Job

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.

²And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

³Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.

⁴And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

⁵So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.

⁶Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.

⁷And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it."

⁸Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"

⁹So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?

¹⁰Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

¹¹But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!"

¹²And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

¹³Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house;

¹⁴and a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,

¹⁵when the Sabeans raided them and took them away--indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

¹⁶While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

¹⁷While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

¹⁸While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

¹⁹and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

²⁰Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.

²¹And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."

²²In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

2Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

²And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it."

³Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause."

⁴So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

⁵But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!"

⁶And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life."

⁷So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

⁸And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.

⁹Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

¹⁰But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

¹¹Now when Job's three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place--Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him.

¹²And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven.

¹³So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

3After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

²And Job spoke, and said:

³"May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, "A male child is conceived.'

⁴May that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, Nor the light shine upon it.

⁵May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.

⁶As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, May it not come into the number of the months.

⁷Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it!

⁸May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan.

⁹May the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, And not see the dawning of the day;

¹⁰Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.

¹¹"Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?

¹²Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?

¹³For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; Then I would have been at rest

¹⁴With kings and counselors of the earth, Who built ruins for themselves,

¹⁵Or with princes who had gold, Who filled their houses with silver;

¹⁶Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, Like infants who never saw light?

¹⁷There the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at rest.

¹⁸There the prisoners rest together; They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

¹⁹The small and great are there, And the servant is free from his master.

²⁰"Why is light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul,

²¹Who long for death, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures;

²²Who rejoice exceedingly, And are glad when they can find the grave?

²³Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in?

²⁴For my sighing comes before I eat, And my groanings pour out like water.

²⁵For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.

²⁶I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes."

4Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

²"If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

³Surely you have instructed many, And you have strengthened weak hands.

⁴Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, And you have strengthened the feeble knees;

⁵But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; It touches you, and you are troubled.

⁶Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?

⁷"Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?

⁸Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same.

⁹By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.

¹⁰The roaring of the lion, The voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken.

¹¹The old lion perishes for lack of prey, And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

¹²"Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it.

¹³In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men,

¹⁴Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake.

¹⁵Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up.

¹⁶It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; Then I heard a voice saying:

¹⁷"Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?

¹⁸If He puts no trust in His servants, If He charges His angels with error,

¹⁹How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before a moth?

²⁰They are broken in pieces from morning till evening; They perish forever, with no one regarding.

²¹Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.'

5"Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

²For wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple one.

³I have seen the foolish taking root, But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.

⁴His sons are far from safety, They are crushed in the gate, And there is no deliverer.

⁵Because the hungry eat up his harvest, Taking it even from the thorns, And a snare snatches their substance.

⁶For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble spring from the ground;

⁷Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

⁸"But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause--

⁹Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number.

¹⁰He gives rain on the earth, And sends waters on the fields.

¹¹He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

¹²He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.

¹³He catches the wise in their own craftiness, And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.

¹⁴They meet with darkness in the daytime, And grope at noontime as in the night.

¹⁵But He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand.

¹⁶So the poor have hope, And injustice shuts her mouth.

¹⁷"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

¹⁸For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.

¹⁹He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.

²⁰In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword.

²¹You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.

²²You shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

²³For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.

²⁴You shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.

²⁵You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, And your offspring like the grass of the earth.

²⁶You shall come to the grave at a full age, As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.

²⁷Behold, this we have searched out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself."

6Then Job answered and said:

²"Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales!

³For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea-- Therefore my words have been rash.

⁴For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; My spirit drinks in their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

⁵Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass, Or does the ox low over its fodder?

⁶Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

⁷My soul refuses to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me.

⁸"Oh, that I might have my request, That God would grant me the thing that I long for!

⁹That it would please God to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off!

¹⁰Then I would still have comfort; Though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

¹¹"What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?

¹²Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh bronze?

¹³Is my help not within me? And is success driven from me?

¹⁴"To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,

¹⁶Which are dark because of the ice, And into which the snow vanishes.

¹⁷When it is warm, they cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place.

¹⁸The paths of their way turn aside, They go nowhere and perish.

¹⁹The caravans of Tema look, The travelers of Sheba hope for them.

²⁰They are disappointed because they were confident; They come there and are confused.

²¹For now you are nothing, You see terror and are afraid.

²²Did I ever say, "Bring something to me'? Or, "Offer a bribe for me from your wealth'?

²³Or, "Deliver me from the enemy's hand'? Or, "Redeem me from the hand of oppressors'?

²⁴"Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

²⁵How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove?

²⁶Do you intend to rebuke my words, And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?

²⁷Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend.

²⁸Now therefore, be pleased to look at me; For I would never lie to your face.

²⁹Yield now, let there be no injustice! Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands!

³⁰Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?

7"Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?

²Like a servant who earnestly desires the shade, And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,

³So I have been allotted months of futility, And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.

⁴When I lie down, I say, "When shall I arise, And the night be ended?' For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.

⁵My flesh is caked with worms and dust, My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.

⁶"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, And are spent without hope.

⁷Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good.

⁸The eye of him who sees me will see me no more; While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.

⁹As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, So he who goes down to the grave does not come up.

¹⁰He shall never return to his house, Nor shall his place know him anymore.

¹¹"Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

¹²Am I a sea, or a sea serpent, That You set a guard over me?

¹³When I say, "My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,'

¹⁴Then You scare me with dreams And terrify me with visions,

¹⁵So that my soul chooses strangling And death rather than my body.

¹⁶I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath.

¹⁷"What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him,

¹⁸That You should visit him every morning, And test him every moment?

¹⁹How long? Will You not look away from me, And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?

²⁰Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?

²¹Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be."

8Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

²"How long will you speak these things, And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?

³Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?

⁴If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression.

⁵If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty,

⁶If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place.

⁷Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.

⁸"For inquire, please, of the former age, And consider the things discovered by their fathers;

⁹For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days on earth are a shadow.

¹⁰Will they not teach you and tell you, And utter words from their heart?

¹¹"Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water?

¹²While it is yet green and not cut down, It withers before any other plant.

¹³So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish,

¹⁴Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider's web.

¹⁵He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure.

¹⁶He grows green in the sun, And his branches spread out in his garden.

¹⁷His roots wrap around the rock heap, And look for a place in the stones.

¹⁸If he is destroyed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, "I have not seen you.'

¹⁹"Behold, this is the joy of His way, And out of the earth others will grow.

²⁰Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, Nor will He uphold the evildoers.

²¹He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing.

²²Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing."

9Then Job answered and said:

²"Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God?

³If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.

⁴God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?

⁵He removes the mountains, and they do not know When He overturns them in His anger;

⁶He shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;

⁷He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars;

⁸He alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea;

⁹He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;

¹⁰He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.

¹¹If He goes by me, I do not see Him; If He moves past, I do not perceive Him;

¹²If He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, "What are You doing?'

¹³God will not withdraw His anger, The allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him.

¹⁴"How then can I answer Him, And choose my words to reason with Him?

¹⁵For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge.

¹⁶If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.

¹⁷For He crushes me with a tempest, And multiplies my wounds without cause.

¹⁸He will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills me with bitterness.

¹⁹If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court?

²⁰Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse.

²¹"I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life.

²²It is all one thing; Therefore I say, "He destroys the blameless and the wicked.'

²³If the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent.

²⁴The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, who else could it be?

²⁵"Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good.

²⁶They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.

²⁷If I say, "I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,'

²⁸I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent.

²⁹If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain?

³⁰If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap,

³¹Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes will abhor me.

³²"For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together.

³³Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.

³⁴Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me.

³⁵Then I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me.

10"My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

²I will say to God, "Do not condemn me; Show me why You contend with me.

³Does it seem good to You that You should oppress, That You should despise the work of Your hands, And smile on the counsel of the wicked?

⁴Do You have eyes of flesh? Or do You see as man sees?

⁵Are Your days like the days of a mortal man? Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,

⁶That You should seek for my iniquity And search out my sin,

⁷Although You know that I am not wicked, And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?

⁸"Your hands have made me and fashioned me, An intricate unity; Yet You would destroy me.

⁹Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay. And will You turn me into dust again?

¹⁰Did You not pour me out like milk, And curdle me like cheese,

¹¹Clothe me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews?

¹²You have granted me life and favor, And Your care has preserved my spirit.

¹³"And these things You have hidden in Your heart; I know that this was with You:

¹⁴If I sin, then You mark me, And will not acquit me of my iniquity.

¹⁵If I am wicked, woe to me; Even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am full of disgrace; See my misery!

¹⁶If my head is exalted, You hunt me like a fierce lion, And again You show Yourself awesome against me.

¹⁷You renew Your witnesses against me, And increase Your indignation toward me; Changes and war are ever with me.

¹⁸"Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!

¹⁹I would have been as though I had not been. I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.

²⁰Are not my days few? Cease! Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,

²¹Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, To the land of darkness and the shadow of death,

²²A land as dark as darkness itself, As the shadow of death, without any order, Where even the light is like darkness."'

11Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

²"Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be vindicated?

³Should your empty talk make men hold their peace? And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?

⁴For you have said, "My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in your eyes.'

⁵But oh, that God would speak, And open His lips against you,

⁶That He would show you the secrets of wisdom! For they would double your prudence. Know therefore that God exacts from you Less than your iniquity deserves.

⁷"Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?

⁸They are higher than heaven-- what can you do? Deeper than Sheol-- what can you know?

⁹Their measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.

¹⁰"If He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment, Then who can hinder Him?

¹¹For He knows deceitful men; He sees wickedness also. Will He not then consider it?

¹²For an empty-headed man will be wise, When a wild donkey's colt is born a man.

¹³"If you would prepare your heart, And stretch out your hands toward Him;

¹⁴If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away, And would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;

¹⁵Then surely you could lift up your face without spot; Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;

¹⁶Because you would forget your misery, And remember it as waters that have passed away,

¹⁷And your life would be brighter than noonday. Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.

¹⁸And you would be secure, because there is hope; Yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety.

¹⁹You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid; Yes, many would court your favor.

²⁰But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And they shall not escape, And their hope--loss of life!"

12Then Job answered and said:

²"No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you!

³But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know such things as these?

⁴"I am one mocked by his friends, Who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed.

⁵A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease; It is made ready for those whose feet slip.

⁶The tents of robbers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure-- In what God provides by His hand.

⁷"But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

⁸Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.

⁹Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this,

¹⁰In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

¹¹Does not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food?

¹²Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.

¹³"With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.

¹⁴If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.

¹⁵If He withholds the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.

¹⁶With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

¹⁷He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges.

¹⁸He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt.

¹⁹He leads princes away plundered, And overthrows the mighty.

²⁰He deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders.

²¹He pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty.

²²He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.

²³He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.

²⁴He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.

²⁵They grope in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

13"Behold, my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it.

²What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

³But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God.

⁴But you forgers of lies, You are all worthless physicians.

⁵Oh, that you would be silent, And it would be your wisdom!

⁶Now hear my reasoning, And heed the pleadings of my lips.

⁷Will you speak wickedly for God, And talk deceitfully for Him?

⁸Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God?

⁹Will it be well when He searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?

¹⁰He will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality.

¹¹Will not His excellence make you afraid, And the dread of Him fall upon you?

¹²Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.

¹³"Hold your peace with me, and let me speak, Then let come on me what may!

¹⁴Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hands?

¹⁵Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.

¹⁶He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.

¹⁷Listen carefully to my speech, And to my declaration with your ears.

¹⁸See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be vindicated.

¹⁹Who is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish.

²⁰"Only two things do not do to me, Then I will not hide myself from You:

²¹Withdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid.

²²Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me.

²³How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.

²⁴Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy?

²⁵Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble?

²⁶For You write bitter things against me, And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷You put my feet in the stocks, And watch closely all my paths. You set a limit for the soles of my feet.

²⁸"Man decays like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

14"Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.

²He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.

³And do You open Your eyes on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself?

⁴Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!

⁵Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.

⁶Look away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes his day.

⁷"For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease.

⁸Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground,

⁹Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant.

¹⁰But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he?

¹¹As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up,

¹²So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep.

¹³"Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

¹⁴If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.

¹⁵You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands.

¹⁶For now You number my steps, But do not watch over my sin.

¹⁷My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You cover my iniquity.

¹⁸"But as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its place;

¹⁹As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man.

²⁰You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.

²¹His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.

²²But his flesh will be in pain over it, And his soul will mourn over it."

15Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

²"Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind?

³Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or by speeches with which he can do no good?

⁴Yes, you cast off fear, And restrain prayer before God.

⁵For your iniquity teaches your mouth, And you choose the tongue of the crafty.

⁶Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; Yes, your own lips testify against you.

⁷"Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills?

⁸Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

⁹What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us?

¹⁰Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Much older than your father.

¹¹Are the consolations of God too small for you, And the word spoken gently with you?

¹²Why does your heart carry you away, And what do your eyes wink at,

¹³That you turn your spirit against God, And let such words go out of your mouth?

¹⁴"What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?

¹⁵If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight,

¹⁶How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!

¹⁷"I will tell you, hear me; What I have seen I will declare,

¹⁸What wise men have told, Not hiding anything received from their fathers,

¹⁹To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them:

²⁰The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.

²¹Dreadful sounds are in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.

²²He does not believe that he will return from darkness, For a sword is waiting for him.

²³He wanders about for bread, saying, "Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.

²⁴Trouble and anguish make him afraid; They overpower him, like a king ready for battle.

²⁵For he stretches out his hand against God, And acts defiantly against the Almighty,

²⁶Running stubbornly against Him With his strong, embossed shield.

²⁷"Though he has covered his face with his fatness, And made his waist heavy with fat,

²⁸He dwells in desolate cities, In houses which no one inhabits, Which are destined to become ruins.

²⁹He will not be rich, Nor will his wealth continue, Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.

³⁰He will not depart from darkness; The flame will dry out his branches, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.

³¹Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward.

³²It will be accomplished before his time, And his branch will not be green.

³³He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.