Bible in 90 Days

Bildad Talks

25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, ² “Power and fear belong to God. He keeps peace in His high places. ³ Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not shine? ⁴ How then can a man be right and good before God? How can he who is born of woman be clean? ⁵ See, even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in His eyes. ⁶ How much less man, who is a bug, and the son of man, who is a worm!”

Job Talks

26 Then Job answered, ² “What a help you are to the weak! How you have saved the arm that has no strength! ³ How you have given wise words to him who has no wisdom! How much true learning you have given! ⁴ To whom have your words been said? And from whose spirit have you spoken?

⁵ “The spirits of the dead shake under the waters and those living in them. ⁶ The place of the dead has no covering before God and the place that destroys has no covering. ⁷ He spreads out the north over empty waste, and hangs the earth on nothing. ⁸ He holds the waters in His clouds, and the cloud does not break under them. ⁹ He covers the face of the moon and spreads His cloud over it. ¹⁰ He has marked the sides around the waters where light and darkness are divided. ¹¹ The pillars of heaven shake with fear. They are surprised and afraid of His sharp words. ¹² He made the sea quiet by His power. And by His understanding He destroyed Rahab. ¹³ By His breath the heavens are made beautiful. His hand cut through the snake as it tried to get away. ¹⁴ See, these are only a few of the things He does. And how quiet are the words spoken about Him! But who can understand His powerful thunder?”

Job Keeps On Talking

27 Job kept on speaking, and said, ² “As God lives, Who has taken away my right, and the All-powerful, Who has troubled my soul, ³ as long as life is in me, and the breath of God is in my nose, ⁴ my lips will not speak what is not true, and my tongue will not lie. ⁵ Far be it from me to say that you are right. Until I die I will not put away my honor. ⁶ I hold on to what is right and good and will not let it go. My heart does not put me to shame for any of my days.

⁷ “May the one who hates me be as the sinful. And may the one who is against me be as those who are not right and good. ⁸ For what is the hope of the man without God when he dies, when God takes away his life? ⁹ Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? ¹⁰ Will he be glad in the All-powerful? Will he call on God at all times? ¹¹ I will teach you about the power of God. I will not hide the ways of the All-powerful. ¹² All of you have seen it yourselves. Why then do you speak in a foolish way?

¹³ “This is what God gives to a sinful man, the gift that a man who makes it hard for others receives from the All-powerful. ¹⁴ If he has many sons, they will be killed by the sword. And his children will not have enough bread to eat. ¹⁵ Those who are left to him will be buried because of disease. And the wives who have lost their husbands will not be able to cry. ¹⁶ He may gather up silver like dust, and gather so much clothing as if they were clay. ¹⁷ He may have it, but those who are right with God will wear it. And those who are without guilt will divide the silver. ¹⁸ He builds his house like the home of a spider, or like a tent which a watchman has made. ¹⁹ He goes to bed rich, but will never again. When he opens his eyes, his riches are gone. ²⁰ Fears come over him like a flood. A storm carries him away in the night. ²¹ The east wind carries him away, and he is gone. It carries him away from his place. ²² It comes at him without pity. He tries to run from its power as fast as he can. ²³ Men clap their hands at him, and drive him from his place with sounds of shame.

Where Can Wisdom Be Found?

28 “For sure there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is made pure. ² Iron is taken out of the earth. And copper is melted from the rock. ³ Man looks into the deepest darkness. And he goes out to the farthest part of the earth to look for rocks in the dark places. ⁴ Men break open deep holes far from where people live, forgotten by travelers. In the holes they hang and move from side to side far from men. ⁵ As for the earth, out of it comes food. But below, it is turned up as fire. ⁶ Sapphires come from its rocks and its dust has gold. ⁷ No bird who eats meat knows that path. The falcon’s eye has not seen it. ⁸ The proud animals have not stepped on it. The strong lion has not passed over it. ⁹ Man puts his hand on the hard rock. He turns the mountains over at its base. ¹⁰ He makes a path through the rocks, and his eyes see everything of much worth. ¹¹ He stops rivers from flowing. And he brings to light what is hidden.

¹² “But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? ¹³ Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living. ¹⁴ The deep waters say, ‘It is not in me.’ The sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ ¹⁵ Pure gold cannot be traded for it and it cannot be bought with silver. ¹⁶ It cannot be compared in worth to the gold of Ophir, onyx of much worth, or sapphire. ¹⁷ Gold or glass cannot be compared to it in worth and it cannot be traded for objects of fine gold. ¹⁸ There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal because wisdom cannot be paid for with rubies. ¹⁹ The topaz of Ethiopia cannot be compared to it in worth and it cannot be compared with the worth of pure gold. ²⁰ Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding? ²¹ It is hidden from the eyes of all living. It is hidden from the birds of the sky. ²² The Place That Destroys and Death say, ‘We have only heard about it with our ears.’

²³ “God understands the way to wisdom, and He knows its place. ²⁴ For He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens. ²⁵ He gave weight to the wind. He decided how much water would be in the sea. ²⁶ He decided how much rain would fall, and the path for the lightning. ²⁷ Then He saw wisdom and made it known. He made it last, and found out all about it. ²⁸ And He said to man, ‘See, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. And to turn away from sin is understanding.’”

Job Tells of His Past Days

29 Then Job spoke again and said, ² “If only I could be now as I was in the months past when God watched over me! ³ His lamp shined over my head then and by His light I walked through darkness. ⁴ Those days were my best days when God was my friend watching over my tent. ⁵ The All-powerful was still with me, and my children were around me. ⁶ My path was washed with milk, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me. ⁷ When I went to the city gate and took my place with the leaders of the city, ⁸ the young men saw me and let me go by. The old men rose and stood. ⁹ The leaders stopped talking, and put their hands on their mouths. ¹⁰ The voices of the rulers were quiet. Their tongues held to the roof of their mouths. ¹¹ Those who heard me, honored me. Those who saw me, respected me, ¹² because I helped the poor man when he cried for help and the child without parents who had no one to help him. ¹³ Good came to me from the man who was dying. And I made the heart of the woman whose husband had died sing for joy. ¹⁴ I put on what was right and good, and it clothed me. The right things done were my coat and head-covering. ¹⁵ I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the man who could not walk. ¹⁶ I was a father to those in need. And I helped those I did not know who had a need. ¹⁷ I broke the jaws of the sinful, and took from their teeth what they had taken. ¹⁸ Then I thought, ‘I will die in my nest. My days will be as many as the sand. ¹⁹ My roots go to the water. As the water is on the grass in the early morning, it will be all night on my branches. ²⁰ My honor is always new to me, and my bow is new in my hand.’

²¹ “Men listened to me and waited. They were quiet so they could hear my words of wisdom. ²² After I spoke, they did not speak again. My words stayed with them. ²³ They waited for me as for rain. And they opened their mouths as for the spring rain. ²⁴ I looked at them with joy when they were not sure of themselves, and the light of my face gave them comfort. ²⁵ I decided the way for them and sat as their leader. I lived as a king among his army, and like one who gives comfort to those in sorrow.

Job Keeps On Talking

30 “But now those who are younger than I make fun of me. I thought so little of their fathers that I did not want them with my sheep dogs. ² Yes, what good could I get from the strength of their hands? Their strength was gone. ³ Their bodies are thin and in need of food. At night they bite the dry ground in the waste land. ⁴ They pick plants that taste of salt among the bushes. And they eat the root of the broom bush. ⁵ They are driven away from people. Men call out against them as if they were robbers. ⁶ So they live in valleys made by floods, in caves of the earth and of the rocks. ⁷ Among the bushes they cry out. They gather together under the thistles. ⁸ They are fools and they have no name. They have been driven out of the land.

⁹ “Now they make fun of me in song. They laugh at me. ¹⁰ They hate me and keep away from me, but they spit in my face. ¹¹ Because God has made the string of my bow loose and has troubled me, they have thrown off their respect for me. ¹² Their bad group comes to my right. They push me away and trip my feet, and make ways to destroy me. ¹³ They break up my path. They make trouble for me, and no one stops them. ¹⁴ They come as if through a wide hole in the wall, and roll on with much noise. ¹⁵ Fears come upon me. They go after my honor like the wind. And my well-being has passed away like a cloud.

¹⁶ “Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of trouble have taken hold of me. ¹⁷ Night cuts into my bones with pain. The pain keeps on and takes no rest. ¹⁸ My clothing is torn by a strong power. It pulls against me like the top of my coat. ¹⁹ God has thrown me into the mud, and I have become like dust and ashes. ²⁰ I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer me. I stand up, and You turn away from me. ²¹ You work against me. With the power of Your hand you make it hard for me. ²² You lift me up to the wind and make it carry me. You throw me around in the storm. ²³ For I know that You will bring me to death, to the place for all the living.

²⁴ “Yet does not one in a destroyed place put out his hand, and in his trouble cry out for help? ²⁵ Have I not cried for the one whose life is hard? Was not my soul filled with sorrow for the poor? ²⁶ When I expected good, then trouble came. When I waited for light, darkness came. ²⁷ My heart is troubled and does not rest. Days of trouble are before me. ²⁸ I go about full of sorrow without comfort. I stand up where the people are gathered and cry out for help. ²⁹ I have become a brother to wild dogs, and a friend of ostriches. ³⁰ My skin becomes black and falls from me. My bones burn because I am sick. ³¹ So my harp is turned to sorrow, and my horn to the sound of crying.

Job Keeps On Talking

31 “I have made an agreement with my eyes not to look with desire at a young woman. ² What would be my share from God above? What would my gift be from the All-powerful on high? ³ Does not trouble come to those who are not right and good? Do not hard times come to those who do wrong? ⁴ Does He not see my ways and number all my steps?

⁵ “If I have walked in ways that are false, and my foot has been quick to follow false ways, ⁶ let Him weigh me with a true weight. Let God know that I am honest. ⁷ If my step has turned from the way, and my heart has followed my eyes, or if my hands have held on to sin, ⁸ then let me plant and another eat. Let what grows be pulled out by the roots.

⁹ “If my heart has been tempted by a woman, or I have waited at my neighbor’s door, ¹⁰ may my wife grind grain for another. And let others bow down upon her. ¹¹ For that would be a very sinful thing to do. It would be a sin that would be punished by the judges. ¹² For that would be a fire that burns at the Place That Destroys. It would dig out all I have planted.

¹³ “If I did not listen to my men servants and women servants when they complained against me, ¹⁴ what will I do when God speaks to me? When He asks me why, what will I answer Him? ¹⁵ Did not He Who made me inside my mother make him also? Did not the same One give us life from our mothers?

¹⁶ “If I have kept what the poor should have or have caused the eyes of the woman whose husband has died to be tired, ¹⁷ if I have eaten my food alone without sharing it with the child who has no parents, ¹⁸ (but from the time I was young, he grew up with me as a father, and I have helped the woman without a husband since I was born,) ¹⁹ if I have seen anyone die because he had no clothing, or left any poor person without clothes, ²⁰ if he has not thanked me for the clothing on his body, and been made warm with the wool of my sheep, ²¹ if I have not done these things, or if I have lifted up my hand against the child who has no parents, because I saw I had help in the gate, ²² let my shoulder fall out of place, and let my arm be broken off at the joint. ²³ For trouble sent by God fills me with fear. Because of His great power I could not do these things.

²⁴ “If I have put my faith in gold and said fine gold is my trust, ²⁵ if I have had pride because of my many riches and have received much by my hand, ²⁶ if I have looked at the sun shining or the bright moon going on its way, ²⁷ and have in secret worshiped them in my heart, and have honored them by throwing them a kiss with my hand, ²⁸ these also would be sins to be judged. It would say I did not know the God above.

²⁹ “Have I been glad when a person who hated me was destroyed? Have I been filled with joy when trouble came to him? ³⁰ No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life to be cursed. ³¹ Have the men of my tent not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat’? ³² The stranger has not stayed in the street, for I have opened my doors to the traveler. ³³ Have I hidden my sins like Adam? Have I hidden my wrong-doing in my heart, ³⁴ because I was afraid of all the people, and of families who hated me? Did I keep quiet and not go out of the door? ³⁵ If only I had one to hear me! See, here my name is written. Let the All-powerful answer me! May what is against me be written down! ³⁶ For sure I would carry it on my shoulder. I would tie it around my head like a crown. ³⁷ I would tell Him the number of my every step. I would come near Him like a prince.

³⁸ “If my land cries out against me and the ditches made by the plow cry together, ³⁹ if I have eaten its fruit without paying for it, and caused its owners to die, ⁴⁰ let thorns grow instead of grain. And let weeds with a bad smell grow instead of barley.”

The words of Job are finished.

Elihu Talks

32 Then these three men stopped answering Job, because he was right and good in his own eyes. ² But Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was angry at Job because he said he was right with God. ³ And he was angry at his three friends because they had found no answer, yet they had said that Job was wrong. ⁴ Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. ⁵ And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, he was very angry. ⁶ So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said, “I am young, and you are old. So I did not feel that I should speak. I was afraid to tell you what I think. ⁷ I thought the older men should speak, and that the many years should teach wisdom. ⁸ But it is the spirit in a man and the breath of the All-powerful that gives him understanding. ⁹ The old may not be wise. They may not understand what is right and fair. ¹⁰ So I say, ‘Listen to me. I also will tell you what I think.’

¹¹ “See, I waited for your words. I listened to what you said and waited to hear more from you. ¹² I was careful to listen to you. There was no one who could prove that Job was wrong. None of you could answer his words. ¹³ Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom. God will show he is wrong, not man.’ ¹⁴ Now Job has not spoken his words against me. And I will not answer him with your words.

¹⁵ “They are troubled and have no more to say. Words do not come. ¹⁶ Should I wait because they do not speak, because they stand there and do not answer? ¹⁷ I also will give my answer. I will tell what I think. ¹⁸ For I am full of words. The spirit within me makes me speak. ¹⁹ See, my stomach is like wine that cannot get out. It is ready to break like new wine bottles made of skin. ²⁰ Let me speak, that I may find comfort. Let me open my lips and answer. ²¹ I will not show favor to anyone, or praise any man in a false way. ²² For I do not know how to say sweet-sounding words that are not true, for then my Maker would soon take me away.

Elihu Keeps On Speaking

33 “But now, Job, hear what I say. Listen to all my words. ² See, I open my mouth. My tongue in my mouth wants to speak. ³ My words come from my heart that is right. My lips speak in truth what I know. ⁴ The Spirit of God has made me. And the breath of the All-powerful gives me life. ⁵ Prove me wrong if you can. Get ready to answer me, and take your stand. ⁶ See, I belong to God like you. I also have been made from the clay. ⁷ See, you have no reason to be afraid of me. I should not make it hard for you.

⁸ “For sure you have spoken in my hearing. I have heard all you have said. ⁹ You said, ‘I am pure and without sin. I am not guilty, and there is no sin in me. ¹⁰ But see, God finds things against me. He thinks of me as someone who hates Him. ¹¹ He puts my feet in chains, and watches all my paths.’ ¹² See, I tell you, in this you are not right. For God is greater than man.

¹³ “Why do you complain against Him? He does not give a reason for all He does. ¹⁴ For God speaks once, or twice, and yet no one listens. ¹⁵ In a dream, a special dream of the night, when deep sleep comes upon men, while they sleep in their beds, ¹⁶ then He opens the ears of men. He teaches them and makes them afraid telling them of danger, ¹⁷ that He may turn man away from wrong-doing and keep him from pride. ¹⁸ He keeps his soul from going to the place of the dead. And He keeps his life from being destroyed by the sword.

¹⁹ “Man is also punished with pain on his bed and has pain all the time in his bones. ²⁰ So he hates bread, and has no desire for fine foods. ²¹ His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen. His bones which were not seen stick out. ²² His soul comes close to the grave, and his life to those who bring death.

²³ “If there is an angel, one out of a thousand, to speak with God for him, and to show a man what is right for him, ²⁴ then let him be kind to him, and say, ‘Save him from going down to the grave. I have found someone to pay the price to make him free. ²⁵ Let his flesh become young again. Let him return to the days when he was young and strong.’ ²⁶ Then he will pray to God, and God will be pleased with him. He will see His face with joy. And God will make man right with Him again. ²⁷ He will sing to men and say, ‘I have sinned and have not done what is right, but He did not punish me. ²⁸ He has kept my soul from going to the grave. And my life will see the light.’

²⁹ “See, God does all these things twice, even three times, to a man, ³⁰ to turn back his soul from the grave, that he may see the light of life. ³¹ Hear what I say, O Job, listen to me. Be quiet and let me speak. ³² If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I want to make you right with God. ³³ If not, listen to me. Be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Elihu Keeps On Speaking

34 Then Elihu said, ² “Hear my words, you wise men. Listen to me, you who know. ³ For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food. ⁴ Let us choose for ourselves what is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good. ⁵ For Job has said, ‘I am right and good, but God has taken away my right. ⁶ Would I lie about my right? I have been hurt so that I cannot be healed, but I have done no wrong.’ ⁷ What man is like Job, who drinks up words against him like water? ⁸ He goes among those who do wrong, and walks with sinful men. ⁹ For he has said, ‘A man gets nothing by trying to please God.’

¹⁰ “So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do what is sinful, and from the All-powerful to do wrong. ¹¹ For He pays a man by the work he does. He will see that a man is paid for what he does. ¹² For sure God will not do wrong. The All-powerful will not turn what is right into sin. ¹³ Who gave Him the power over the earth? Who gave Him the whole world to take care of? ¹⁴ If He should take back His spirit and His breath, ¹⁵ all flesh would die together, and man would return to dust.

¹⁶ “If you have understanding, hear this. Listen to what I say. ¹⁷ Should one who hates what is right be the one to rule? Will you say that He Who is right and good and strong is guilty? ¹⁸ Who says to a king, ‘You are of no worth,’ and to rulers, ‘You are sinful’? ¹⁹ Who shows no favor to princes, or thinks of the rich as more important than the poor? They are all the work of His hands. ²⁰ In a short time they die. At midnight the people are shaken and pass away. And the powerful are taken away by no human hand.

²¹ “For God’s eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps. ²² There is no darkness or shadow where sinners can hide themselves. ²³ For God does not need to set a time for man to go before Him and be judged. ²⁴ He breaks powerful men in pieces without asking any reason, and puts others in their place. ²⁵ For He knows their works. He puts them down in the night, and they are crushed. ²⁶ God punishes them for their sin where everyone can see them. ²⁷ Because they turned aside from following Him. They did not care about any of His ways. ²⁸ So they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him. And He heard the cry of those in need. ²⁹ When He keeps quiet, who can say He is wrong? When He hides His face, who can see Him? But He is over both nation and man. ³⁰ So men without God should not rule and should not be a trap for the people.

³¹ “For has any one said to God, ‘I have suffered punishment, and will not cause any more trouble? ³² Teach me what I cannot see. If I have sinned, I will do it no more’? ³³ Will God ask what you want to do, when you will not do what He says? You must decide, and not I. So tell what you know. ³⁴ Men of understanding will say to me, and wise men who hear me say, ³⁵ ‘Job speaks without much learning. His words are without wisdom. ³⁶ Job should be tried to the end, because he answers like sinful men. ³⁷ To his sin he adds a strong will against God. Making fun he claps his hands among us, and speaks many words against God.’”

Elihu Keeps On Talking

35 Then Elihu said, ² “Do you think this is right? Do you say, ‘I am more right than God’? ³ For you ask, ‘What will You get by it? How will it be better for me than if I had sinned?’ ⁴ I will answer you, and your friends with you. ⁵ Look at the heavens and see. See the clouds which are higher than you. ⁶ If you have sinned, what does that do to God? If you have done many wrongs, what does that do to Him? ⁷ If you are right and good, what do you give to Him? What does He receive from you? ⁸ Your wrong-doing may hurt another man and your being right and good may help him.

⁹ “People cry out because of their many hard times. They cry for help because of the arm of the powerful. ¹⁰ But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night, ¹¹ Who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’ ¹² There they cry out, but He does not answer because of the pride of sinful men. ¹³ For sure God will not listen to an empty cry. The All-powerful will not do anything about it. ¹⁴ How much less when you say you do not see Him, that your trial is before Him, and you must wait for Him! ¹⁵ And now, because God has not punished in His anger, and does not watch for sin, ¹⁶ Job opens his mouth with empty talk. He speaks many words without much learning.”

Elihu Keeps On Speaking

36 Then Elihu spoke more and said, ² “Wait for me a little longer, and I will show you that there is yet more to be said for God. ³ I bring my learning from far away, and will tell how right and good my Maker is. ⁴ For sure my words are not false. One who is perfect in much learning is with you.

⁵ “See, God is powerful, but does not hate anyone. He is powerful in strength of understanding. ⁶ He does not keep the sinful alive, but gives what is right and fair to those who are troubled. ⁷ He does not turn His eyes away from those who are right with Him. He puts them on the throne with kings and they are honored forever. ⁸ If they are tied up in chains and caught in the ropes of trouble, ⁹ then He makes known to them their work and their sins, that they have shown pride. ¹⁰ He makes them listen to teaching, and tells them to turn away from sin. ¹¹ If they hear and serve Him, the rest of their days will be filled with what they need and their years with peace. ¹² But if they do not hear, they will die by the sword. They will die without learning.

¹³ “But those who do not know God keep anger in their heart. They do not cry for help when He puts them in chains. ¹⁴ They die when they are young. And their life ends among those who sell the use of their bodies in the houses of the false gods. ¹⁵ He takes those who suffer out of their suffering. He speaks to them in times of trouble. ¹⁶ He led you from being close to trouble to a wide place where you were free with your table full of food.

¹⁷ “But you wanted to punish the sinful. Punishment and being fair have taken hold of you. ¹⁸ Be careful or anger will tempt you to laugh at the truth. Do not take pay in secret for wrong-doing and be turned aside. ¹⁹ Will your riches or all your power keep you from trouble? ²⁰ Do not desire the night, when people are taken from their place. ²¹ Be careful, do not turn to sin. For you have chosen this instead of suffering. ²² See, God is honored in His power. Who is a teacher like Him? ²³ Who has told Him the way He should go? And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?

²⁴ “Remember that you should honor His work, of which men have sung. ²⁵ All men have seen it. Man sees it from far away. ²⁶ See, God is honored, and we do not know Him. We are not able to know the number of His years. ²⁷ For He takes up the drops of water that become rain, ²⁸ which the clouds pour down. Much rain falls on man. ²⁹ Can anyone understand how the clouds are spread out, or how He thunders from His tent? ³⁰ See, He spreads His lightning around Him and covers the bottom of the sea. ³¹ For by these He judges the people and He gives much food. ³² He covers His hands with the lightning, and tells it to hit the mark. ³³ His thunder tells of a storm coming, and cattle also know it is coming.

Elihu Keeps On Talking

37 “At this my heart shakes with fear and jumps from its place. ² Listen to the thunder of His voice and the noise that comes from His mouth. ³ He lets it loose under the whole heaven. He lets His lightning go to the ends of the earth. ⁴ His voice sounds after it. He thunders with His great and powerful voice. And He does not hold back the lightning when His voice is heard. ⁵ God thunders with His great voice. He does great things which we cannot understand. ⁶ For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain, ‘Be strong.’ ⁷ He stops the work of every man, that all men may know His work. ⁸ Then the wild animals go to their holes, and stay where they live. ⁹ The storm comes from the south, and the cold from the north. ¹⁰ Water becomes ice by the breath of God. The wide waters become ice. ¹¹ He loads the heavy clouds with water and they send out His lightning. ¹² It changes its path and turns around by His leading, doing whatever He tells it to do on the earth where people live. ¹³ He causes it to happen for punishment, or for His world, or because of His love.

¹⁴ “Hear this, O Job. Stop and think about the great works of God. ¹⁵ Do you know how God does them, and makes the lightning shine from His cloud? ¹⁶ Do you know how the clouds are set in heaven, the great works of Him Who is perfect in understanding? ¹⁷ Do you know why you are hot in your clothes when the land becomes quiet because of the south wind? ¹⁸ Can you help Him spread out the sky, making it as hard as a mirror made from heated brass? ¹⁹ Teach us what we should say to Him. We cannot put words together to help us because of darkness. ²⁰ Should He be told that I want to speak? Did a man ever wish to be swallowed up?

²¹ “Now men cannot look on the light when it is bright in the sky, when the wind has passed and made it clear. ²² A bright gold light is seen in the north. Around God is great power. ²³ We cannot come near the All-powerful. He is lifted high with power. And He is right and fair and good and will not make it hard for us. ²⁴ So men honor Him with fear. He has respect for any who are wise in heart.”

The Lord Answers Job

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the strong wind and said, ² “Who is this that makes words of wisdom dark by speaking without much learning? ³ Now get ready like a man, and I will ask you some questions and you answer Me. ⁴ Where were you when I began building the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. ⁵ Who decided how big it was to be, since you know? Who looked to see if it was as big as it should be? ⁶ What was it built upon? Who laid its first stone, ⁷ when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God called out for joy?

⁸ “Who shut up the sea with doors, when it rushed out from its secret place? ⁹ I made clouds its clothing, and put much darkness around it. ¹⁰ I marked the places where it could not pass, and set locks and doors. ¹¹ And I said, ‘You will come this far, and no farther. Here will your proud waves stop.’

¹² “Have you ever in your life told the morning when to come, and caused the first light of day to know its place, ¹³ that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the sinful be shaken out of it? ¹⁴ It is changed like clay when an object is pushed down to mark it, and they stand out like clothing. ¹⁵ The light of the sinful is held back, and the arm lifted up is broken.

¹⁶ “Have you gone into the wells of the sea? Have you walked on the bottom of the deep sea? ¹⁷ Have the gates of death been shown to you? Or have you seen the gates of the deep darkness? ¹⁸ Have you understood how great the earth is? Tell Me, if you know all this.

¹⁹ “Where does the light come from? And where is the place of darkness, ²⁰ that you may take it to its land, and know the paths to its home? ²¹ You know, for you were born then. You are very old! ²² Have you gone into the store-houses of the snow? Have you seen the store-houses of the hail, ²³ which I have kept for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle? ²⁴ What is the way to the place where the light is divided, or the east wind spread over the earth?

²⁵ “Who has cut open a way for the flood, and a path for the thunderstorm? ²⁶ Who brings rain on the land without people, on a desert without a man in it, ²⁷ to fill the need of the wasted land, and to make the grass grow? ²⁸ Does the rain have a father? Who has given birth to the drops of rain? ²⁹ Who gave birth to ice? And who gave birth to the snow water of heaven? ³⁰ Water becomes hard like stone, and the top of the sea is covered with ice.

³¹ “Can you tie the chains of the stars of Pleiades, or loose the ropes of Orion? ³² Can you lead the groups of stars out at the right times? Can you lead the stars of the Bear with her young? ³³ Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you make them to rule over the earth?

³⁴ “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of water may cover you? ³⁵ Can you send out lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’? ³⁶ Who has given wisdom to the heart? Who has given understanding to the mind? ³⁷ Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can push over the water jars of the heavens, ³⁸ when the dust gathers together and becomes hard?

³⁹ “Can you hunt food for the lion? Can you fill the hunger of the young lions, ⁴⁰ when they lie in their own place in the rock, or wait in their hiding place? ⁴¹ Who gets the food ready for the raven, when its young cry to God and go about without food?

The Lord Is Speaking to Job

39 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch the deer giving birth? ² Can you number the months that they carry their young? Or do you know the time when their young are born? ³ They get down and give birth to their young, and get rid of their pains. ⁴ Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They leave and do not return to them.

⁵ “Who has let the wild donkey go free? Who has taken off the ropes which held the fast donkey? ⁶ I gave him the desert for a home, and the salt land for a place to live. ⁷ He hates the noise of the city. He does not hear the calls of the man who drives him. ⁸ He goes looking for grass to eat on the mountains. He looks for every green thing. ⁹ Will the wild ox be willing to serve you? Will he stay through the night by the food you give him to eat? ¹⁰ Can you tie the wild ox to a plow in the field? Will he follow you to plow the valleys? ¹¹ Will you trust in him because he is very strong, and leave your work to him? ¹² Will you trust him to return and bring your grain to your grain-floor?

¹³ “The wings of the ostrich wave with joy, but are they the wings of love? ¹⁴ For she leaves her eggs to the earth and lets them get warm in the dust. ¹⁵ She forgets that a foot might crush them, or that the wild animal may step on them. ¹⁶ She is bad in the way she acts toward her young, as if they were not hers. Her work of giving birth is for nothing, for she does not care. ¹⁷ Because God has not given her wisdom or her share of understanding. ¹⁸ When she begins to run, she laughs at the horse and the horseman.

¹⁹ “Do you give the horse his strength? Do you dress his neck with long hair? ²⁰ Do you make him jump like the locust? The powerful noise he makes with his nostrils fills men with fear. ²¹ He hits his foot against the ground in the valley, and has joy in his strength. He goes out to meet the battle. ²² He laughs at fear and is not afraid. He does not turn back from the sword. ²³ The arrows and spears he carries make noise as they hit together. ²⁴ He runs fast over the ground with shaking and anger. He cannot stand still at the sound of the horn. ²⁵ When the horn sounds, he laughs without fear. He smells the battle from far away. He hears the thunder of the captains, and the war cry.

²⁶ “Is it by your understanding that the hawk flies, spreading his wings toward the south? ²⁷ Is it because the eagle is obeying you that he flies high and makes his nest in a high place? ²⁸ He lives on a high rock. His strong place is on the mountain-top that is hard to reach. ²⁹ From there he looks for his food. His eyes see it from far away. ³⁰ He is where dead bodies are and his young ones drink the blood.”

The Lord Is Speaking to Job

40 Then the Lord said to Job, ² “Will one who finds fault not agree with the All-powerful? He who speaks strong words against God, let him answer.”

³ Job answered the Lord and said, ⁴ “See, I am not important. What can I answer You? I put my hand on my mouth. ⁵ I have spoken once, and I cannot answer; even twice, and I have no more to say.”

⁶ Then the Lord answered out of the storm, and said, ⁷ “Get ready like a man. I will ask you, and you answer Me. ⁸ Will you say what I decide is wrong? Will you say that I have done wrong, that you may be made right? ⁹ Do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like His?

¹⁰ “Dress yourself with shining-greatness and great power. Cover yourself with honor and greatness. ¹¹ Pour out your anger that is flowing over. Look on everyone who is proud, and put him to shame. ¹² Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him down. Crush the sinful where they stand. ¹³ Hide them all in the dust together. Shut them up in the hidden place. ¹⁴ Then I will also tell you that your own right hand can save you.

¹⁵ “See now the hippopotamus, which I made as well as you. He eats grass like an ox. ¹⁶ See, his strength is in his body. His power is in his stomach. ¹⁷ He moves his tail like a cedar tree. His legs are made very strong. ¹⁸ His bones are like brass. His legs are like pieces of iron.

¹⁹ “He is the first of the works of God. Let his maker bring him his sword. ²⁰ For sure the mountains bring food to him where all the animals of the field play. ²¹ He lies down under the lotus plants, hidden in the high river grass. ²² He lies in the shadow of the lotus plants, with the willow trees of the river around him. ²³ If a river flows over, he is not afraid. He is sure of himself even if the Jordan rushes against his mouth. ²⁴ Can anyone take him when he is watching? Can anyone catch him and put a ring in his nose?

The Lord Is Speaking to Job

41 “Can you pull the crocodile out with a fish-hook? Can you tie his tongue down with a rope? ² Can you put a rope in his nose, or put a hook through his jaw? ³ Will he beg you to be good to him? Will he speak soft words to you? ⁴ Will he make an agreement with you to take him and make him your servant forever? ⁵ Will you play with him as if he were a bird? Or will you put him on a rope for your young women? ⁶ Will traders talk about buying and selling him? Will they divide him among the store-keepers? ⁷ Can you fill his skin or his head with fish spears? ⁸ Lay your hand on him, and remember the battle. You will not do it again! ⁹ See, the hope of man is false. One is laid low even when seeing him. ¹⁰ No one is so powerful that he would wake him. Who then can stand before Me? ¹¹ Who has given Me everything, that I should pay him back? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.

¹² “I will not keep quiet about his legs, or his powerful strength, or the good way he is made. ¹³ Who can take off his outside clothing? Who can get through his hard skin? ¹⁴ Who can open the doors of his mouth? Around his teeth is much fear. ¹⁵ His hard covering is his pride. He is shut up as with a lock. ¹⁶ One piece of his hard skin is so close to another that no air can come between them. ¹⁷ They are joined one to another. They hold on to each other and cannot be separated. ¹⁸ His breath gives out light. And his eyes are like those of the first light of day. ¹⁹ Burning light goes out of his mouth. Fire comes out. ²⁰ Smoke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning grass. ²¹ His breath sets fire to coals. A fire goes out of his mouth. ²² Strength is in his neck, and fear jumps in front of him. ²³ The folds of his flesh are joined together. They are set in place and cannot be moved. ²⁴ His heart is as hard as a stone, even as hard as a grinding-stone. ²⁵ When he raises himself up, the powerful are afraid. They are troubled because of his noise. ²⁶ The sword that hits him cannot cut. And spears are of no use. ²⁷ He thinks of iron as straw, and brass as soft wood. ²⁸ The arrow cannot make him run away. Stones thrown at him are like dry grass to him. ²⁹ He thinks of heavy sticks as dry grass. He laughs at the noise of the spear. ³⁰ The parts under him are like sharp pieces of a pot. He spreads out like a grain crusher on the mud. ³¹ He makes the sea boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a jar of oil. ³² He makes his way shine behind him. One would think that the sea has white hair. ³³ Nothing on earth is like him, one made without fear. ³⁴ He looks on everything that is high. He is king over all that are proud.”