Study Desk

Then Job answered:

Yes, I know what you've said is true, but how can a person be justified before God?^(a)

If one wanted to take^(b) Him to court, he could not answer God^[a] once in a thousand times.^(c)

God is wise^(d) and all-powerful. Who has opposed Him and come out unharmed?

He removes mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in His anger.^(e)

He shakes the earth from its place so that its pillars tremble.

He commands the sun not to shine and seals off the stars.^(f)

He alone stretches out the heavens^(g) and treads on the waves of the sea.^[b]

He makes the stars: the Bear,^[c] Orion, the Pleiades,^(h) and the constellations^[d] of the southern sky.

He does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.⁽ⁱ⁾

If He passes by me, I wouldn't see Him;^(j) if He goes right by, I wouldn't recognize Him.

If He snatches something, who can stop^[e] Him? Who can ask Him, "What are You doing?"^(k)

God does not hold back His anger; Rahab's^(l) assistants cringe in fear beneath Him!

How then can I answer Him or choose my arguments against Him?

Even if I were in the right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.^(m)

If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would pay attention to what I said.

He batters me with a whirlwind⁽ⁿ⁾ and multiplies my wounds without cause.

He doesn't let me catch my breath but soaks me with bitter experiences.

If it is a matter of strength, look, He is the Mighty One!^(o) If it is a matter of justice, who can summon^(p) Him?^[f]

Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me;^(q) if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty.

Though I am blameless, I no longer care about myself; I renounce my life.^(r)

It is all the same. Therefore I say, "He destroys both the blameless and the wicked."^(s)

When disaster brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.

The earth^[g] is handed over to the wicked; He blindfolds^[h] its judges.^(t) If it isn't He, then who is it?

My days fly by faster than a runner;^[i](u) they flee without seeing any good.^(v)

They sweep by like boats made of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.^(w)

If I said, "I will forget my complaint, change my expression, and smile,"

I would still live in terror of all my pains.^(x) I know You will not acquit me.^(y)

Since I will be found guilty,^(z) why should I labor in vain?

If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,

then You dip me in a pit of mud, and my own clothes despise me!

For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him,^(aa) that we can take each other to court.

There is no one to judge between us, to lay his hand on both of us.

Let Him take His rod away from me so His terror will no longer frighten me.^(ab)

Then I would speak and not fear Him. But that is not the case; I am on my own.

I am disgusted with my life.^(a) I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say to God: "Do not declare me guilty! Let me know why You prosecute me.

Is it good for You to oppress, to reject the work of Your hands, and favor^[a] the plans of the wicked?

Do You have eyes of flesh, or do You see as a human sees?

Are Your days like those of a human, or Your years like those of a man,^(b)

that You look for my wrongdoing^(c) and search for my sin,

even though You know that I am not wicked and that there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?

"Your hands shaped me and formed me. Will You now turn and destroy me?

Please remember that You formed me like clay. Will You now return me to dust?^(d)

Did You not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese?

You clothed me with skin and flesh, and wove me together with bones and tendons.

You gave me life and faithful love, and Your care has guarded my life.

"Yet You concealed these thoughts in Your heart; I know that this was Your hidden plan:^[b]

if I sin, You would notice,^[c] and would not acquit me of my wrongdoing.^(e)

If I am wicked, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am filled with shame and aware of my affliction.^(f)

If I am proud,^[d] You hunt me like a lion and again display Your miraculous power against me.^(g)

You produce new witnesses^[e] against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me, wave after wave.^[f]

"Why did You bring me out of the womb?^(h) I should have died and never been seen.

I wish^[g] I had never existed but had been carried from the womb to the grave.⁽ⁱ⁾

Are my days not few? Stop it!^[h] Leave me alone, so that I can smile a little

before I go to a land of darkness and gloom,^(j) never to return.

It is a land of blackness like the deepest darkness, gloomy and chaotic, where even the light is like^[i] the darkness."

Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

Should this stream of words^(a) go unanswered and such a talker^[a] be acquitted?

Should your babbling put others to silence, so that you can keep on ridiculing with no one to humiliate you?

You have said, "My teaching^(b) is sound, and I am pure in Your sight."

But if only God would speak and declare His case^[b] against you,

He would show you the secrets of wisdom,^(c) for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God has chosen to overlook some of your sin.^(d)

Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?^(e)

They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?^(f)

Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

If He passes by and throws someone in prison or convenes a court, who can stop Him?^(g)

Surely He knows which people are worthless. If He sees iniquity, will He not take note of it?^(h)

But a stupid man will gain understanding as soon as a wild donkey is born a man!

As for you, if you redirect your heart and lift up your hands to Him in prayer—

if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it, and don't allow injustice to dwell in your tents—

then you will hold your head high, free from fault. You will be firmly established and unafraid.⁽ⁱ⁾

For you will forget your suffering, recalling it only as waters that have flowed by.

Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness^[c] will be like the morning.^(j)

You will be confident, because there is hope.^(k) You will look carefully about and lie down in safety.^(l)

You will lie down without fear, and many will seek your favor.^(m)

But the sight of the wicked⁽ⁿ⁾ will fail. Their way of escape will be cut off, and their only hope is their last breath.^(o)

Then Job answered:

No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!

But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who doesn't know the things you are talking about?^[a](a)

I am a laughingstock to my^[b] friends, by calling on God, who answers me.^[c] The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.^(b)

The one who is at ease^(c) holds calamity in contempt and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.

The tents of robbers are safe,^(d) and those who provoke God are secure; God's power provides this.^[d](e)

But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.^(f)

Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you; let the fish of the sea inform you.

Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?^(g)

The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.^(h)

Doesn't the ear test words as the palate tastes food?

Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.⁽ⁱ⁾