From the Greek Septuagint text as used by First Century Christians.

One of the oldest Bible writings, written in an ancient pre-Egyptian-bondage style of Hebrew known as Ugaritic.
It was a song or poem that was recorded by Moses sometime after 1550-BCE.
Although the identity of Job among Bible characters is unsure (see the link to Job below), history suggests that he lived sometime between 2140-BCE and 1980-BCE.
Was this a true story and was there really a faithful man named Job?
Yes, for God mentioned him by name as being one of the three most faithful men in the Bible book of Ezekiel, and he was also mentioned by Peter, the Apostle of Jesus.

Chapter 1

¹ There was a certain man named Job who lived in the land of the AuSitidi. He was true, blameless, righteous, God fearing, and he distanced himself from all that was wicked. ² He had seven sons, three daughters, and he also had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, and five hundred grazing female burros. In addition, he had a huge work force to serve him and many more to care for his land, ³ for the man had been born into a prosperous family from the sunrise in the east.

⁴ [Job’s] sons prepared banquets for each other each day, and their three sisters were always invited to eat and drink with them. ⁵ Then, after all the banqueting was done, Job would get up early each morning to purify them. He offered sacrifices on their behalf, which included a calf as a sin offering for their lives. As Job said:
‘[I’m doing this] just in case my children even think something bad about God.’
And that’s how Job always did things.

⁶ Then one day, {Look!} the messengers of God went to stand before Jehovah, and the Opposer came along with them. ⁷ So, Jehovah asked the Opposer:
‘From which place have you come?’

And the Opposer replied to Jehovah:
‘I’ve been on the earth walking around everywhere under the sky.’

⁸ Then Jehovah asked him:
‘Have you noticed and thought about My child Job? There’s no one else like him on the earth, because he’s blameless, true, God fearing, and he distances himself from anything that is bad.’

⁹ So the Opposer stood up before Jehovah and said:
‘Is Job really free to bow before You, Jehovah? ¹⁰ Haven’t You protected him and all in his household from anything that might be harmful to him? You’ve blest everything he does, and You’ve provided huge herds of cattle for him that cover the entire land! ¹¹ However, if You were to just reach out Your hand and touch all the things that he has, he would surely rave against You to Your face!’

¹² Then Jehovah said to the Opposer:
‘{Look!} I’m putting everything he has into your hands… just don’t touch him personally.’
And at that, the Opposer left the presence of Jehovah.

¹³ Well, on that day, all of Job’s sons and daughters had all been enjoying wine in the house of their older brother.

¹⁴ But then, {Look!} a messenger came to Job and told him:
‘We were plowing with the teams of oxen, and the female burros were grazing nearby, ¹⁵ when slavers came and took them all and killed all your servants with swords. I’m the only one that escaped, so I could bring this message to you!’

¹⁶ Then while he was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said to Job:
‘Lightning came out of the sky and burned up all the sheep… and the shepherds were destroyed the same way. I’m the only one that escaped, so I came to report it to you!’

¹⁷ And while he was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said to Job:
‘Three companies of mounted troops attacked us, then they rounded up the camels and took them, and they killed all your servants with swords. I was the only one that escaped, so I’ve come to report this to you!’

¹⁸ Well, while that one was still speaking, another messenger arrived and told Job:
‘Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking with their older brother, ¹⁹ when a tornado came toward them from out of the desert and touched down on the four corners of his house and destroyed it, killing all your children. I’m the only one that escaped, and I came to report it to you!’

²⁰ And with that, Job got up and started ripping his clothes, then he cut all the hair off his head, and he bowed all the way to the ground and said:
²¹ ‘I came from my mother’s belly naked and I will return there naked… Jehovah gave it, and Jehovah took it away. So, what seems good to Jehovah has come to pass. May the Name of the Lord be praised!’

²² Well, despite all these terrible things that happened to him, Job didn’t sin against Jehovah a single time, nor did he accuse God of foolishness.

Chapter 2

¹ Then on another day, when God’s messengers came to stand before Jehovah, the Opposer once more came among them to stand before the Lord. ² And Jehovah asked the Opposer:
‘So, from what place have you come?’

And the Opposer again replied:
‘I’ve been on the earth walking around everywhere under the sky.’

³ So Jehovah asked him:
‘Have you been paying attention to my child Job? For there are none others like him on the earth. He’s not a wicked man… he’s true, blameless, God fearing, and he avoids anything that is evil, so he’s still innocent. However, you told me [that he wouldn’t remain faithful] if everything he had was destroyed without a reason.’

⁴ Then the Opposer said to Jehovah:
‘Skin for skin… a man will give everything he has for his life. ⁵ For a fact; if You send Your hand to touch his flesh and bones, he will surely rave against You to Your face!’

⁶ And Jehovah replied to the Opposer:
‘{Look!} I’m giving him to you… just don’t take his life!’

⁷ So the Opposer left Jehovah and struck Job with terrible sores from his head to his feet. ⁸ And as the result, [Job] had to carry a broken piece of pottery to scrape the pus as he sat in a pile of ashes.

⁹ Then his wife asked him:
‘How much longer are you going to endure this? Just speak a word to God and end it!’

¹⁰ But he looked at her and said:
‘Why are you acting like such a foolish woman? If we’ve looked for good things from the hand of Jehovah, shouldn’t we also endure the bad?’

¹¹ Then, when three of his friends heard of all the bad things that had happened to him, they each came from their lands to see him. There was EliPhaz the Temanite (a king), Baldad the Shuhite (a sovereign ruler), and Zophar the Minaean (a king), and they had all come to visit him for the purpose of comforting him. ¹² However, as they approached, they didn’t even recognize him. So they each started shouting, crying, ripping their clothes, and throwing dust in the air. ¹³ Then they all sat down beside him for seven days and seven nights without speaking a word, for they recognized that this was a terrible calamity, which was much worse than anything that they had anticipated.

Chapter 3

¹ Well, after this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day, ² saying:

³ ‘May the day I was born be destroyed,
Along with the night when they said, It’s a boy!

⁴ ‘May that night become very dark;
May the Lord up above never seek it,
And may it not see the coming of dawn.
⁵ May it be taken by darkness
And by the shadow of death.

‘May that day forever be dimmed…
May that day forever be cursed,
⁶ And its night carried into the darkness.

‘No more, may it be a day of the year,
Nor may it be counted in one of the months.
⁷ May that night become one of grieving,
Not one that’s happy and joyful.

⁸ ‘May the One that brought a curse to that day
Also heap curses upon it.
May it be [swallowed by] beasts of the sea
⁹ And may darkness cover the stars of that night,
So they will no longer be seen…
And may they not shine ever after.

‘May the morning star not arise,
¹⁰ For it failed to close the womb of my mother,
So my eyes wouldn’t see all of this misery.

¹¹ ‘Why didn’t I die in her belly
Instead of having to ever be born…
Why wasn’t I killed there and then…
¹² Why did her knees come to meet me,
And why did her breasts come to nurse me?

¹³ ‘May I go to my bed and lie still…
¹⁴ May I sleep and find rest among kings…
The councilors of the lands where they once pranced with swords…
¹⁵ With the rulers that once had so much gold
And that once filled their houses with silver.

¹⁶ ‘O if I had just been miscarried
Within the womb of my mother,
Like babies that don’t see light of day,
¹⁷ And go where the anger and rage of the Godless
Has all been burned up in fire.

‘It’s that place where the tired find rest for their bones,
¹⁸ And where none that have lived through the ages
Hear tax collector’s voices again.
¹⁹ It’s where the small and the great must all go…
The servants [along with] their masters.

²⁰ ‘Why must those that are bitter see light,
And why is life given to those that are grieved,
²¹ Then long for death that won’t come…
Those rooting for death as though it were treasure,
²² And who’d be overjoyed to attain it?

²³ ‘For to such a man, death becomes rest,
When there’s nowhere else he can go…
Yes, when [our] God has opposed him.

²⁴ ‘My grain has now become moaning,
And I’m crying and shaking in fear;
²⁵ For the things I once feared in my dreams have come true,
And what I held in awe has now met me.
²⁶ I’m not at peace, or still, or at rest,
For [His] rage has now come upon me.’

Chapter 4

¹ Then EliPhaz the Temanite decided to speak. He said:

² ‘Do you often complain of your problems…
Who can stand such strong talk?

³ ‘To many people, you’ve given advice,
And to the hands of the weak, you’ve brought comfort;
⁴ You’ve lifted the timid with words,
And encouraged the ones that had feeble knees.
⁵ But, now that misery has arrived to touch you,
You tend to be in a hurry.

⁶ ‘Aren’t you rather in fear of your own foolish ways…
Your own wrong hopes and bad paths?
⁷ Can you think of any that are truly pure
That [God has] ever destroyed,
Or any of the true who’ve been wiped away?

⁸ ‘I’ve seen people that plow in strange places,
And those that plant there reap grief for themselves.
⁹ Then, by [God’s] order, they perish…
With the spirit of His wrath, they are then wiped away.

¹⁰ ‘So the strength of the lion and the lioness’ roar,
And the prancing of beasts is no more.
¹¹ Like the lion’s cubs that die without prey,
The young won’t come to each other’s aid.

¹² ‘So, if the things that you said are all true,
And if they have all really happened;
Then, none of these things would have happened to you.

‘Should my ears now start to believe
That He has done something so strange?

¹³ ‘An echo in the night brings fear to all men…
¹⁴ It stuns them, makes them tremble, and rattles their bones.
¹⁵ But a spirit once came and looked in my face,
Which made my flesh shudder and my hair stand erect.
¹⁶ I jumped, for I didn’t understand what I saw;
But, there it was in front of my eyes.

‘Then I felt a breeze and I heard a voice say,
¹⁷ Why should a man be pure before God?
For He doesn’t even trust His own servants,
And He thinks of His angels as crooked.

¹⁹ ‘Those that live in houses of clay
Are made from its very same mortar;
So, both are destroyed in the very same way.
²⁰ [They come] in the morning, then by evening, are gone…
And they die, if they can’t help themselves.

‘He just breathes upon them and they wither…
They perish in their own foolish ways.’

Chapter 5

¹ ‘So, shout and see who will listen;
Will holy angels appear?
² Even a fool will end all his madness,
And a man that wanders will soon end his search.

³ ‘I have seen fools making plans…
And then, their homes were destroyed.
⁴ And though their sons were in a safe place,
At the doors of lesser men, they were crushed;
For, no one would come to their aid.

⁵ ‘Though the hungry can eat what they harvest;
Those that bear arms can siphon their strength.
⁶ So the ground will only bring work,
As misery sprouts in the hills.

⁷ ‘Though a man is just born to do work,
And young vultures are made to fly in the skies;
⁸ I will still beg to Jehovah…
Yes, I will still call to the Almighty God
⁹ Who does great things that can’t be explained…
Things of honor, unnumbered, and odd.

¹⁰ ‘He’s the One that sends water down to the ground
And rain to all places under the skies.
¹¹ He’s the One that raises the humble
And returns life to those that are dying.

¹² ‘He alters the plans of the clever,
So that they are unable to do what is true.
¹³ He conquers the wisdom of the wise,
And surprises the plans of the crafty.

¹⁴ ‘For, in daylight, darkness can still come to meet them,
And at noon, they may grope as though it were night.
¹⁵ They may also be killed in a war,
While the weak may escape from the mighty.

¹⁶ ‘So, there is still hope for those without strength,
And unrighteous mouths may also be closed.

¹⁷ ‘Blest is the man that is whipped by the Lord,
And those that don’t ignore the Almighty!
¹⁸ For, though He brings pain, He also restores…
He strikes, and then He heals with His hands.

¹⁹ ‘Six times, He’ll save you from problems,
But in the seventh, He’ll give you what’s bad.
²⁰ In times of famine, He’ll save you from death;
And in war, He’ll free you from shackles of iron.
²¹ From the whip of the tongue, He will hide you,
And you won’t have to fear the evils that come.

²² ‘Then you’ll laugh at the unrighteous and lawless,
And not have fear of any wild beasts.
²³ For with you, the wild will be peaceful,
²⁴ And you’ll know there’s peace in your house
When you tent in your home without sin.

²⁵ ‘You’ll know that your seed will be many,
And your children will sprout like weeds in the fields.
²⁶ Then you’ll go to your grave like grain in the harvest…
Like heaps on the floor in the hour it’s reaped.

²⁷ ‘{Look!} These are the things that we have concluded,
And these are the things that we’ve heard.
But, within yourself, only you know
Whether you’ve done something evil.’

Chapter 6

¹ Then Job spoke. He said:

² ‘If you would use a balancing scale
To measure my anger against all my grief,
You’d find that they both balance out…
³ But they’re still as heavy as the sands of the seas.

‘For it seems as though you’ve not heard what I’ve said…
⁴ That my body has been pierced by God’s arrows…
That His rage has been drinking my blood,
And this stings me whenever I’m starting to speak.

⁵ ‘Why do wild burros cry out
When they aren’t looking for grain?
And why do cattle bawl from their stables
When there is plenty of grain?

⁶ ‘As bread should be eaten with salt;
What taste can be found in your empty words?
⁷ Yet, I still can’t drive them out of my life.

‘Now I groan when I see my cereal grains;
For [to me], they have the odor of lions.

⁸ ‘If He would just give me the things that I ask…
If the Lord would just give me the things that I’ve hoped…
⁹ But, Jehovah has started to pierce me,
And it’s not been withdrawn or come to its end!

¹⁰ ‘So if the place of the dead could now be my city,
Onto its walls I would jump…
Yes, I would gladly accept it.

¹¹ ‘Since I haven’t lied about God’s holy words,
Why have I still the strength to remain…
Why do I have the strength to live on?
¹² Am I as mighty as the rocks…
Are my body parts made out of bronze?

¹³ ‘In Him, have I not put my trust?
Yet His help has been taken away!
¹⁴ Has His mercy to me been forbidden,
And have the visits of the Lord overlooked me?

¹⁵ ‘Those closest to me, now see me no more,
For I’m like a stream that’s gone dry,
Or a wave that’s already passed by;
For now, everyone just walks past me.

¹⁶ ‘Those that once showed deep respect
Now view me like banks of ice or of snow
¹⁷ That has melted away in the heat [of the day],
And no longer is seen as what it once was.
¹⁸ That’s how I’ve been abandoned by all…
I’m destroyed and I’ve become homeless.

¹⁹ ‘Behold the Temanite trails
And all the passes of the Sabaeans,
O you who now think that you’re seeing things clearly.
²⁰ They [exist because of] those living in towns,
And they’re the things that they rely upon there.

²¹ ‘Now, with no mercy, you all stand [away],
As though you’re afraid of my sores.
²² Yet, what have I asked you to give me,
And how much of your strength have I asked?
²³ Just save me from my enemy’s hands,
And snatch me away from the mighty!

²⁴ ‘Teach me, and I’ll then remain silent…
If I’ve strayed, then prove that it’s so!
²⁵ For, you view the words of someone who’s true
As though they’ve become very foul.

‘I haven’t asked for your strength,
²⁶ And your scolding won’t stop me from speaking.
I won’t put up with the things that you say;
²⁷ For you’re coming down on an orphan,
And you are attacking a friend!

²⁸ ‘Now, as I gaze at your faces,
I will tell you no lies.
²⁹ So, just sit here and don’t be unrighteous…
Just sit here together with one who is just;
³⁰ For, nothing wrong has come from my tongue,
And from my throat will come things to consider.’

Chapter 7

¹ ‘The purpose of man on the earth
Is surely not just to be tried.
For he lives his life as a hired day worker,
² And as a servant in awe of his master…
One that stands in the shade of his shadow
As he is awaiting his wages.

³ ‘Thus, for months, I have waited in vain,
To only receive nights of grief.
⁴ For, when I go to bed, I now say:
How long will it be ‘til day comes again?
And thereafter, I must ask when I rise,
How soon will it become night?

‘I am filled with grief from morning ‘til night;
⁵ For my body is rotting and covered with worms.
Like clods of dirt, I am melting away,
As I’m scraping away all the pus.
⁶ My life now weighs less than my words …
It has perished in hopes unattained.

⁷ ‘My soul has become like a breeze,
And my eyes no longer see good.
⁸ The eyes of those searching, don’t see me…
Though their eyes are upon me, I’m gone
⁹ Like a cloud that drifts away in the sky.

¹⁰ ‘When a man goes down to his grave,
He does not come back again.
There’s no way he’ll return to his house…
For, even his home doesn’t know him.

¹¹ But, I will not close my mouth…
Yes, I will still speak of my plight.
I will bear open my soul
To show you the bitterness it holds…
¹² I won’t be like the sea’s dragons.

¹³ ‘I once said that my bed brings me comfort.
But now, all I have to offer myself
Are my own words, as I lie on my cot,
¹⁴ Where I am frightened by dreams
And by visions that strike me with terror.

¹⁵ ‘[Please] let my breath leave my soul,
And may my bones be handed to death!
¹⁶ May I no longer live in [this] age…
For, why must I just keep on waiting,
When all in my life is so empty?

¹⁷ ‘O what is a man that You’d make him so great,
Or notice the things that he thinks?
¹⁸ Why visit him until morning arrives
And judge him as he lies there asleep?

¹⁹ ‘How long will [You] keep me alive
And refuse to provide my release,
As I swallow my spit in my grief?

²⁰ ‘If I have sinned, then what can I do,
O You who knows the minds of all men?
Why have You made me [a person] that blames You,
And why have You made me Your burden?

²¹ ‘Why not rather forget the laws that I broke,
And then cleanse me from all of my sins?
Please let me go into the ground,
And no longer rise early again.’

Chapter 8

¹ Then Baldad the Shuhite spoke. He said:

² ‘How long will you use the breath from your mouth
To speak in such a talkative way?

³ ‘Does Jehovah sin when He judges,
And does the Maker of all harm the righteous?
⁴ Surely your sons had sinned before Him…
Because they were lawless, He took them away!

⁵ ‘To seek Jehovah, you always rose early,
And before the Almighty, you’ve begged.
⁶ But, if you were truly pure,
He’d have listened to all your requests
And restored your position in justice.
⁷ Then, if at first, your men had been few;
In the end, they would be beyond number.

⁸ ‘Ask the first generations,
And trace the race of the fathers!
⁹ For, while they were here, they were not aware
That shadows would cover their lives in the ground.
¹⁰ Doesn’t this tell you and doesn’t this teach…
Don’t such sayings arise from your heart?

¹¹ ‘Can papyrus live without water…
Can bulrushes live without drinking?
¹² As long as the plant has its roots,
And before it has been cut down;
If it can’t drink from the garden,
Doesn’t it wither and dry?

¹³ ‘So it is with those forgetting Jehovah;
Since there is no hope for the Godless,
¹⁴ His home won’t be lived in again,
And spiders will spread out their tents there.

¹⁵ ‘If no one comes to care for his house,
It won’t be able to stand…
It won’t remain unless it is claimed!

¹⁶ ‘Whenever it’s wet under the sun,
From things that are rotten, a branch starts to sprout.
¹⁷ So, on a pile of stones, a man goes to bed,
And he lives there amidst all the gravel;
¹⁸ His place then swallows him down,
And thereafter, it covers him over.
Haven’t you witnessed such things?

¹⁹ ‘Yes, that’s how the godless all come to their end…
And then, from the ground, sprouts another.

²⁰ ‘No way will the Lord harm the good,
And He accepts no gifts from the godless.
²¹ With laughter, He fills the mouths of the true
And those that use their lips in His praise.
²² To their enemies, He will always bring shame,
And the homes of the Godless, He soon wipes away.’

Chapter 9

¹ Then Job spoke. He said:

² ‘I know for a fact, what you’re saying is true;
For, how can a man say he’s righteous to God?
³ So, if he wishes to argue this point,
He’ll not prove God wrong with thousands of words.
⁴ For, all of God’s thoughts are wise, strong, and great.

‘Thus, who can approach Him in anger
And still have some hope of survival?
⁵ Do the mountains know who destroys them in rage?

⁶ ‘All that’s under the sky,
He can shake to its core…
And then He can shake all its columns.
⁷ He can speak to the sun and it will not rise,
And He can also close up the stars.

⁸ ‘By Himself, He can stretch out the sky,
And walk on the sea like a floor.
⁹ He’s the One that made the PleiAdes,
As well as Hesperus and ArcTurus…
He’s the One that arranged the skies in the south.

¹⁰ ‘He does things that are great and unfathomed…
Honorable things beyond number and odd.
If He passed over me, I’d not see it…
If He passed me by, I’d not be aware.

¹² ‘When He sends someone away,
Who can thereafter return him,
And who can ask why He did it?

¹³ ‘For, God doesn’t turn back His rage…
To Him, even the whales bow under the skies!

¹⁴ ‘So, why should He ever obey me,
Or why should He judge all my problems?
¹⁵ And if could I prove myself righteous,
He’d [have no reason to] hear men…
Though I’d still ask Him for His decisions.

¹⁶ ‘Thus, should I call, He may not give an ear,
Nor should I trust that He’s heard my voice.

¹⁷ ‘But He shouldn’t destroy me in darkness,
Nor bruise me without any reason.
¹⁸ For, though He’s allowed me to breathe,
I am now filled with what’s bitter.

¹⁹ ‘Because He’s so mighty and strong,
Who can stand and oppose Him?
²⁰ So, even if I have been righteous,
My mouth would still say wicked things.
And though I might [truly] be blameless,
I’d still produce what is wrong.

²¹ ‘But, if I am really ungodly,
In my soul, I remain unaware…
Though my life has been taken away.

²² ‘I’ve said: The mighty kill in their rage;
²³ And for the vile, death isn’t uncommon.
They’re the ones that laugh at the righteous
²⁴ When they’re handed to those that are Godless.
For He covers the eyes of the judges…
And if He doesn’t do it, who does?

²⁵ ‘O that my soul was as light as a sprinter…
Yet, my days have passed by without notice.
²⁶ Can my ship still be seen on the horizon
By eagles in search of their prey?

²⁷ ‘So to you here before me, I’ll say:
If I’d just forget about speaking,
Then bow my head and just moan;
²⁸ And if I’d just let my limbs shiver,
Wouldn’t you still find me guilty?

²⁹ ‘But, if I am someone who’s godless;
Why haven’t I already died?
³⁰ If I’d wash myself in the snow,
And if I scrubbed all the dirt from my hands,
³¹ You would still dip me in filth,
And even my clothes would detest me.

³² ‘Yet, you are men just like me
By whom I am judged and compared.
Before His Judgment Seat, we all stand together…
³³ Before the lawyers and accusers,
And in front of the One listens to both.

³⁴ ‘So, may He set me free from the [whip],
And may I not be twisted in fear.
³⁵ Then, I will speak and I won’t be afraid,
For I’m still unaware of my crimes.’

Chapter 10

¹ ‘Since my soul has become tired of moaning;
I’ll now tell Him how bad I now feel.
² Yes, to Jehovah, I’ll say:
Don’t tell me that I am ungodly…
So, why have You judged me that way?

³ ‘Would You think it good if I’d sinned,
Or if I’d disavowed the works of Your hands?
Why do You believe what the godless have said
⁴ And look at things as do humans?

‘When You look, do You see as men see?
⁵ Is Your existence like that of a man?
Are Your years as those of just men?

⁶ ‘Since You’ve searched for all my law breaking
And You’ve traced out all of my sins,
⁷ You must know that I’m not ungodly;
But, from Your hands, who can wrest me away?

⁸ ‘It was Your hands that made me and shaped me,
Then You turned around and You struck me.
⁹ O remember the day that You shaped me,
Then, stand me erect on the ground once again!

¹⁰ ‘You extracted me as though milking,
And then I was curdled like cheese.
¹¹ You put me together with meat, skin, and bones,
And then, with nerves, You entwined me.
¹² In mercy, You put life within me,
Then You watched over me and guarded my breath.

¹³ ‘You did all these things by Yourself;
And it’s a fact that You can do all…
There’s nothing that You cannot do.
¹⁴ So, if I should sin, please protect me…
Declare me free of law breaking.

¹⁵ ‘[Don’t count me] among the ungodly!
Yet, though I am righteous, I can’t raise my head;
For, I have become so dishonored.

¹⁶ ‘I’ve been caught like a lion for slaughter…
For You’ve turned around to destroy me.
¹⁷ You’ve disciplined me once again,
And dealt with me in great rage
By bringing these trials upon me.

¹⁸ ‘Why did you lead me out of the belly…
Why didn’t I die, so my eyes wouldn’t see
¹⁹ As one that had never been born?
Why wasn’t I just sent away…
Sent to the tomb as I came from the womb,
²⁰ And why have I lived for so many years?

‘Now, allow me to rest for a while
²¹ And go to the place where I will not return…
To a land that’s shrouded and dim…
²² A land that’s dark through the ages,
Where light and life can’t be seen.’

Chapter 11

¹ Then Zophar the Minaean spoke, saying:

² ‘This One who has so much to say
Should also listen in turn;
Is this one who’s so very-well spoken
Proclaiming himself to be just?

‘Those born of women that live just short lives
³ Are blest, because they have much less to say.

⁴ ‘Now, no one’s comparing himself to you,
And don’t try to say that your deeds are all pure…
That you’re blameless, as you’re standing before Him.

⁵ ‘O that Jehovah would speak
And tell you what He has to say.

⁶ ‘Should He speak to you of His wisdom?
His wisdom is so much greater than yours!
But if He did, you would know that what’s happened
Has come because of your sins against God.

⁷ ‘Search for the ways of Jehovah,
And you’ll find the Almighty’s prepared for your end.

⁸ ‘Because the heavens are ever so high;
What can you do and what do you know?

‘There are things much deeper than the place of the dead…
⁹ They’re longer than the span of the land,
And wider than the breadth of the seas.
¹⁰ And if He’d destroy all those on the earth,
Who could question His reason?

¹¹ ‘He knows the deeds of those that break laws,
And He doesn’t overlook their wrongdoing…
¹² Yet, men keep swimming in words.
For all men that are born of a woman,
Are no wiser than the desert’s wild burros.

¹³ ‘But, if you have a truly-pure heart,
And you can spread your hands out before Him;
¹⁴ Should He find that you have broken no laws,
And you’ve stayed a long way from injustice
(That you’ve kept it away from your home);
¹⁵ Your face would then have a shine…
Pure water would wash off your filth,
And you would have nothing to fear.

¹⁶ ‘You’d forget all your troubles like waves passing by,
And you’d have no reason for terror.
¹⁷ In the morning, your vows would be like the stars,
And at noon, your life would return.

¹⁸ ‘You’d have some hope, if you would comply,
And have peace in place of trouble and strife.
¹⁹ For you, there would be no more battles,
And many would turn and beg for your aid.

²⁰ ‘But for them, will come no salvation,
Since their only hope is destruction,
And the eyes of the godless will melt.’

Chapter 12

¹ Then Job spoke. He said:

² ‘Have you and the men that are with you
Reached the end of your wisdom?

³ ‘I too have a heart that’s like yours.
⁴ But it seems that a man who is righteous and just
Has only been born to be taunted!

⁵ ‘There’s a time appointed when each man must fall,
And for his house to be pillaged by crooks…
But, may the wicked not trust [in their ways].
For the guileless will [be given] support,
⁶ While [the bad] will be taught by God’s rage.

⁷ ‘You could ask the four-footed creatures
(If they could give you an answer),
Or ask the things that fly in the sky
(If they could give a report)
⁸ To explain all they know of the earth,
Or to even describe all the fish in the sea.

⁹ ‘Are there any among them that don’t realize
That they were made by God’s hand?
¹⁰ For, in His hands are the lives of all things,
As well as the spirits of men.

¹¹ ‘Men listen with their ears and examine each word,
Then they taste the meanings inside of their throats.

¹² ‘Wisdom is ancient and knowledge is old,
¹³ For from Him comes all wisdom and power…
Along with understanding and all good advice.

¹⁴ ‘So, if He chooses to tear something down,
Who can thereafter rebuild it?
And if He chooses to lock up a man,
Who can thereafter release him?

¹⁵ ‘If He should choose to hold back the rain,
All the lands would go dry.
But, He can also choose to release it,
To destroy them and wash them away.

¹⁶ ‘In Him, there’s both might and strength;
In Him, there is knowledge and all comprehension.
¹⁷ He strips council away from advisors,
And He [can also make fools of] earth’s judges.

¹⁸ ‘He’s the One that sets kings on their thrones
And who ties a sash ‘round their waists.
¹⁹ But He’s also the One that sends priests off as slaves,
And can wipe away all the mighty.

²⁰ ‘The lips of the honest, He understands,
And the words of the elders, He knows.
²¹ Upon rulers, He can pour out dishonor,
While to those that are humble, He heals.

²² ‘He uncovers the darkness of very deep things,
And from the shadow of death, He can lead into light.

²³ ‘He destroys the nations that stray,
And He cuts down those that mislead them.
²⁴ He knows the hearts of the rulers of lands,
And He leads them in ways they don’t know.

²⁵ ‘So, may they corrupt the darkness, not light…
May they wander as though they were drunk.

Chapter 13

¹ ‘{Look!} I’ve seen such things with my eyes,
And I’ve heard such things with my ears.

² ‘I know the same things that all of you know,
And I have as much sense as do you.
³ Thus, I will speak before God,
And I’ll scold you, if He will allow it.

⁴ ‘For, you have been unrighteous doctors,
And as healers, you’ve done a very poor job.
⁵ So, it would be a blessing if you would stay still…
Yes, that would be the course that is wise.

⁶ ‘Now, hear these things that I’ll tell you,
And heed the judgments that come from my lips.

⁷ ‘Aren’t you speaking here before God,
And before Him, aren’t you being deceitful?
⁸ Isn’t it time for you to back off;
For, aren’t you just judging yourselves?

⁹ ‘If He should choose to examine your tracks
And pay attention to all that you do,
¹⁰ Then discipline you for the [bad] things you’ve done…
You’d worry that He sees all your secrets.

¹¹ ‘Wouldn’t He spin you in His awesome power…
Wouldn’t fear of Him overcome you?
¹² For your prancing would then become ashes,
And your bodies would turn back to clay.

¹³ ‘So, stay still as I pour out my rage;
¹⁴ For, I’ll grab my flesh with my teeth now,
And hold myself with my hands.

¹⁵ ‘But, if the Almighty should grab me,
I would still speak to Him and complain…
¹⁶ I’d argue that I should be spared,
For He’d not find me guilty of evil.

¹⁷ ‘Listen to me… hear my words,
For I’ll shout them into your ears!
¹⁸ Look at me… yes, gaze upon me!
For, as I stand here before you in judgment,
I know that you’ll not call me righteous…
¹⁹ Yet, the One that’s my judge is impartial.

‘Now, I’ll say nothing more, because I am through,
²⁰ And I’ll allow you two things to finish me off…
Then I’ll go and hide from your presence.
²¹ But, keep your hands at a distance,
And give me no reason to fear you.

²² ‘You can call out to me and I’ll listen;
So, speak and I’ll give a reply.
²³ Of how many sins am I guilty,
And how many laws have I broken?
Yes, tell me just what they have been!

²⁴ ‘What are you hiding from me,
And why do you think I am lesser than you?
²⁵ Will you avoid me like leaves in the wind,
Or face me like grass in the air?

²⁶ ‘Against me, you’ve written so many bad things,
And accused me of sins that are common to youth…
²⁷ You’ve opposed me, although I am righteous.
But by now, you’ve examined all of my deeds,
And to the roots of my feet, you have reached.

²⁸ ‘Yet, I have been aging [so quickly],
And I look like a bag made of leather,
Or like a robe that’s been eaten by moths.’

Chapter 14

¹ ‘For men born of women, life is too short,
And our lives are too filled with rage…
² Then we drop like flowers that have blossomed,
And escape like shadows that have passed.

³ ‘But, you have required an accounting of me,
And though I’ve stood in judgment before You;
⁴ Which [of you] can claim that you’re free of all filth…
I am sure there is not one among you!

⁵ ‘Men live but a day on the earth,
And we count off the months of our lives
Until we reach the time we’re allowed…
[A time that] we cannot pass by.
⁶ Therefore, leave me alone so that I can be still,
And think well of the work that I’ve done.

⁷ ‘For a tree, there’s still hope after it’s cut,
Since it may blossom again;
For the sprouting of its shoots never fail,
⁸ Though its roots may be old in the ground.
Yet, even rocks will grow old,
And even the stones melt away.

⁹ ‘When the trunk of a tree can smell water,
It will blossom and fruit once again,
As though it were something that’s new.
¹⁰ But, when a man reaches his end,
That will not be undone…
When he falls, he no longer exists.

¹¹ ‘In time, even the seas will be gone,
And all the rivers will become barren and dry.
¹² But,when man goes to sleep, he won’t rise again
Until [the stars] are all sewn together…
From that sleep, we never awaken.

¹³ ‘O that in the grave, You’d hide me and guard me
Until all Your anger has passed.
Please order a time to be set for me,
When You’ll mention my name once again.

¹⁴ ‘Can a man live again after he dies,
Once the days of his life have all past?
As for me; I’ll wait ‘til I live again,
¹⁵ When You’ll call out to me and I’ll hear You…
Please don’t undo the work of Your hands!

¹⁶ ‘You’ve counted all the things that I’ve done in my life,
And none of my sins have You overlooked.
¹⁷ So, take all the laws that I’ve broken,
Then seal them up in a bag,
And [remove] the ones that I meant not to do.

¹⁸ ‘A mountain will fall into ruin,
And a rock wears out where it stands.
¹⁹ In water, even stones become smooth,
And floods wash away the earth’s cliffs.
This is how You’ve destroyed the lengths of men’s lives…
²⁰ You stab them through and they die…
You just turn Your face and they’re gone.

²¹ ‘We don’t know how many descendants we’ll have,
And we’re unaware if they’re few.
²² For, our flesh just knows aches and pains,
And in mourning, our lives have been spent.’

Chapter 15

¹ Then EliPhaz the Temanite spoke. He said:

² ‘May I reply to a man that’s so wise,
And in a spirit that he understands…
Who’s known misery since he came from the womb,
³ But, who scolds with words that will never be true,
And with things that will never bring profit?

⁴ ‘Have you forgotten your fear
As you speak before God?
⁵ What has come from your mouth has proven your guilt;
For you’ve failed to examine the words of the great.
⁶ So, may your own mouth now correct you (not me);
Since against your own lips, you have spoken.

⁷ ‘Were you the first man to ever be born
Before the hills had been piled?
⁸ Did you hear how Jehovah arranged it,
And did God then ask your advice…
Did He gain all His wisdom from you?

⁹ ‘What do you know that we do not know,
And what do you see that we’ve missed?
¹⁰ For, we are each much older than you,
And we’ve lived more days than your father!

¹¹ ‘Because of your sins, you’ve been whipped just a bit,
And you’ve blown this all out of proportion!
¹² Dare you see with your eyes or examine with your heart,
How this rage has torn you away from the Lord,
¹³ By spewing such things from your mouth?

¹⁴ ‘Which man do you know that is free from all blame
Among those that from women are born?
¹⁵ For, [God] trusts not even the holy…
Before Him, the heavens aren’t pure!
¹⁶ And the filth of man is disgusting…
He sucks unrighteousness down like a drink!

¹⁷ ‘So now, pay attention and I’ll give my report…
Yes, I will announce what I’ve seen,
¹⁸ And mention the things that the wise men have said…
Things that from their sons, they’ve not hidden.

¹⁹ ‘This land was once given to our fathers
When there were no strangers among them.
²⁰ And for the ungodly, there’s just been confusion,
While years have been added to the mighty.

²¹ ‘In times of peace, men listen in fear,
And this brings about their undoing.
²² So, may they not hope to return from the dark
When they’re gripped by hands made of iron.

²³ ‘For, the grain of vultures, they’ve now become,
As they await the death of their bodies…
The dark day that whisks them away,
²⁴ As by distress and disaster, they are sucked down,
And they fall like generals in battle.

²⁵ ‘It’s against Jehovah that they’ve raised their hands,
And before the Almighty, they have stiffened their necks.
²⁶ So, for their insolence, they’re forced to retreat,
And behind their shields, hide their thickness,
²⁷ Since their faces have been covered with fat,
And their thighs have become very flabby.

²⁸ ‘So, in abandoned cities, may they now lodge,
And in houses where people no longer live…
Where all those that once had been found there
Have now been carried away.

²⁹ ‘May they not be rich or keep what they own,
Or cast a shadow again on the ground,
³⁰ Nor may they flee from the darkness.

‘May their buds soon wither away…
May their flowers be taken by the wind.
³¹ May they not trust that they will survive,
For soon, they’ll have nothing at all.

³² ‘Corruption will prune them away,
So their branches won’t grow into trees.
³³ May they be gathered like unripened grapes,
And fall like blossoms that don’t become olives.

³⁴ ‘For the unrighteous, the judgment is death;
And for those taking bribes, their homes will be burned.
³⁵ This is all that comes from the womb…
To all that are born, just comes grief.
Emptiness is all that they will receive,
And in their guts, they must live with their lies.’

Chapter 16

¹ Then Job spoke, saying:

² ‘Things like this, I’ve heard all before;
And as those that should offer comfort,
You surely have done a poor job.

³ ‘Where is the order to your windy words,
And why do you bother to answer?

⁴ ‘Now, I’ll speak the same as you have been doing,
As though my life had been traded for yours.
Then, with my words, I’ll attack you,
And at you, I’ll now shake my head.

⁵ ‘O may my mouth be given the strength…
May the movement of my lips serve me well.
⁶ For, if I speak, my sores will not ache;
And if I would stay silent, could they hurt me less?

⁷ ‘Now, after He has worn me out,
You’ve latched onto this festering fool.
⁸ As I’m sitting here, I’ve proven what I’ve said,
And I’ve thrown back your lies in your faces.

⁹ ‘I’ve been debased by the One with whom I must deal,
And against me, He’s grinding His teeth.
The arrows of marauders have struck me,
¹⁰ And sharp darts from His eyes have been shot in my knees…
They’ve all arrived to attack me!

¹¹ ‘He’s handed me over to the unrighteous,
And delivered me to the ungodly.
¹² He’s removed my chance to ever make peace,
And as an example, He plucked the hair from my head.

¹³ ‘With their lances, they now have me surrounded,
And they’ve stabbed them into my kidneys…
They’ve done nothing at all that would spare me,
And they’ve poured my bile on the ground.

¹⁴ ‘They’ve knocked me down time and again…
They have attacked me and won!
¹⁵ Then, to my skin, they sewed sackcloth,
And my strength, they’ve driven into the ground.

¹⁶ ‘My belly now burns from my crying,
And my eyelids are darkened with shadows.
¹⁷ Yet, I am guilty of nothing at all,
And my hands are clean from the things that I’ve vowed.

¹⁸ ‘O ground, don’t cover the blood of my flesh,
And don’t allow room for my cries.

¹⁹ ‘Look; the heavens have served as my witness,
And the heights above testify for me.
²⁰ May the things that I beg reach up to Jehovah,
And may the tears from my eyes drip before Him.

²¹ ‘O that man might plead before God
As he would on behalf of a neighbor.
²² Yet, the days of my life have been counted and reached,
And from where I’m going, there is no return.’

Chapter 17

¹ ‘I’ve been destroyed and I’m borne on the wind…
I’ve begged to be buried and had no success.
² So I wearily ask, Just what have I done…
Have I stolen from strangers?
³ For, who has shackled my hands?

⁴ ‘From these men’s hearts, You’ve hidden all wisdom,
And You will never exalt them.
⁵ You’ll announce their badness to all,
And make the eyes of their sons melt away.

⁶ ‘But, among the nations, You’ve made me a joke;
And that’s why they’re laughing at me.
⁷ Yet, my eyes are now callused to their rage,
Since I’ve been attacked by them all.
⁸ But the righteous have wondered and asked:
Then, why can’t the just beat the lawless?

⁹ ‘O may the faithful maintain their [right] course,
And the hands of the clean receive courage.
¹⁰ Yes, may it all be established;
For among you here, I’ve found little truth.

¹¹ ‘In groaning, my days are now spent,
And the hopes of my heart have been ripped away.
¹² Night for me is now day,
As the face of darkness draws closer.

¹³ ‘Though I am still here, the grave is my home,
And I’ll make my bed where it’s dim.
¹⁴ For now, my father is death,
And decay is my mother and sisters.

¹⁵ ‘O what hope do I have,
And where will I ever find goodness?
¹⁶ Along with me, it has gone to its grave,
And we’ll all be buried together.’

Chapter 18

¹ Then Baldad the Shuhite spoke, saying:

² ‘When are you going to end it?
Stop for a while and let us speak too!
³ Why must we stay silent before you
Like beasts that walk on four feet?

⁴ ‘Anger has gotten the better of you…
So what, if you have to die!
Will all life under heaven then come to an end…
Will mountains be wiped from their bases?

⁵ ‘The light of the godless will soon be put out,
And his flame will be there no longer.
⁶ The light in his home will be darkness,
And his lamp will thereafter be gone.

⁷ ‘The least of men search for the things they once owned,
And they trip on their own good advice.
⁸ So, may his feet fall into a snare,
And in a net, may they get entangled.

⁹ ‘Yes, let him fall into a trap,
And may the snare hold him tighter.
¹⁰ For the trip line is hidden under the ground…
Yes, that which will grab and destroy him
Is already there in the road.

¹¹ ‘May grief surround and destroy him,
¹² And may hunger encircle his feet.
For him, a downfall has been prepared,
¹³ And the soles of his feet will be eaten away.

‘May death now consume his beautiful things,
¹⁴ And may the place of his healing be taken away…
For these things have happened by royal decree
¹⁵ That will camp in his tent throughout the night.

¹⁶ ‘May his beautiful things be covered with sulfur;
¹⁶ May his roots dry out underneath him.
May what he has reaped fall upon him,
¹⁷ And the memory of his face be wiped from the land.

¹⁸ ‘May he be pushed from the light into darkness…
¹⁹ May even his family forget his name.
May his house remain under the sky;
²⁰ But, may it be lived in by others.

‘For, though he once lived in wonder,
In the end, he just sits here and moans.
²¹ This is the home of someone unrighteous…
It’s the place where Jehovah is no longer known.’

Chapter 19

¹ Then Job spoke again and said:

² ‘How long are you going to weary my soul,
And demolish me with your words?
All you know is the things God has done,
³ And speak ill of me with no shame…
You just keep on pressing against me.

⁴ ‘It’s a fact that I’ve been misled,
And delusions are lodging within me.
For I’m speaking words that should never be said…
That mislead, and at the wrong time.

⁵ ‘Now you use me to look more important,
And you attack me in scorn.
⁶ But, know that the Lord is the One that’s disturbed…
He’s the One that built this fortress against me.
⁷ So look; I now laugh at your scorn!

‘Therefore, I will stop all this banter;
For if I shout, it won’t bring me justice.
⁸ I’m stuck in a circle through which I can’t pass,
And darkness now covers my face.
⁹ He has taken away all my glory,
And removed the garland that I wore on my head.

¹⁰ ‘He has pulled me apart and scattered [my bones];
I was marked and cut down like a tree.
¹¹ In His rage, He’s treated me badly,
As though I’d been His opposer.
¹² His marauders have gathered and attacked me,
And in an ambush, they have me surrounded.

¹³ ‘Now, all my brothers have left me,
Preferring strangers to me;
And my friends no longer feel pity,
Pretending that they do not know me.

¹⁴ ‘Those dearest to me have forgotten my name…
¹⁵ I’m a foreigner to all of my neighbors
And a stranger to the women that have served me.

¹⁶ ‘When I call to my servant, he doesn’t obey,
Though, with my mouth, I keep begging.
¹⁷ I call out to even my wife,
And call sweetly to my concubines’ sons.
¹⁸ But they listen not… they just stand there.

¹⁹ ‘Those that once knew me, dislike me,
And those I once loved, now oppose me.
²⁰ For, my skin and flesh are festered with sores,
And my teeth have come loose from my jaws.

²¹ ‘Please show mercy… show mercy my friends;
For the hand of Jehovah has touched me!
²² Why treat me the same as Jehovah has done…
Aren’t you filled enough with my flesh?

²³ ‘May my words be written down in a scroll,
And be preserved through the ages.
²⁴ With a pen of iron, inscribe them on lead,
And may they be set within stone.

²⁵ ‘For I know that the One who made me this weak
Has walked ‘round the earth through the ages;
²⁶ And it’s due to Him, that my skin has grown tired…
I’m worn out because of Jehovah.

²⁷ ‘All I’m aware of and seen with my eyes,
Has happened to me, not to others.
²⁸ But, what can I ask and what can I say…
Is the root of my problem in Him?

²⁹ ‘Please turn around and send me what’s good,
Or just cover me over.
May Your rage be sent to the lawless instead…
May they be the ones that reap this reward.’

Chapter 20

¹ Then Zophar the Minaean spoke, saying:

² ‘So far, I’ve not disagreed
With any of the words that you’ve spoken,
Since we both view things in much the same way.
³ So I’ll heed your instructions that shame me,
And note the spirit of your reply.

⁴ ‘But, haven’t you known about all these things…
That since man was put on this earth,
⁵ The irreverent one’s glee brings his downfall,
And the joy of lawbreakers brings their destruction?

⁶ ‘For, even if his gifts should ascend to the heavens,
And his offerings should reach to the clouds;
⁷ When he thinks that all’s going well,
That’s when he’ll meet with his end.

‘Then, those that know him will ask where he is.
⁸ But like dreams, he’ll no longer be found.
⁹ From then on, all eyes will overlook him,
And no one will note where he’s been.

¹⁰ ‘Though his sons once destroyed weaker [peoples],
And their hands lit fires that brought others grief…
¹¹ Their bones that once held the vigor of youth
Will make their beds under the ground.

¹² ‘For, evil was sweet in their mouths,
So they hid it under their tongues.
¹³ It wasn’t left or abandoned,
But they brought it up from their throats.

¹⁴ ‘So, now they can’t help themselves;
For, the poison of asps is inside of their guts.
¹⁵ And all the wealth that they’ve unjustly gained
Will be collected and vomited out,
As angels drag them out of their homes.

¹⁶ ‘May they have to endure the rage of wild beasts…
May the tongues of snakes now destroy them.
¹⁷ May they never again see cows being milked,
Or see pastures of butter and honey.

¹⁸ ‘Then their wealth will seem empty and vain,
And for such things, they will lose all their taste,
Since they’ll become too tough to be chewed,
And they’ll find that they can’t take it with them.

¹⁹ ‘And though they once crushed the homes of the mighty,
And by force, taken their houses;
What they have will be no longer theirs…
²⁰ For, what they owned, will no longer be safe,
And they won’t keep the things that they loved.

²¹ ‘For them, there’ll be no more food,
And good things will no longer blossom.
²² Though they once had [all they desired],
Problems arose and then it was cursed.

²³ ‘When they’ve had enough to fill up their bellies,
God sends someone else to succeed them.
So, may He now send His anger and rage,
And upon them, pour out floods of grief.

²⁴ ‘From hands of iron, may they not be saved…
May they be shot through by brass bows.
²⁵ May the arrows go clean through their bodies,
And may fear then walk through their homes.

²⁶ ‘May they have to wait in the darkness,
To be burned by the fire of the ages.
May strangers bring what’s bad to their homes;
²⁷ May the heavens uncover all their lawless deeds;
And may the ground rise up against them.

²⁸ ‘May their homes be destroyed ‘til the end,
And may the day of rage come upon them.
²⁹ For, this is what the irreverent get…
It’s their reward from the One that keeps watch.’

Chapter 21

¹ Then Job spoke, saying:

² ‘Listen to me… hear my words!
I don’t need such comfort from you!
³ Now, please help me up, and I’ll speak;
For, I won’t accept such abuse!

⁴ ‘Since it’s by men that I’m being accused,
Don’t I have a good reason for rage?

⁵ ‘Why are you looking at me in such wonder,
As you put your hands under your jaws?
⁶ When I try to think of a reason,
I tend to be a bit quick to conclude,
Because of the grief in my flesh.

⁷ ‘Why do the godless continue to live,
And why do they grow rich and old?
⁸ For, they plant whatever their souls might desire,
And their children are there in front of their eyes.

⁹ ‘Their houses continue to prosper,
And they don’t seem to know any fear;
For they fail to feel the whip of the Lord.

¹⁰ ‘None of their cattle are stillborn,
And their pregnant are also protected;
So, none of them stumble or fall.

¹¹ ‘Their sheep remain through the ages,
And their children are playing before them.
¹² They hold their flutes to their mouths,
And enjoy sacred hymns strummed on harps.

¹³ ‘For as long as they live, they have good things…
Then they lie down to rest in the grave.
¹⁴ They say that God doesn’t see,
Since they’ve chosen not to know of His ways.

¹⁵ ‘So, why should we continue to serve Him…
For us, what good does it do,
¹⁶ Since He doesn’t inspect godless hands;
So, they’re always filled with what’s good?

¹⁷ ‘But, their lamps will soon be extinguished…
Their reward is to feel the pain of His rage.
¹⁸ They’ll be like straw that’s blown in the wind,
And as clouds of dust in a storm.

¹⁹ ‘May their possessions and sons all be lost,
And may they know that God has repaid them.
²⁰ May they see their slaughter with their own eyes,
When God won’t be there to save them.
²¹ Then, what joy will they have in their homes
When they see that their months have been numbered?

²² ‘Doesn’t Jehovah send wisdom?
For who else gives people their insight…
Isn’t it He the One that makes judges wise?

²³ ‘Yet, this one dies doing just as he wished,
Enjoying prosperity and pleasure…
²⁴ Full, fat, and filled up with marrow.
²⁵ While another ends life with what’s bitter,
Having never tasted what’s good.
²⁶ Then they both go to sleep in the ground;
And with decay, they’re both covered.

²⁷ ‘So, I know what you’ll say as you’re pressuring me:
²⁸ Where are the houses where princes will live
And safe tents where the godless will dwell?

²⁹ ‘Ask those passing by on the roads, and you’ll see
That the signs are all very clear;
³⁰ For the day of destruction will come
When He will enlighten the wicked…
And in that day of His rage, they’ll be gone.

³¹ ‘Then, to their faces, He’ll accuse them,
And speak of the bad things they’ve done.
Yes, He will come to repay them
³² As they lie awake upon heaps of trash,
And then, to their tombs, they’ll be led.

³³ ‘In gravel, thereafter, they will be covered,
As other men come to see them…
Yes, they’ll come in great numbers to stand there.

³⁴ ‘So, why waste your time to offer me comfort,
Since you have done nothing to bring any rest!’

Chapter 22

¹ Then EliPhaz the Temanite spoke, saying:

² ‘Doesn’t wisdom and understanding come from the Lord?
³ So, why should He be concerned
If what you’ve been doing is pure?

‘What good [do you think] it would do Him
If all of your ways had been clean?
⁴ Will He discipline you for the things that you say,
Or join with you in your judgments?

⁵ ‘Haven’t you done many bad things…
Could anyone count all your sins?
⁶ Haven’t you taken what your brothers need
Without any justification?
Haven’t you claimed the clothes of the naked…
⁷ Refused to give water to the thirsty…
And taken scraps of food from the famished?

⁸ ‘You’ve shown favor to the faces of some,
While you removed the poor from their land.
⁹ You’ve sent away widows with nothing at all,
And orphans, you have treated badly.
¹⁰ So, the snares that you’ve set have now captured you,
And this is why such a war has arrived.

¹¹ ‘So, light for you is now darkness,
And when you sleep, you’re covered in dew.
¹² For the Living One is paying attention,
And He humbles those that think themselves high.

¹³ ‘You’ve asked, What does the Almighty know?
And, Can He judge what happens in darkness?
¹⁴ He’s concealed by the clouds, so He can’t be seen
As He travels across the arc of the sky!

¹⁵ ‘You can’t guard the roads of the ages,
Which have been walked by the righteous
¹⁶ Who were taken away in untimely [deaths],
Like rivers overflowing their banks!
¹⁷ Yet, even they had once asked,
What will God do to us…
Yes, what will the Almighty bring?

¹⁸ ‘He’s the One that filled their homes with good things,
While the council of the the Godless, He has pushed away.
¹⁹ The righteous all laugh when they see this,
And the blameless sneer at such ones.
²⁰ For, their supports will soon vanish,
And their clothes will be burned up in fire.

²¹ ‘So you must be strong if you want to survive,
And then you’ll receive your reward
For all the good things that you’ve done.
²² Remove all the [bad] from your mouth,
And keep His words in your heart!

²³ ‘Turn back and be humbled by God,
And stay away from wrongdoing!
²⁴ Then you’ll lay away gold as though it were dust
From the rivers of Ophir…
²⁵ The Almighty will then watch over you,
And you will have plenty of silver.

²⁶ ‘So, confess [your sins] to Jehovah,
And look to the heavens in joy.
²⁷ Make vows to Him and He’ll listen to you,
Then He’ll give you the strength to do as you’ve vowed
²⁸ And restore you to a righteous condition,
So your ways can be bright once again.

²⁹ ‘For, those that humble themselves
Will admit that they’ve been too proud;
And [God] will save those that are humble.
³⁰ Yes, He’ll rescue those free from guilt…
But first, you must keep your hands clean!’

Chapter 23

¹ Then Job spoke, saying:

² ‘I know for a fact that my change of state
Is something that’s out of my hands.
For, it’s His hand that has been heavy on me,
And He is the source of my moaning.
³ So who knows if I’ll ever find Him again,
And bring these things to a conclusion.

⁴ ‘Now, on myself, I’ll pass judgment,
And with scolding words, I will fill my mouth.
⁵ Then I’ll learn the cure, for He’ll show it to me…
I’ll understand, because He’ll explain it!

⁶ ‘He’ll come to me with great strength,
And I know He won’t do so unsurely.
⁷ He’ll send me truth and correction,
And bring an end to my case.

⁸ ‘But, if I should be the first one to go,
And if I should no longer be;
How could I know how it ends?

⁹ ‘With His left hand, He acts… I can’t stop Him;
And what He covers with His right, I can’t see.
¹⁰ He already knows all my ways;
For He’s searched me through as though I were gold.

¹¹ ‘My feet have walked in His footsteps…
I’ve kept His ways and not swerved.
¹² I have never rejected commands from His lips,
And I’ve held in esteem the words from His mouth.
¹³ But, if He has judged me as guilty,
Who can say that He’s wrong?

¹⁴ ‘So I’ve always turned toward Him quickly,
And when I’m corrected, I keep Him in mind.
¹⁵ For, grave are the things that come from His face…
They’re things that leave me in terror.

¹⁶ ‘Yet, Jehovah has softened my heart…
The Almighty has moved me to action.
¹⁷ For, I never suspected that darkness would come
And that before my face, all would go dim.

Chapter 24

¹ ‘Why hasn’t Jehovah noticed this time
² When the godless are overrunning our borders…
Those that seize both the shepherds and sheep?

³ ‘From the orphans, they’ve taken their burros,
And the cows upon which the widows relied.
⁴ They keep the disabled from walking upright,
So the gentle of the land must run off and hide.

⁵ ‘They act like burros that stray into fields
And find the bread of infants delicious.
⁶ They harvest in fields not their own,
And reap it before it is ripe.

‘The godless hire the disabled
And put them to work in their vineyards…
But then, they don’t pay them or feed them!
⁷ They leave them naked, without any clothes,
And they take all they need to survive.
⁸ So, in mountain mists, such poor ones must bathe,
And hide in the rocks for protection.

⁹ ‘They then snatch away babies…
They take them away from the breasts
In payment for debts that are owed.
¹⁰ They mistreat and rest on the naked,
And take scraps of food from the famished.

¹¹ ‘In alleys, they lie in wait to do harm,
And righteous ways, they don’t know.
¹² They throw people from their homes in the cities,
And bring moaning to the lives of their children.

¹³ ‘So, why does the One that is watching
Fail to act on this earth,
While people like this just ignore Him,
Disregarding all that is just
And taking the easiest way?

¹⁴ ‘In the cover of darkness, they murder,
And during the night, they break in and steal.

¹⁵ ‘The adulterer waits for darkness and says:
They’ll not know that my eyes will be watching.
And as he keeps his face hidden,
He carves peepholes in homes in the night.

¹⁶ ‘Then, during the day, he locks himself in,
So he never comes to know light.
¹⁷ For at dawn, he would see the shadow of death,
And observe the bad things it brings…
¹⁸ But when he looks in the water, he still sees a good face.

‘May his portion on the earth forever be cursed,
And may all that he plants wither and dry…
¹⁹ For he even grabs arms of the orphans!

²⁰ ‘So, [please] remember his sins!
Like fog, may he soon pass away,
And may he vanish like dew.

‘Please repay him for all that he’s done…
Like rotting wood, may he just waste away.
²¹ For, those with no sons, he’s mistreated,
And he shows no mercy to those that need aid.

²² ‘The disabled, he’s knocked to the ground in his rage;
So, no man’s life can ever feel secure.
²³ Thus, may he get sick and never be healed…
And may his illness then lead to his death!

²⁴ ‘Since many are harmed by his arrogant ways,
Like mallows, may he wither in heat…
Like an ear of grain that just falls on its own.

²⁵ ‘If such things aren’t so, then say that I’ve lied,
And disregard all that I’ve said.’

Chapter 25

¹ Then Baldad the Shuhite spoke and said:

² ‘What kind of insight and fear does he have…
This one that makes it sound so important?

³ ‘Let’s not think that [God] will save us from robbers
Or that we will never be ambushed.
⁴ For, which man can say he’s righteous to God…
Can men born of women make themselves pure?

⁵ ‘[God] can order the moon not to shine,
And before Him, the stars are impure.
⁶ [So to Him], all mankind is rotten,
And the sons of men are like worms.’

Chapter 26

¹ Then Job spoke, saying:

² ‘Who are the ones that are closest to you…
Those whom you’d turn to for aid?
Aren’t they the ones that are mighty…
Those with great muscled arms?

³ ‘To whom do you turn when you need advice…
Isn’t it to those that are known to be wise?
And whom do you chose to follow…
Isn’t it those that have power?

⁴ So, to whom are you speaking these words,
And whose breath is now coming from you?
⁵ Will giants start acting like midwives
And go under the water for neighbors?

⁶ ‘For, the grave lies naked before Him,
And He’s wrapped in a robe of destruction.
⁷ He stretches the north wind on nothing,
And on nothing, He has hung the earth.

⁸ ‘He takes water and binds it in clouds;
Yet, the bottoms of the clouds never rip.
⁹ And He hides the face of [the moon]
By spreading the clouds as its cover.

¹⁰ ‘By His order, the sea’s face is round,
From where the light reaches to darkness.
¹¹ The columns of the skies, He’s spread all around,
And they shake when they hear of His rage.

¹² ‘By His might, He settled the seas in their beds,
And in wisdom, He spread it for whales.
¹³ Of Him, the bolts in the skies stand in awe,
And by His order, the dragon defector is killed.

¹⁴ ‘{Look!} These are just a small part of His ways;
For when He breathes a word, we will listen!
So, who knows when He will bring change…
When He’ll bring the strength of His thunder?’

Chapter 27

¹ Then Job continued in his own defense.

² ‘As God lives; He’s the One that has judged me…
It’s the Almighty that has made my life bitter.
³ But, as long as my spirit is in me
And the Divine One’s Breath remains in my nose;
⁴ My lips won’t speak lawless things,
And my life won’t contemplate wrong;
⁵ For, such things bring the sentence of death!

‘I’m not saying that I’m free from blame…
⁶ But, I’ll cling to what’s right and never let go,
For, I know when I’m doing what’s wrong.

⁷ ‘May my enemies disappear with the godless
And my opposers be destroyed with lawbreakers.

⁸ ‘What kind of hope have the godless?
Do they think they’ll be saved by Jehovah…
⁹ That God will hear what they pray,
Or He’ll come when they are in need?
¹⁰ Can they stand before Him securely
As those that can call and be heard?

¹¹ ‘I’ll tell you of the things [God] holds in His hands…
I won’t lie about the Almighty.
¹² {Look!} For, He piles what’s foolish on the foolish…
¹³ This is what the impious will get from the Lord,
And it’s what their most mighty receive.

¹⁴ ‘Should the Almighty One come to their aid,
And should the sons [of the wicked] grow many? No!
Their purpose is just to be slaughtered,
And they’ll beg to be allowed to grow into men.
¹⁵ But, those that remain will die of the plague,
And on their widows, none will show mercy.

¹⁶ ‘If they gather silver as though it were dirt,
And set aside gold as though mortar;
¹⁷ The righteous will [soon] own these things,
And those that are true will control it.

¹⁸ ‘Then his house will belong to the moths
And to the cobwebs of spiders.
¹⁹ The rich man will sleep and not rise again…
He’ll be dead, though his eyes are wide open.

²⁰ ‘Grief will pour on him like water,
And dark will overtake him during the night.
²¹ A burning wind will snatch him away,
And like chaff, he’ll be blown from his place.

²² ‘He’ll be sent where no one can save him…
By [God’s] hands, he’ll be taken to exile.
²³ Then, all men will be clapping their hands,
And they’ll whistle at him from wherever they are.’

Chapter 28

¹ ‘There is a place where silver is mined,
And a place where gold is refined.
² Men take iron out of the ground,
And copper is quarried like stones.
³ This is how He’s established an order for darkness,
And precisely set all its limits.

‘Like the darkness [that’s inside a mine]…
So is the shadow of death.
⁴ And as they [pan gold] in fast-running streams,
The ways of the just are discovered…
By mortal men, they are sifted.
⁵ Even our bread comes out of the ground
As though roasted in fires down below.

⁶ ‘There are places where sapphires are found,
And places where gold may be mined.
⁷ There are also roads that birds do not know…
By the eyes of eagles, they’re overlooked.
⁸ They haven’t been walked by sons of the rich,
Nor have lions ever been there.

⁹ ‘For, He sticks out His hand and chisels a place,
And the roots of mountains, He overturns.
¹⁰ The banks of rivers, He has destroyed…
And my eyes have beheld such great things.

¹¹ ‘The depths of rivers, He has laid bare,
And in the [day]light, He’s shown all their might.
¹² But, where can wisdom be found,
And what is the source of great knowledge?

¹³ ‘For, no man really knows of its ways,
Since such ways can’t be found among men.
¹⁴ Says the abyss, It’s not found in me,
And says the sea, Nor in me!
¹⁵ So, no one can make an investment in it,
And with silver, it cannot be bought.

¹⁶ ‘It can’t be compared to all Ophir’s gold,
Nor to precious onyx or sapphires.
¹⁷ With [diamonds] and gold, it can’t be compared,
And it can’t be bought with gold coins.

¹⁸ ‘I won’t compare it to crystals or coral,
For wisdom is higher than all we could want.
¹⁹ To topaz from Etheopia, it can’t be compared,
Nor can it be equaled by the finest of gold.

²⁰ ‘So, where can wisdom be found,
And from where comes great understanding?
²¹ It escapes the notice of every man,
And it’s hidden from the birds in the skies.

²² ‘Thus, say the days of destruction and death:
We have heard of its fame,
²³ For, God speaks well its ways,
And He alone knows where it is found.

²⁴ ‘He looks down from the heavens above,
And from there, He passes inspection…
For He sees all that happens throughout the earth.

²⁵ ‘He also weighs the things that He makes…
He’s measured the wind and the water…
²⁶ When He made them, He saw them and counted it all,
Then He made a way for the thunder.

²⁷ ‘He saw [what He made] and described it…
The One that prepared it has tracked all its ways,
²⁸ And this is what He’s concluded:
{Look!} Wisdom is being like God,
And higher knowledge is staying away from what’s bad.’

Chapter 29

¹ Then Job continued, saying this:

² ‘O that He’d let me return,
Back to that month once again…
To those days when He watched over me,
And His lamp was lit over my head,
³ By His light, I traveled through darkness,
⁴ As I walked down the streets in importance,
And when God watched over my house…
⁵ When I was exceedingly plump,
And I had all my children around me…
⁶ When all that I did poured like butter that’s warm,
And mountainous things poured like milk…
⁷ When, in the morning, I entered the city,
And they’d set a chair for me in the square.

⁸ ‘Before me, the young ran and hid,
And the elders arose in respect.
⁹ Stout men would all stop their speaking,
And place their fingers over their mouths.

¹⁰ ‘Then, all that listened said I was blest,
And their tongues would stick in their throats.
¹¹ With their ears, they listened and praised me,
And when they saw me, they all stepped aside.
¹² For I rescued the poor from the hands of the mighty,
And to helpless orphans, I supplied aid.

¹³ ‘So, you that are dying; please praise me again…
May the mouths of the widows praise me once more!
¹⁴ For, I once dressed up to give justice
In a robe doubled over;
¹⁵ Then I served as eyes for the blind,
As well as feet for the lame…
¹⁶ And to the disabled, I became like a father.

‘When I didn’t know the right thing to do,
It worked out well anyhow.
¹⁷ I broke the molars of the unrighteous,
And I snatched their prey from their teeth.

¹⁸ ‘I said: I’ll grow old and round like the trunk of a palm,
And I will live for many more years;
¹⁹ For my roots have reached deep to the water,
And on my harvest, the dew always settles.

²⁰ ‘Back then, my glory meant little to me;
For, I had entrusted my bow to His hands.
²¹ Then, men would pay close attention to me,
And stay silent as I offered council.

²² ‘When I was speaking, they never spoke;
And they were joyful whenever I talked…
²³ As the ground enjoys rain when it’s thirsty,
That’s how they thought of my words.

²⁴ ‘For at them, I never laughed…
Which is why they trusted my council.
For the light of my face was before them,
²⁵ And I showed them the right ways to go.
So, I was always their prince.
And though I camped like a king ‘midst his army,
I remembered to comfort the mourning.’

Chapter 30

¹ ‘Now, even their least are laughing at me;
And those whose fathers I’ve viewed with contempt
Now dare to give me correction…
Those whom I once thought unworthy
To serve as dogs to watch over my flocks.

² ‘So, what value is the strength of their hands before me,
Since their vigor has already perished?
³ They’re in need and hungry, with nothing…
They’re miserable, like those that flee from a war
To hide in a place with no water!

⁴ ‘They stand on the shore and pick seaweed;
For, plants from the sea are their grain.
They have no honor, and nothing to give;
They’re looked on as worthless and lacking all good.

‘In hunger, they’ve gnawed upon tree roots…
⁵ These that have risen against me like thieves…
⁶ Those that once burrowed in rocks.

⁷ ‘But now, they look for places to yell
(Such ones with homes made of sticks).
⁸ They’re the sons of dishonored fools,
Whose fame will be wiped from the land.

⁹ ‘Yet now, they’re strumming their harps about me…
I’m the topic of all their discussions.
¹⁰ They dislike me and stay far away,
And into my face, they now spit.

¹¹ ‘For [God’s] opened His quiver and shot me,
Then He led me away from His presence.

¹² ‘So, the hands of their sons have risen against me…
They stick out their legs and kick me!
¹³ They’ve wiped my ways from their wicked paths,
And they’ve taken the clothes that I wore.

‘For, He’s run me through with His spear,
¹⁴ And He’s judged me the way that He wished.
Thus, with anguish, I’m now befouled,
¹⁵ And all of my grief has returned.
My hope has passed by like the wind,
And my salvation has faded like clouds.

¹⁶ ‘So, may my life soon be poured out,
Since I’ve had enough days of this grief.
¹⁷ All night long, my bones are burning within me,
And my nerves are broken and shattered.
¹⁸ With great power, my robe has been wrinkled…
And within its folds, I’ve been wrapped.

¹⁹ ‘So, now you treat me like dirt,
And think that ashes are all I deserve.
²⁰ Though I’ve cried out to you, you don’t listen…
You just stand and think of my plight.

²¹ ‘Together, you’ve joined to attack me,
And with mighty hands, you have whipped me.
²² You’ve handed me over to grief
And removed any hope of salvation.

²³ ‘I know that death will soon wipe me away,
For the ground is the home of all mortals.
²⁴ So, should I consider killing myself,
Or ask someone else to do it?

²⁵ ‘Though I’ve cried over all the disabled,
And moaned when I saw people in need,
²⁶ I’m still waiting for good things to come,
And I hope for good days, not bad.

²⁷ ‘My belly is noisy and rumbles,
As more days of suffering confront me.
²⁸ I’m moaning because of discomfort,
And among the gathering, I weep.

²⁹ ‘To trapped demons, I’m now a brother,
And to the ostrich, I am a companion.
³⁰ My skin has become very dark,
As my bones continue to swelter in heat.

³¹ ‘So in mourning, I now strum my harp,
And my hymns are all about weeping for me.

Chapter 31

¹ ‘I’ve made a vow that my eyes
Will not pay attention to virgins.
² For, what I have, came from God up above…
It’s the inheritance of what the Almighty saw fit.

³ ‘To the godless comes woe and destruction,
And those that break laws are alone.
⁴ So, why won’t He look at my ways
And count all the footsteps I’ve taken?
⁵ For, I haven’t traveled with those that play jokes,
And my feet haven’t rushed to do evil.
⁶ So, I can now step on a scale
And prove myself just in the balance.

‘For, Jehovah knows that I haven’t done wrong
⁷ And my feet haven’t turned from His way
(Though my eyes often follow my heart),
And my hands have never touched bribes.
⁸ Yet, what I have planted, others now eat…
I no longer have roots in the ground.

⁹ ‘If my heart had followed another man’s wife,
And if I had stood in wait at her door;
¹⁰ May my wife then please other men,
And my babies be humbled thereafter.
¹¹ For, the One that dirties another man’s wife
Should receive [God’s] unrestrained anger.
¹² May a fire burn in all of his parts,
And may he be destroyed to his roots.

¹³ ‘If I’ve disregarded what I owe my servants,
And if my maids ever had to beg before me;
¹⁴ What could I say to my God
When I am beaten by Him…
When He visits, how could I reply?
¹⁵ For, weren’t they also born from a womb…
Didn’t they come from the belly?

¹⁶ ‘But the disabled and needy never missed out,
And the eyes of the widows weren’t wasted.
¹⁷ For, when I ate my food all alone,
I always set some aside for the orphans.
¹⁸ Like a father, I fed them the food from my mouth,
And I led them as though from my own mother’s womb.

¹⁹ ‘If I hadn’t provided for those without clothes,
²⁰ Or to the disabled, failed to give aid,
Unless they gave me a blessing;
Or if I’d refused to take my lamb’s wool
And used it to warm up their shoulders;
²¹ If I failed to lift a hand to aid orphans,
Or helped those that trusted in me to give aid;
²² May my shoulders be pulled from my collars
And my arms be broken at the elbows.

²³ ‘It was the fear of Jehovah that caused me to act;
For, without His care, I couldn’t endure.
²⁴ If I had trusted in gold for my strength,
Or in gems, had put all my trust;
²⁵ If I [did these things] to make myself rich,
Or to get my hands on great treasure;
²⁶ May my eyes see the sun growing dim,
And the moon, as it’s starting to darken.

²⁷ ‘So, if my heart has deceived me,
And if I’ve secretly [kissed] my own hand;
²⁸ May this be considered the worst of my crimes,
For I’ve lied to the Most High, Jehovah.

²⁹ ‘If I rejoiced at my enemy’s fall,
And if I’d said in my heart, Well done;
³⁰ Then, let my ears hear the curses I’m due,
And may everyone speak of my badness.

³¹ ‘I’ve never said to my female attendants,
Please give me some of your flesh!
³² Nor have I forgotten the need to be kind,
And to lodge strangers, my door was kept open.

³³ ‘Unintentional sins, I’ve not hidden,
And I’ve never been swayed by the masses.
³⁴ The disabled, I’ve never turned from my door,
Or with empty stomachs, sent them away.

³⁵ ‘So, please may I find a person to listen…
Someone in awe of the hand of the Lord!
For I’ve never sent anyone bills,
³⁶ Nor read what they owed me while wearing a crown.
³⁷ I just tore up [the debts] and returned them,
Without getting whatever they owed.

³⁸ ‘Have I given the ground a reason to moan…
Have I given her furrows reasons to weep?
³⁹ If I have taken some of her strength,
⁴⁰ And ate it alone without paying;
Or, if I’ve made the land’s owner mad,
And he has been bothered by this;
⁴¹ May my wheat just become stinging nettles,
And may my barley be turned into weeds.’

Well with that, Job stopped speaking.

Chapter 32

¹ Then, for a while, all got quiet, and Job’s three friends stopped contradicting him, for they started thinking that he was truly a righteous man. ² That’s when EliHu (the son of BarachiEl the Buzite, a descendant of Ram from Ausis) became very angry with Job for declaring himself righteous before God. ³ And he was also indignant with Job’s three friends, because they couldn’t give Job a reply and they found him to be a righteous man.

⁴ EliHu had patiently waited to give Job an answer, because the others were much older than him. ⁵ But when he saw that no more replies were coming from the mouths of these men, he became angry and went into a rage. ⁶ So, EliHu (the son of BarachiEl the Buzite) then said:
‘Because I am younger in years,
And you are much older than me;
I’ve chosen not to speak until now,
For I feared to say the things I must say.

⁷ I said:
This isn’t the time to speak out;
For, with their years, they have gained much more wisdom.
⁸ Yet, though there’s a spirit in humans,
The Almighty’s Breath does the teaching.
⁹ And since the wise don’t live long enough,
The old don’t always know what is right.

¹⁰ ‘Now, I beg you all to listen to me,
And I’ll tell you the things that I know.
¹¹ Give an ear to what I will say,
And I’ll speak to you free of charge.

¹² ‘Examine my words and you’ll see
That you’ve not given Job the correction.
¹³ Don’t say that you’ve found wisdom from God,
¹⁴ For you got your commission from men!’

¹⁵ Well at that, they were all afraid and they refused to say anything more, because the words they were hearing had the sound of age. ¹⁶ Also, he had waited and refused to speak until they stood there with no answer.

¹⁷ So EliHu said:
‘Now, I am ready to speak,
And I have many things that I wish to say.

¹⁸ ‘I cannot hold back the wind in my chest,
¹⁹ For within me, it bubbles like very young wine…
It’s been tied up in me like a bellows,
And awaiting the time to break out.
²⁰ So now, I will speak and give myself rest,
For the time has arrived to open my lips.

²¹ ‘I’m not embarrassed to speak before men,
Nor will I feel shame before humans.
²² For, if I should show special favor to men,
By moths, may I then be devoured.

Chapter 33

¹ ‘Listen, O Job, to my words…
Give ear to what I am saying!
² For, {Look!} I will now open my mouth
And use my tongue to instruct.
³ These words are pure and come from my heart,
And what comes from my lips is all clean.

⁴ ‘By the Breath of [God], I was made;
And by the Almighty’s Spirit, I have been taught.
⁵ So, if you are able to answer,
Then, reply to me concerning these things!
Yes, wait… just stand here [and face] me,
And I will now stand up to you!

⁶ ‘Both you and I were made from the clay…
From the same dirt, we were formed;
⁷ So don’t twist against me in fear.

⁸ ‘Now, the things that I heard you say,
And the claims that I heard you make, are:
⁹ I am pure and I have not sinned…
I’m blameless and I’ve broken no laws.
¹⁰ Yet, though He doesn’t have a complaint,
God thinks me to be His opponent.
¹¹ For He’s put my feet into stocks made of wood,
Though He’s watched all the things that I’ve done.

‘But, how can you claim to be righteous
And say that He’s paid no attention to you?
¹² For, He has lived through the ages,
And He’s far above all us mortals.
¹³ Yet, you ask, Why hasn’t He seen my just ways…
Why hasn’t He heard what I’ve said?

¹⁴ ‘Jehovah may only speak once,
Or He may reply even twice.
¹⁵ He may send a dream or a vision at night,
Bringing us fear as we lie in our beds.

¹⁶ ‘He uncovers the things that men think,
And He sees the things that we fear…
Then He uses such things just to scare us…
¹⁷ To turn us away from our sins
And to rescue our bodies from downfall.
¹⁸ From death, He is saving our lives,
And protecting us from many battles.

¹⁹ ‘When we are sick in our beds,
And when our bones cannot move;
This discipline is coming from Him.
²⁰ So, when we’re offered grain, we won’t take it,
Though food is the thing that we really need.

²¹ ‘Our flesh will just lie there and fester
Until our bones can be seen
²² And death has finally approached…
Then it sends our lives down to the grave.

²³ ‘But, though thousands of angels may come to bring death,
No way will one pierce you through,
If in your heart, you’d just make a change,
And turn to Jehovah again.

‘So, it’s about ourselves that we should complain…
We should speak of the laws that we’ve broken;
²⁴ For then, our God would support us…
Not allow us to fall into death.

‘Then like someone that plasters a wall,
He’d make our bodies new once again,
Refilling our bones with their marrow,
²⁵ And renewing our flesh like a child,
To restore us to what we’d once been.

²⁶ ‘If you make a vow to Jehovah,
And your vow is thereafter accepted,
You’ll walk away with a face that is clean
And a mouth that’s speaking His praises…
For, He always deals justly with men.

²⁷ ‘So, we each should blame ourselves and then say,
What are the things that I’ve done?
What have I done to be disciplined,
And what are the sins I’ve committed?
²⁸ O save my soul from corruption,
So I can see light once again!

²⁹ ‘{Look!} This is how the Almighty deals with each one,
And they’re the three things that He does.
³⁰ For, from death, He has rescued my soul,
So my life can go on to praise Him in light.

³¹ ‘O Job;
Lend me an ear and hear what I say…
Be quiet, for I am now speaking!
³² But, if there are words you can use to reply,
Then speak, for you should be given your due!
³³ Yet, if you don’t, then just hear me out…
Be quiet and I’ll tell you what’s wise!’

Chapter 34

¹ Then EliHu continued:

² ‘And hear me now, O you wise men…
Give ear, O you that have knowledge!
³ For the ear judges words as the mouth tastes it’s food…
⁴ And that’s how we should be judging ourselves,
Since we already know if we have been good!

⁵ ‘Now, Job has said, Although I am righteous,
Jehovah has ended my case,
⁶ And when He judged me, He lied.
So, at His injustice, I now shake my spear!

⁷ ‘Though Job is a man that drinks [wine],
And sneers as though it were water,
⁸ He says he’s not sinful or godless,
And had nothing to do with the lawless,
Or gone along with those that show no respect.

⁹ ‘Now, perhaps you think it all wrong
For someone to watch over men.
¹⁰ Yet, we all are watched by Jehovah,
And He searches through all of our hearts.

‘Listen, yes hear me, my God;
For, no way do I wish to show direspect…
May the Almighty not think me unjust!

¹¹ ‘He pays men back for all they deserve,
And in his own paths, each man finds Him.

¹² ‘Can you imagine Jehovah being guilty of wrong,
Or the Almighty One of being unjust?
Is not the earth His creation…
¹³ Didn’t He make all that’s under the skies?

¹⁴ ‘So, if He would hold back His power,
Or if He’d remove all His Breath;
¹⁵ Life on earth would come to an end,
And mortals would return to where they were formed.

¹⁶ ‘But, what if He didn’t correct us?
Shouldn’t we hear the sounds of His words?
¹⁷ {Look!} He’s the One that hates all lawbreaking,
And through the ages, He’s proven to be righteous;
So, He will destroy all the wicked!

¹⁸ ‘It’s impertinent to say to a king,
You have broken the law!
Or to say to a prince,
You have acted ungodly!

¹⁹ ‘So, who may show disrespect
To such a person of honor?
For, He has never appointed the mighty
Because He thought well of their faces.

²⁰ ‘Nothing good can come when we cry out to men;
For they’re all unrighteous and they won’t help the poor.
²¹ But, He observes all the things that they do,
And their deeds don’t escape His attention.

²² ‘There is no place where the lawless can hide;
²³ For, He tolerates men no more than He must.
²⁴ So all men are inspected by God,
And He notices all the wrong that they do.

‘He observes the things that are hidden,
As well as things to be honored…
Extraordinary things unnumbered.
²⁵ He knows all the [bad] things we do,
And He humbles us during the night.

²⁶ ‘He wipes away the ungodly
Because He can see the things that they’ve done…
²⁷ When they have turned from God’s Laws,
And given no thought to His rules.

²⁸ ‘The cries of the needy reach up to Him,
And He hears the calls of the poor.
²⁹ So, since He’s the One that is bringing them rest,
Who would dare to condemn Him?

‘If He hides His face, who will see Him,
Whether a nation or just a man?
³⁰ But, He can appoint a hypocrite king
If He finds the people unruly.

³¹ ‘Has anyone heard a mighty one say,
I’m so blest, so I really don’t need Him?
³² Or, Unless He can prove that He knows of my sins,
There is nothing that He can require?

³³ ‘Will He pay for the things that you’ve thrown away?
Give me an answer… yes, tell me!

³⁴ ‘Understanding hearts will reply to such things,
And a wise man will hear what I’ve said.
³⁵ But, Job hasn’t thought about this,
Since his words don’t reflect higher knowledge.

³⁶ ‘So learn, O Job… don’t be a fool…
³⁷ Don’t add any more to your sins!
For we’re all considered law breakers
When we stand and speak [before God].’

Chapter 35

¹ Then EliHu continued:

² ‘Why does justice matter to you…
Who are you to call yourself righteous,
And say you deserve no vengeance from God?

³ ‘You’ve asked what sins you’ve committed.
And about this, I’ll give you an answer,
Then I’ll tell it to these, your three friends.

⁴ ‘Look up to the sky and see
How high the clouds are above you!
⁵ So, if you have sinned, what will you do?
⁶ Yes, what can you do if you’ve broken [God’s] laws?

⁷ ‘And if you are truly so righteous,
What things can you offer to Him,
And what will He take from your hands?
⁸ Will He accept irreverence from men,
Or unrighteousness from all their children?

⁹ ‘Many call out when they have been robbed…
But they yell at the strong one that robbed them!
¹⁰ They don’t ask, Where is [God] who made me…
The One that’s in charge of night watches,
¹¹ And made me different from the beasts of the earth,
As well as from the birds in the sky?

¹² ‘Oh, they can cry out, but no one will listen;
For, there’s insolence in those that are wicked.
¹³ Yet, there’s nothing that goes unnoticed by God,
Because He is the Almighty.

¹⁴ ‘He observes all those that break laws,
And you can ask Him to save you…
That is, if you’re praising Him now!

¹⁵ ‘He assigns no numbers to His rage,
And He sets no limits on sins.
¹⁶ Yet, Job has foolishly opened his mouth,
And in ignorance, he’s weighed out his words.’

Chapter 36

¹ EliHu continued, saying:

² ‘Be patient for a while and I’ll teach you;
Because, I still have [much] more to say.

³ ‘I was taught in a faraway land,
And I’ve learned to do as I say.
⁴ So, I’ll speak of what’s true and righteous,
And you’ll find that I’m not telling lies.

⁵ ‘I know that Jehovah won’t harm a good man…
One that’s mighty and has strength of heart.
⁶ But, to the irreverent, He won’t return life.

‘He will give justice to those that are poor,
⁷ And He doesn’t turn His eyes from the righteous.
For, they’ll sit as kings upon thrones…
They’ll be raised and treated like winners!

⁸ ‘The crook that is led off in shackles,
In poverty’s cords, will be wrapped.
⁹ Then, He’ll speak of all the bad things he’s done,
And of his many transgressions.

¹⁰ ‘But, [God] listens to what the righteous ones say,
And He warns them to turn from all badness.
¹¹ So, if they should listen and serve [Him],
They will live a very long time
And spend many years having good things.
Then, when they come to the end of their days,
Many beautiful things, they will own.

¹² ‘But the godless will not be preserved;
For, they fail to look to Jehovah.
And though they’ve been warned time and again,
They keep on refusing to listen.

¹³ ‘Though the hypocrite’s heart will know rage,
He won’t call out, for [God] has him bound.
¹⁴ So his life will end while he is still young,
Since angels will come here to pierce him…
¹⁵ If he’s mistreated the weak and disabled.
Yet, they will be fair to the humble.

¹⁶ ‘When an enemy uses his mouth to deceive,
[God] opens a pit underneath him,
Where his table of good things is thrown.

¹⁷ ‘To the righteous, He’ll always bring justice,
¹⁸ While on the impious, He sends His rage.
For if, in godless ways, they’ve taken bribes;
In justice, they’ll receive what they deserve.

¹⁹ ‘So don’t be blind to the cries of disabled,
Or send away those that are seeking aid in the night.
²⁰ Rather, you should go out and help them,
So that others can see your example.
²¹ Be careful to never mistreat them,
Or take advantage of their lowly condition.

²² ‘{Look!} Though the strong use their strength to overpower…
Who are these that are feeling so mighty?
²³ Who examines the things that they do,
And tells them when they have done wrong?

²⁴ ‘Remember that it’s the great things we do
That give us control over men.
²⁵ And each man knows deep within his own heart
How many mortals he has stabbed through.

²⁶ ‘{Look!} The Almighty is great…
Yet, we do not really know Him;
For, there is no end to His years.
²⁷ He can count the number of rain drops
Before they’re even formed in the clouds.
²⁸ Then they fall and flow past the things that grow old…
Past the shadows of the uncounted dead.

‘He’s established a time for the animal’s lives,
And this order of things, they comprehend.
Yet, you haven’t bothered to think about this,
And your heart doesn’t know your own body.
²⁹ But remember, as you watch the clouds passing by…
This will also happen to the tent that is you.

³⁰ ‘{Look!} He has stretched the light out above us,
And the roots of the seas, He’s covered.
³¹ Then, between them, He judges the people,
And He nourishes those that have shown strength.

³² ‘He can cover the light with His hands,
And tell the clouds what to do.
³³ Yet, we can trust that He’ll speak to His friends,
And provide them a haven from evil.

Chapter 37

¹ ‘So, this is what has bothered my heart…
They’re the things that make my heart drop.
² Pay attention to my report on God’s rage;
For, what I’ve said has come from His mouth!

³ ‘He’s the sovereign of all under the heavens,
And His light shines to the wings of the earth.

⁴ ‘Though voices may yell out against Him;
He thunders at the sound of their insults.
For, He must bargain with no one…
With none of those that may hear His voice.

⁵ ‘When the Almighty speaks, it’s like thunder,
Which tells of the great things He’s done.
⁶ He orders the snow in the winter,
And instructs it to cover the ground…
And the rain also follows His orders

⁷ ‘He’s the One that shackles men’s hands,
To make them aware of their weakness.

⁸ ‘Wild beasts live within His protection;
So, in their lairs, they are tranquil,
⁹ While in your bedrooms comes grief,
And from far away, comes a chill.

¹⁰ ‘From the Almighty’s Breath comes the ice,
And water is steered where He chooses.
¹¹ If He covers a cloud, it passes away,
Followed by light in its order.

¹² ‘Cyclones are turned aside by His rules
(The ways by which they must work),
¹³ Sparing the land on which He shows mercy…
He’s the One that orders such things for the land.

¹⁴ ‘So, pay attention, O Job!
You should stand in awe of God’s power!
¹⁵ For we know that it all comes from God,
Who created light from the darkness.

¹⁶ ‘He knows the difference between every cloud,
As well as the ways that the wicked will fall.

¹⁷ ‘So, though your clothes are all hot and sticky;
From the south, blows peace for this land.

¹⁸ ‘Can you join Him as He spreads out the skies,
And turns them into bronze mirrors?

¹⁹ ‘So now, teach me what I should tell Him,
And let’s bring an end to this banter!
²⁰ Is there a scribe with a scroll next to me,
To whom must I now be pleasing?

²¹ ‘For the light is now shining so brightly,
To illuminate all that is old.
It’s as though He has parted the clouds,
²² And made them glow like gold in the north.
So, their honor and glory reflect the Almighty;
²³ For, in no one else may such strength be found.

‘Since He’s the One that brings honest judgments;
Don’t you think that He has listened to you?
²⁴ So, we all have good reasons to fear Him…
Even those that think their hearts wise.

Chapter 38

¹ Then, after EliHu finished his speech, Jehovah spoke to Job from the clouds during a storm, saying:

² ‘Who is it that’s hiding counsel from Me,
And thinks he can cover the things in his heart?
³ Now, wrap up your loins and act like a man,
For I’ll ask the questions and you answer Me!

⁴ ‘Where were you when I laid the foundations of earth?
Tell me, if you know, and if you understand!
⁵ Who planned and laid out its measures… do you know?
And who laid the string down upon it?
⁶ Upon what have its hooks been supported,
And who set the slabs for its foundation?

⁷ ‘When I did this, all the stars praised Me,
And My angels shouted a cheer.
⁸ Then I locked the seas in their gates,
When they first burst from the womb.

⁹ ‘I established the clouds as clothes [for the seas],
And I wrapped it in fog, like a child.
¹⁰ Thereafter, I established its limits
And I bolted its gates into place.
¹¹ I said, This is as far as you go…
You cannot go any farther,
So your waves must now break within you.

¹² ‘Did I use you to bring morning light,
Or to set the morning star in its place?
¹³ [Can you] grab the wings of the earth,
And shake off all the ungodly?

¹⁴ ‘Have you picked up a piece of clay from the ground,
And used it to make something living?
And who brought the powers of speech to the earth?

¹⁵ ‘Have you removed the light from the godless,
Or broken the arms of the proud?
¹⁶ Have you found the springs of the seas,
And walked in the tracks of the deep?

¹⁷ ‘Do the gates of death open before you,
And do the keepers of the place of the dead
Get alarmed whenever they see you?

¹⁸ ‘If you’ve been told about all under heaven;
Then, tell Me how great it all is!
¹⁹ Where is the land from which the light comes,
And from what kind of place comes the darkness?

²⁰ ‘If you could lead Me up to their limits
(That is, even if you even knew of their paths),
²¹ You’d already know all these things.
And if you were born on that day,
Your years by now, would be many.

²² ‘Have you found the treasuries of the snow?
Have you seen where the hail is all stored?
²³ For you, has the hour of enemies been reserved,
Or the days for battle and war?

²⁴ ‘When the frost leaves, where does it go?
And where under the skies goes the south wind?
²⁵ Who prepares the storms when they blow,
²⁶ And who holds back rain from the ground?

²⁷ ‘Who made the deserts where no men can live,
But then fills unwalked, uninhabited lands
With sprouts and new shoots of green?

²⁸ ‘Who is the father of rain,
And who gives birth to the dewdrops?
²⁹ In whose womb does the ice start to form,
And who gives birth to frost from the skies,
³⁰ Then turns it into drops to make streams?

‘Who is it that changes the face of the godless,
And who creates their alarm?

³¹ ‘Have you seen what bonds the Pleiades?
Have you opened the barriers of Orion?
³² Have you opened MazurOth when it can be seen,
Or have you led Hesperus by its tail?

³³ ‘Do you know how the orbits of the heavens all work,
Or how things under the sky work together?
³⁴ Can you call to a cloud and cause it to shake,
Then obey you and pour out a storm?

³⁵ ‘Are you able to send for the lightning?
Will it ask, What is it, and obey you?

³⁶ ‘Who gave women the wisdom to weave,
And who gave them the skill to embroider?

³⁷ ‘Who in his wisdom can count all the clouds…
Who can lean on the sky and the ground?

³⁸ ‘Who poured out the powder that created the earth,
And stuck it together as a stone block?

³⁹ ‘Will you hunt for lions as prey,
And be filled with the souls of wild beasts?
⁴⁰ Yet, they must be feared when they’re in their lairs,
Or when they’re lying in wait in the woods.

⁴¹ ‘Who gives carrion to the crows for their young,
As they call to Jehovah while searching for grain?’

Chapter 39

¹ ‘Tell Me this, if you know:
When do rock antelopes give birth,
And have you seen the birthing of hinds?
² Have you counted the months for them to give birth,
And do you know how long they have birth pangs?

³ ‘Do you know how their offspring are fed,
And can you bring an end to their labor?
⁴ For their young rip out and many are born…
Then they just walk away.

⁵ ‘Who is it that set zebras free…
Who untied them from bondage?
⁶ I am the One that [gave him] his home
There in the deserts and in the salt flats…
I’m the One that gave him his dwelling.

⁷ ‘He laughs at the complaints of those living in towns,
And tax collectors, he can ignore.
⁸ He views the mountains as his pastures,
As he searches for green things to eat.

⁹ ‘Can you make the rhinoceros do what you say?
Can you force him to sleep in your barn?
¹⁰ Can you tie him with straps and put on a yoke,
Then use him to plow up your fields?

¹¹ ‘Can you trust him to do this because of his strength,
And will he lighten the work that you do?
¹² Can you trust him to carry your grain,
And haul it to threshing-floors for you?

¹³ ‘Consider the wings of the ostrich…
Whose feathers the storks use for their nests.
¹⁴ They lay their eggs on the ground,
Then incubate them in the dust.

¹⁵ ‘If she forgets them, they then may be lost,
Or crushed by wild beasts in the fields.
¹⁶ So, she’s hardened herself against her own young,
And she isn’t sad when her work is in vain.

¹⁷ ‘It was God that removed all her wisdom,
And gave her such scant understanding.
¹⁸ But, when she spreads her feathers to run,
She laughs at the horse and its rider.

¹⁹ ‘Was it you that gave the horse all its strength,
Or that caused his neck [to tremble] in fear?
²⁰ Are you the one that gave him full armor,
And put the glory of daring in his breast?

²¹ ‘In the fields, he grazes and prances,
And with strength, he runs in the plains.
²² He laughs when he meets up with spears,
And from weapons of iron, he never retreats.

²³ ‘When he’s struck by arrows and swords,
²⁴ He just gets angry and tears up the ground.
He doesn’t quit ‘til the trumpet is blown,
²⁵ And then he just says, Well done!

‘He can even smell war from a distance,
Then he stands on his [back] legs and whinnies.

²⁶ ‘Was it you that gave hawks their look of defiance
As they set their wings to fly toward the south?
²⁷ Was it by your order that eagles fly high,
Or vultures to lodge in nests ²⁸ among rocks?

²⁹ ‘From such places, [these birds] search for food,
For their eyes can see from a distance.
³⁰ Then their young become covered in blood,
Because they can find whatever has died.’

³¹ Then Jehovah God said this to Job:

³² ‘Have you chosen to correct this One that’s so mighty…
And can one that teaches God give an answer?’

³³ Then Job replied to Jehovah:

³⁴ ‘So, why must I still go on begging,
And for what am I being corrected…
Why are my prayers just being ignored?

‘Since I can’t reply [to Your questions],
I’ll just cover my mouth with my hands…
³⁵ I’ve spoken and I’ll say no more.’

Chapter 40

¹ Then Jehovah God replied to Job, saying:

² ‘Are you judging the One that’s so mighty…
And when someone scolds God, must He reply?’

³ So Job thought about this and then he asked the Lord:

⁴ ‘But, why must I stand here and beg…
Being scolded and disciplined by God?

‘No, I am nothing at all,
And yes, I have heard all that You said;
So what answer can I give in reply?

‘Now. I’ll cover my mouth with my hands,
⁵ For I’ve spoken and I’ll say no more.’

⁶ Then the Lord once again spoke to Job from out of the clouds, saying:

⁷ ‘Now, wrap up your waist and act like a man;
Then, I will ask you, and you must reply!

⁸ ‘Should you undo My decisions?
And do you think it was Me that sent these [bad] things,
Or that you’d have to prove yourself righteous to Me?

⁹ ‘Is your arm like the arm of Jehovah?
Is your voice like His… can it thunder?
¹⁰ If so, lift yourself in stature and might,
And clothe yourself with glory and honor;
¹¹ Then, send out [His] angels in rage
To humble those that are proud,
¹² And to bring an end to the haughty…
Right now, cause the godless to rot!
¹³ Hide them together inside of the ground,
And with dishonor, then cover their faces!
¹⁴ For, surely you know that your right hand can save!

¹⁵ ‘Now, notice the dragon that’s standing beside you;
He eats the same grass as the ox.
¹⁶ Yes, behold the strength in his loins,
And the power in the navel of his belly.

¹⁷ ‘He makes his tail tall like a cypress,
And his nerves are all closely entwined.
¹⁸ His sides are like something that’s made out of brass,
And his spine is much like cast iron.

¹⁹ ‘He’s the beginning of the things [that I] shaped,
And he was made to be mocked by My angels.

²⁰ ‘When he climbs upon chiseled mountains,
He brings joy to those four-footed beasts
That within Tartarus dwell.

²¹ ‘He sleeps under all kinds of trees…
By the papyrus, reeds, and bulrushes.
²² In his shadow, [rest] birds in the trees,
Who unknowingly sway in [his branches].

²³ ‘When storms come, he pays no attention;
For, he trusts that it runs to the Jordan,
And from there, it flows into his mouth.

²⁴ ‘When he is on watch, who can take him?
But if, in a snare, you could catch him,
Would you drill [a hole] through his nose?

Chapter 41

NOTE: It is our studied opinion that many of the following verses have been corrupted to some extent in both the Hebrew and Greek texts,
since much of what follows is disjointed and unclear. We feel that part of the reason for this is due to the fact that those that sang this song, those that copied it,
and those that translated it simply didn’t understand its cryptic message… that the ‘beast’ or ‘dragon’ being spoken of in these and in the previous verses was
the evil spirit that was bringing these woes upon Job.

¹ ‘Can you lead this dragon around with a hook;
Can you put a halter ‘round his nose?
² Will you put a hook though his nose as a clasp,
And bore a hole in his lip?

³ ‘Will he speak and beg you in an earnest, soft way…
⁴ Will he make an agreement with you…
Will you keep him as your servant through the age?

⁵ ‘Will you play with him like a bird…
Would you cage him like a sparrow for a child?
⁶ Wouldn’t you rather feed him to the ethnics…
To Phoenicians, carve him as [steaks]?

⁷ ‘If all that floats were assembled,
There’s no way they could carry his hide or his tail,
Nor could fishermen’s boats bear his head.

⁸ ‘Could you lay your hands down upon him,
Then, consider the war in his flesh,
And make it no longer take place?

⁹ ‘[While it’s true] that you cannot see him.
Haven’t those that have spoken ever wondered…
¹⁰ Aren’t they in awe of this thing I’ve prepared?

‘But, who can really stand and oppose Me…
¹¹ Yes, who can resist Me and win,
Since all under heaven is Mine?

¹² ‘So, I won’t remain silent for his sake;
For, the word of My power to show mercy
Is greater than all that he has to say.

¹³ ‘Who will uncover the front of his clothes
And enter the fold of his chest plate?
¹⁴ Yes, who will open the gates of his face,
And see that in his teeth, there really is fear?

¹⁵ ‘His insides are like shields of brass,
And his sinews are like emery stone.
¹⁶ They each cleave tightly together,
And no wind [can blow] through them…
¹⁷ They’re as close as a man and his brother,
And they cannot be driven apart.

¹⁸ ‘His sneezing brings about brightness,
And his eyes are like morning stars.
¹⁹ From his mouth come lamps that are burning
Like the scattered coals of a fire.

²⁰ ‘From his nostrils come the smoke of a furnace,
Burning with the fire of live coals.
²¹ For his soul is much like live coals,
And flames shoot out of his mouth.

²² ‘Within his neck, there is power,
And before him, there is much destruction.
²³ The flesh of his body cleaves tightly,
So, he’s never bothered by rain.

²⁴ ‘His heart is fixed like a stone…
He stands as an anvil that cannot be bent.
²⁵ When he turns, he frightens the four-footed beasts,
As well as those [flying over] the ground.

²⁶ ‘With lances, he cannot be harmed,
Nor does he fear armor or spears.
²⁷ He views iron weapons as straw,
And brass ones, just like rotting wood.

²⁸ ‘By bows of brass, he cannot be pierced,
And he views [stone] slingers as grass.
²⁹ He thinks of hammers as stubble,
And he laughs at the quaking of those that bear fire.

³⁰ ‘His bed is strewn with sharp needles;
And all the gold in the seas,
Under him, are as coals on the grates or as mud.

³¹ ‘From the abyss, he breaks, as though a brass pot;
He thinks of the seas as his own ointment jar,
³² And the dephts of Tartarus as his captive.
For to him, the abyss is just a promenade.

³³ ‘Nothing else on the earth is quite like him…
He was made to be mocked by My angels.

³⁴ ‘He can see all things that are lofty,
And he’s the ruler over all in the waters.’

Chapter 42

¹ Then Job spoke to the Lord saying:

² ‘I know that You can do all,
And there is no end to Your power.
³ So, who can hide their thoughts before You,
And who can hold back their words,
Thinking that You cannot [hear them]?

‘You’ve just told me some things that I never knew…
Great and wonderful things,
Of which I had no understanding.

⁴ ‘So, listen to me, O my Lord,
For, there are things that I’d like to say…
I’ll ask You, and You can teach me!

⁵ ‘In the past, I’ve heard men talk about You,
But now that I’ve seen You with my own eyes,
⁶ I think of myself as having no value.
For before You, I’ve melted away,
And I think of myself as ashes and dirt.’

⁷ Well, after the Lord had spoken about all these things to Job, Jehovah then said this to EliPhaz the Temanite:

‘You and your two friends have sinned;
For, you haven’t spoken the truth,
As did My faithful friend Job.
⁸ So, take seven calves and seven rams,
And carry them to My faithful friend Job,
So that he can offer them on your behalf…
For, no way do I hold him blame.

‘But for him, I would have destroyed you,
Because of what you’ve said to My faithful friend.’

⁹ So, EliPhaz the Temanite, Baldad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Minaean went and did as Jehovah had told them. Then He forgave the sins that they had committed against Job.

¹⁰ Thereafter, Jehovah blest Job. And because they were his friends, he vowed to forgive those men for all their sins.

Then Jehovah [blest Job] with double, giving him twice as much as he had before.

¹¹ And when his brothers and sisters heard of the good things that had happened to him, they all went to see him, and he ended up with twice as many friends as he had at first. Everyone ate and drank with him, and they offered him much consolation. Yet, they each wondered about all the things that had happened, and about all the things that Jehovah had done. Then each one gave him a lamb and an unmarked four-drachma coin.

¹² So, Jehovah blest the ending for Job, and he gained much more than he had before. For He came to have ten thousand cows, four thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand oxen teams, and a thousand grazing mares.

¹³ Seven more sons were also born to him, and he had three more daughters. ¹⁴ He named the first daughter Day, he named the second one Cinnamon, and he named the third one Horn of Plenty. ¹⁵ And among all the women under the sky, none were prettier than the daughters of Job. He also gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

¹⁶ Well, after his calamity had passed, Job lived on for a hundred and seventy more years, reaching the age of two hundred and forty. Job lived to see his sons and the sons of his sons through the fourth generation.

¹⁷ Thereafter, Job finally came to his end, an old man that had lived a full life.

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