Bible Verses About Job

“Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.”

“For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”

“Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak. I will question you, and you shall inform Me.’ My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes.”

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his prosperity and doubled his former possessions. All his brothers and sisters and prior acquaintances came and dined with him in his house. They consoled him and comforted him over all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. And each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. So the LORD blessed Job’s latter days more than his first. He owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. He named his first daughter Jemimah, his second Keziah, and his third Keren-happuch. No women as beautiful as Job’s daughters could be found in all the land, and their father granted them an inheritance among their brothers. After this, Job lived 140 years and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.”

“After this, Job lived 140 years and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.”

“Therefore, men fear Him, for He is not partial to the wise in heart.”

“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge? Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its foundations set, or who laid its cornerstone, while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket, when I fixed its boundaries and set in place its bars and doors, and I declared: ‘You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves must stop’? In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place, that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it? The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment. Light is withheld from the wicked, and their upraised arm is broken. Have you journeyed to the vents of the sea or walked in the trenches of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? Have you surveyed the extent of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this. Where is the way to the home of light? Do you know where darkness resides, so you can lead it back to its border? Do you know the paths to its home? Surely you know, for you were already born! And the number of your days is great! Have you entered the storehouses of snow or observed the storehouses of hail, which I hold in reserve for times of trouble, for the day of war and battle? In which direction is the lightning dispersed, or the east wind scattered over the earth? Who cuts a channel for the flood or clears a path for the thunderbolt, to bring rain on a barren land, on a desert where no man lives, to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass? Does the rain have a father? Who has begotten the drops of dew? From whose womb does the ice emerge? Who gives birth to the frost from heaven, when the waters become hard as stone and the surface of the deep is frozen? Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear and her cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth? Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you? Can you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’? Who has put wisdom in the heart or given understanding to the mind? Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Or who can tilt the water jars of the heavens when the dust hardens into a mass and the clods of earth stick together? Can you hunt the prey for a lioness or satisfy the hunger of young lions when they crouch in their dens and lie in wait in the thicket? Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?[’]”

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”

“See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

“And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.”

“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East. Job’s sons would take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice. One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.” Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.” Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.” “Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. One day, while Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, a messenger came and reported to Job: “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The fire of God fell from heaven. It burned and consumed the sheep and the servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels, and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.”

“Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.”

“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”

“Then Job answered: “How long will you torment me and crush me with your words? Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me. Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone. If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me, then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me. Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice. He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness. He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head. He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree. His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies. His troops advance together; they construct a ramp against me and encamp around my tent. He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me. My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me. My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight. I call for my servant, but he does not answer, though I implore him with my own mouth. My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family. Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me. All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me. My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me. Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh? I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book, by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever. But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me! If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’ then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”

“But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.”

“Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue with a rope? Can you put a cord through his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he beg you for mercy or speak to you softly? Will he make a covenant with you to take him as a slave for life? Can you pet him like a bird or put him on a leash for your maidens? Will traders barter for him or divide him among the merchants? Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the battle and never repeat it! Surely hope of overcoming him is false. Is not the sight of him overwhelming? No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who is able to stand against Me? Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine. I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form. Who can strip off his outer coat? Who can approach him with a bridle? Who can open his jaws, ringed by his fearsome teeth? His rows of scales are his pride, tightly sealed together. One scale is so near to another that no air can pass between them. They are joined to one another; they clasp and cannot be separated. His snorting flashes with light, and his eyes are like the rays of dawn. Firebrands stream from his mouth; fiery sparks shoot forth! Smoke billows from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds. His breath sets coals ablaze, and flames pour from his mouth. Strength resides in his neck, and dismay leaps before him. The folds of his flesh are tightly joined; they are firm and immovable. His chest is as hard as a rock, as hard as a lower millstone! When Leviathan rises up, the mighty are terrified; they withdraw before his thrashing. The sword that reaches him has no effect, nor does the spear or dart or arrow. He regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood. No arrow can make him flee; slingstones become like chaff to him. A club is regarded as straw, and he laughs at the sound of the lance. His undersides are jagged potsherds, spreading out the mud like a threshing sledge. He makes the depths seethe like a cauldron; he makes the sea like a jar of ointment. He leaves a glistening wake behind him; one would think the deep had white hair! Nothing on earth is his equal— a creature devoid of fear! He looks down on all the haughty; he is king over all the proud.”

“Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.”

“Then Job replied: “If only my grief could be weighed and placed with my calamity on the scales. For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas — no wonder my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. Does a wild donkey bray over fresh grass, or an ox low over its fodder? Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? My soul refuses to touch them; they are loathsome food to me. If only my request were granted and God would fulfill my hope: that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off! It still brings me comfort, and joy through unrelenting pain, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One. What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What is my future, that I should be patient? Is my strength like that of stone, or my flesh made of bronze? Is there any help within me now that success is driven from me? A despairing man should have the kindness of his friend, even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. But my brothers are as faithless as wadis, as seasonal streams that overflow, darkened because of the ice and the inflow of melting snow, but ceasing in the dry season and vanishing from their channels in the heat. Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go into the wasteland and perish. The caravans of Tema look for water; the travelers of Sheba hope to find it. They are confounded because they had hoped; their arrival brings disappointment. For now you are of no help; you see terror, and you are afraid. Have I ever said, ‘Give me something; offer me a bribe from your wealth; deliver me from the hand of the enemy; redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless’? Teach me, and I will be silent. Help me understand how I have erred. How painful are honest words! But what does your argument prove? Do you intend to correct my words, and treat as wind my cry of despair? You would even cast lots for an orphan and barter away your friend. But now, please look at me. Would I lie to your face? Reconsider; do not be unjust. Reconsider, for my righteousness is at stake. Is there iniquity on my tongue? Can my mouth not discern malice?[’]”

“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood. What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God. You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians. If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom! Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips. Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him? Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense? Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him as you would deceive a man? Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality. Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you? Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay. Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may. Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands? Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face. Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him. Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears. See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated. Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die. Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You: Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me. Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply. How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin. Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy? Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff? For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth. You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet. So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.[’]”

“Then Job answered the LORD: “Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, but I have no answer — twice, but I have nothing to add.”

“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”

“Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand? Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages. So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed to me. When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn. My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope. Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness. The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more. As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more. 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. Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard? When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions, so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body. I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him, that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment? Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle? If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You? Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”

“Then Job answered: “I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all. Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying? I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you. But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief. Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away? Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family. You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me. His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked. I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target; His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground. He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior. I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust. My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes; yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure. O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest. Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high. My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God. Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor! For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.[’]”

“And the LORD said to Job: “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.” Then Job answered the LORD: “Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, but I have no answer — twice, but I have nothing to add.” Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me. Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and glory. Unleash the fury of your wrath; look on every proud man and bring him low. Look on every proud man and humble him; trample the wicked where they stand. Bury them together in the dust; imprison them in the grave. Then I will confess to you that your own right hand can save you. Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you. He feeds on grass like an ox. See the strength of his loins and the power in the muscles of his belly. His tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit. His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are rods of iron. He is the foremost of God’s works; only his Maker can draw the sword against him. The hills yield him their produce, while all the beasts of the field play nearby. He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh. The lotus plants conceal him in their shade; the willows of the brook surround him. Though the river rages, Behemoth is unafraid; he remains secure, though the Jordan surges to his mouth. Can anyone capture him as he looks on, or pierce his nose with a snare?[’]”

“Call out if you please, but who will answer? To which of the holy ones will you turn? For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple. I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed. His sons are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender. The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth. For distress does not spring from the dust, and trouble does not sprout from the ground. Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him— the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number. He gives rain to the earth and sends water upon the fields. He sets the lowly on high, so that mourners are lifted to safety. He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning. They encounter darkness by day and grope at noon as in the night. He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth and from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth. Blessed indeed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal. He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven. In famine He will redeem you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword. You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and will not fear havoc when it comes. You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the beasts of the earth. For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you. You will know that your tent is secure, and find nothing amiss when inspecting your home. You will know that your offspring will be many, your descendants like the grass of the earth. You will come to the grave in full vigor, like a sheaf of grain gathered in season. Indeed, we have investigated, and it is true! So hear it and know for yourself.”

“My spirit is broken; my days are extinguished; the grave awaits me. Surely mockers surround me, and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion. Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor? You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them. If a man denounces his friends for a price, the eyes of his children will fail. He has made me a byword among the people, a man in whose face they spit. My eyes have grown dim with grief, and my whole body is but a shadow. The upright are appalled at this, and the innocent are stirred against the godless. Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger. But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you. My days have passed; my plans are broken off — even the desires of my heart. They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness. If I look for Sheol as my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness, and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’ where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me? Will it go down to the gates of Sheol? Will we go down together into the dust?”

“Why does the Almighty not reserve times for judgment? Why may those who know Him never see His days?”

“Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the doe bear her fawn? Can you count the months they are pregnant? Do you know the time they give birth? They crouch down and bring forth their young; they deliver their newborn. Their young ones thrive and grow up in the open field; they leave and do not return. Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness? I made the wilderness his home and the salt flats his dwelling. He scorns the tumult of the city and never hears the shouts of a driver. He roams the mountains for pasture, searching for any green thing. Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night? Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? Will he plow the valleys behind you? Can you rely on his great strength? Will you leave your hard work to him? Can you trust him to bring in your grain and gather it to your threshing floor? The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but cannot match the pinions and feathers of the stork. For she leaves her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand. She forgets that a foot may crush them, or a wild animal may trample them. She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain. For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding. Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider. Do you give strength to the horse or adorn his neck with a mane? Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength; he charges into battle. He laughs at fear, frightened of nothing; he does not turn back from the sword. A quiver rattles at his side, along with a flashing spear and lance. Trembling with excitement, he devours the distance; he cannot stand still when the ram’s horn sounds. At the blast of the horn, he snorts with fervor. He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shouts of captains and the cry of war. Does the hawk take flight by your understanding and spread his wings toward the south? Does the eagle soar at your command and make his nest on high? He dwells on a cliff and lodges there; his stronghold is on a rocky crag. From there he spies out food; his eyes see it from afar. His young ones feast on blood; and where the slain are, there he is.”

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands— yes, establish the work of our hands!”

“Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.”

“Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”

“Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

“Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: “If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking? Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands. Your words have steadied those who stumbled; you have braced the knees that were buckling. But now trouble has come upon you, and you are weary. It strikes you, and you are dismayed. Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope? Consider now, I plead: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed? As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same. By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed. The lion may roar, and the fierce lion may growl, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken. The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered. Now a word came to me secretly; my ears caught a whisper of it. In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men, fear and trembling came over me and made all my bones shudder. Then a spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body bristled. It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes, and I heard a whispering voice: ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker? If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error, how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth! They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed, they perish forever. Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’[’]”

“Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: “How long will you go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind. Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion. But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy, if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore your righteous estate. Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish. Please inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers. For we were born yesterday and know nothing; our days on earth are but a shadow. Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding? Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water? While the shoots are still uncut, they dry up more quickly than grass. Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish. His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web. He leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure. He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden. His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones. If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘ I never saw you.’ Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust. Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy. Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”

“Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: “Should this stream of words go unanswered and such a speaker be vindicated? Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke? You have said, ‘My doctrine is sound, and I am pure in Your sight.’ But if only God would speak and open His lips against you, and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves. Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens— what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol— what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. If He comes along to imprison you, or convenes a court, who can stop Him? Surely He knows the deceit of men. If He sees iniquity, does He not take note? But a witless man can no more become wise than the colt of a wild donkey can be born a man! As for you, if you direct your heart and lift up your hands to Him, if you put away the iniquity in your hand, and allow no injustice to dwell in your tents, then indeed you will lift up your face without blemish; you will stand firm and unafraid. For you will forget your misery, recalling it only as waters gone by. Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning. You will be secure, because there is hope, and you will look around and lie down in safety. You will lie down without fear, and many will court your favor. But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; they will hope for their last breath.”

“Then Job answered: “Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die! But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure — those who carry their god in their hands. But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it will teach 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? The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind. Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food? Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His. What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released. If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land. True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His. He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges. He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists. He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established. He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders. He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty. He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light. He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them. He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.[’]”

“Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: “Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind? Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose? But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him. For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty. Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you. Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills? Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself? What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us? Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side — men much older than your father. Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you? Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash, so that you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth? What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous? If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes, how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water? Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen, what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers, to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them. A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless. Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him. He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword. He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand. Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack. For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty, rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield. Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh, he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble. He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land. He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away. Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward. It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish. He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms. For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery. They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”

“But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.”

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.”

“And so Job died, old and full of years.”