it in his mouth. ¹⁴ Yet his food in his stomach is changed to the poison of snakes inside him. ¹⁵ He eats riches, but will spit them up. God will take them out of his stomach. ¹⁶ He will drink the poison of snakes. The snake’s tongue will kill him. ¹⁷ He will not look at the rivers, the rivers flowing with honey and milk. ¹⁸ He must return what he has worked for, and can not eat it. He will not have joy from the riches of his trading. ¹⁹ For he has taken from the poor and left them with nothing. He has taken houses which he has not built.

²⁰ “Because he thought he never had enough, he has nothing that gives him joy. ²¹ There was nothing more for him to get, so his having everything will not last. ²² Even when he has many riches, he will have trouble. Everyone who suffers will come against him. ²³ When he fills his stomach, God will send His great anger on him. He will send it on him while he is eating. ²⁴ He may get away from the iron sword, but the brass bow will shoot an arrow in him. ²⁵ It cuts through his body and comes out of his back. The shining arrow comes out of his liver. Much fear comes upon him. ²⁶ Complete darkness is stored up for his riches. A fire not kept going by man will burn him up. It will destroy all that is left in his tent. ²⁷ The heavens will make his sin known, and the earth will rise up against him. ²⁸ The things of his house will be carried away. They will be taken away in the day of God’s anger. ²⁹ This is what God has for sinful men. It is what God chooses to give to them.”

Job Talks

21 Then Job answered, ² “Be careful to listen to my words. Let this be the comfort you give me. ³ Listen to me while I speak. Then after I have spoken, you may keep on making fun of me. ⁴ As for me, am I complaining against man? Why should my spirit not be troubled? ⁵ Look at me, and be surprised; and put your hand over your mouth. ⁶ When I think, I am troubled; and fear takes hold of my body. ⁷ Why do the sinful live, become old, and become very powerful? ⁸ They watch their children’s children become strong in front of their eyes. ⁹ Their houses are safe from fear. And the punishment of God does not come upon them. ¹⁰ Their bull mates without trouble. Their cow gives birth to live calves. ¹¹ They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children jump around. ¹² They sing to the timbrel and the harp. They show their joy at the sound of the horn. ¹³ They spend their days with much more than they need. And all at once they go down to the place of the dead. ¹⁴ They say to God, ‘Leave us alone! We do not want to know Your ways. ¹⁵ Who is the All-powerful, that we should serve Him? What would we have more than we have if we prayed to Him?’ ¹⁶ See, their well-being is not in their own hands. The wisdom of the sinful is far from me.

¹⁷ “How many times is the lamp of the sinful put out, that their trouble comes upon them? How often does God send trouble to them in His anger? ¹⁸ Are they like straw blown by the wind? Are they like straw that the storm carries away? ¹⁹ You say, ‘God stores up a man’s punishment for his sons.’ Let God punish him so that he may know it. ²⁰ Let his own eyes see himself being destroyed. Let him drink the anger of the All-powerful. ²¹ For what does he care for his house and family after he is dead, when the number of his months is over? ²² Can anyone teach God anything, when He judges those on high? ²³ One man dies while still very strong, having everything he needs and time to enjoy it. ²⁴ His body has good food and his bones are strong. ²⁵ Another dies with bitter feelings in his soul, never having enjoyed anything good. ²⁶ Together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them.

²⁷ “See, I know your thoughts and your plans to wrong me. ²⁸ For you say, ‘Where is the house of the leader? Where are the tents where the sinful men live?’ ²⁹ Have you not asked those who travel this way? Do you listen to what they say? ³⁰ For the sinful are kept for the day of trouble. They will be brought out on the day of anger. ³¹ Who will talk to him about his way to his face? And who will punish him for what he has done? ³² When he is carried to the grave, men will keep watch over his grave. ³³ The earth of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will follow after him, and those who go before him are too many to number. ³⁴ How then can you comfort me with foolish words? Your answers are full of lies.”

Eliphaz Talks

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, ² “Can a man be of use to God? Can a wise man be of use to himself? ³ Is the All-powerful pleased if you are right and good? Is it of any use to Him if your ways were perfect? ⁴ Is it because of how you honor God that He speaks strong words to you and punishes you? ⁵ Have you not done much wrong and your sins have no end? ⁶ For you have taken things from your brothers when they did not owe you anything. You have taken all their clothing and they have had nothing to wear. ⁷ To those who were tired, you have given no water to drink. And you have kept bread from the hungry. ⁸ But you were a powerful and respected man owning land and living on it. ⁹ You have sent women away with nothing, whose husbands have died. And you have crushed the strength of children who have no parents. ¹⁰ So traps are all around you, and much fear comes upon you all at once. ¹¹ This is why it is dark and you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

¹² “Is not God high up in heaven? See the highest stars, how high they are! ¹³ So you say, ‘What does God know? Can He judge through the darkness? ¹⁴ Clouds cover Him so that He cannot see. He walks on the roof of heaven.’ ¹⁵ Will you keep to the old way which sinful men have walked? ¹⁶ They were taken away before their time. The ground they stood on was washed away by a river. ¹⁷ They said to God, ‘Leave us!’ and ‘What can the All-powerful do to us?’ ¹⁸ Yet He filled their houses with good things. But the wisdom of the sinful is far from me. ¹⁹ Those who are right and good see it and are glad. Those who are without guilt make fun of them, ²⁰ saying, ‘For sure those who hate us are destroyed, and fire has destroyed what they owned.’

²¹ “Agree with God, and be at peace with Him. Then good will come to you. ²² Receive the teaching from His mouth, and keep His words in your heart. ²³ If you return to the All-powerful, things will be well with you again. Put sin far from your tent. ²⁴ Put your gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the river. ²⁵ Then the All-powerful will be your gold and silver of much worth. ²⁶ Then you will have joy in the All-powerful, and lift up your face to God. ²⁷ You will pray to Him, and He will hear you. And you will keep your promises to Him. ²⁸ You will decide something, and it will be done for you. Light will shine on your path. ²⁹ For God puts down the man who is filled with pride. But He saves the one who is not proud. ³⁰ He will save the man who is even guilty because he will be helped by your hands that are clean.”

Job Talks

23 Then Job answered, ² “Even today my complaining is bitter. His hand is heavy even when I cry inside myself. ³ If only I knew where to find Him, that I might go where He is! ⁴ I would tell Him how things are with me, and my mouth would be ready to argue. ⁵ I would know His answer, and could think about what He would say to me. ⁶ Would He go against me using His great power? No, He would listen to me. ⁷ There a man who is right could reason with Him. And I would be set free by my Judge.

⁸ “See, I go east, but He is not there. I go west, but I cannot see Him. ⁹ When He works to the left, I cannot see Him. When He turns to the right, I cannot see Him. ¹⁰ But He knows the way that I take. When He has tried me, I will come out as gold. ¹¹ My foot has kept close to His steps. I have kept His way and have not turned aside. ¹² I have not turned away from the words of His lips. I have stored up the words of His mouth. They are worth more to me than the food I need. ¹³ But He cannot be changed. Who can go against Him? He does whatever He wants. ¹⁴ For He does what He has planned for me, and many such things are in His mind. ¹⁵ So I am afraid to be with Him. When I think about it, I am very afraid of Him. ¹⁶ God has made my heart weak. The All-powerful has filled me with fear. ¹⁷ But I am not made quiet by the darkness or the deep shadow which covers my face.

Job Keeps On Talking

24 “Why are times for judging not set up by the All-powerful? And why do those who know Him not see these days? ² Some take away the land-marks and take fields and animals. ³ They drive away the donkeys that belong to those who have no parents. They take the bull that belongs to a woman whose husband has died, as a promise that she will pay what she owes. ⁴ They push poor people off the road. All the poor of the land are made to hide themselves. ⁵ See, they go out like wild donkeys in the desert to look for food for their children. ⁶ They gather food in the fields, and gather what they can that is left from the grape-fields owned by the sinful. ⁷ They lie all night without clothing, and have no covering in the cold. ⁸ They are wet with the mountain rains and stay close to the rocks for cover. ⁹ Others take from the breast the child who has no father. They take the child from the poor as a promise that they will pay what they owe. ¹⁰ They make the poor go about without clothing, making them carry loads of cut grain while they are hungry. ¹¹ Among the olive trees they make oil. They crush grapes but they are thirsty. ¹² Men from the city cry inside themselves. The souls of those who are hurt cry out. Yet God does not listen to their prayer.

¹³ “Then there are those who turn against the light. They do not want to know its ways or stay in its paths. ¹⁴ The one who kills people gets up early in the morning. He kills the poor and those in need. And during the night he is like a robber. ¹⁵ The eye of the one who is not faithful in marriage waits for the evening, saying, ‘No one will see me.’ And he covers his face. ¹⁶ In the dark they dig into houses. They shut themselves up during the day and do not know the light. ¹⁷ For midnight is morning to them. They are not afraid of the fears of darkness.

¹⁸ “They are taken away on the top of the waters. Their part of the earth is cursed. They do not go to their grape-fields. ¹⁹ Dry weather and heat take away the water from the snow, just as the place of the dead takes away those who have sinned. ²⁰ A mother will forget him. The worm is pleased to eat him until he is remembered no more. Sin will be broken like a tree. ²¹ He does wrong to the woman who cannot give birth. And he does no good for the woman whose husband has died. ²² But God by His power gives long life to the strong. They rise again, even when they had no hope of life. ²³ He makes them safe and gives them strength, and His eyes are on their ways. ²⁴ They are given honor for a little while, and then they are gone. They are brought low and gathered up as all others are. They are cut off like the heads of grain. ²⁵ If it is not so, who can prove me a liar, and show that what I say means nothing?”