#1
There was a man in the land of Uz named Job, and he was a simple and honest man, fearing God and withdrawing from evil
And there had been born to him seven sons and three daughters
And his possession was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, along with five hundred pairs of oxen and five hundred she-donkeys, and also a very large family. And this man was great among all the people of the east
And his sons went and made a feast by houses, each one on his day. And sending, they called their three sisters to eat and drink with them
And when the days of their feasting had been completed, Job sent to them and sanctified them, and, getting up at dawn, he offered holocausts for each one. For he said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and have not praised God in their hearts." So Job did all the days
But on a certain day, when the sons of God came to attend in the presence of the Lord, Satan also arrived among them
The Lord said to him, "Where do you come from?" Answering, he said, "I have circled the land, and walked around in it.
And the Lord said to him, "Have you not considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him in the land, a simple and honest man, fearing God and withdrawing from evil.
Answering him, Satan said, "Does Job fear God to no purpose
Have you not fortified him, as well as his house and every one of his belongings around him, blessed the works of his hands, and his possession has increased in the land
But extend your hand a little, and touch all that he possesses, and see if he still praises you to your face.
Therefore, the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, everything that he has is in your hand, only do not extend your hand against him." And Satan departed from the face of the Lord
So, on a certain day, when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine, in the house of their first-born brother
a messenger came to Job, who said, "The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys were grazing beside them
and the Sabeans rushed in and carried away everything, and they struck the servants with the sword; and I alone evaded them to tell you.
And while he was still speaking, another arrived, and he said, "The fire of God fell from heaven, and, having struck the sheep and the servants, it consumed them; and I alone escaped to tell you.
And while he also was still speaking, another arrived, and he said, "The Chaldeans organized three attacks, and advanced on the camels and took them; and not only that, but they have struck the servants with the sword; and I alone fled to tell you.
He was still speaking, and behold, another entered, and he said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine in the house of their first-born brother
when suddenly a severe wind rushed forth from a region of the desert and shook the four corners of the house, which collapsed and crushed your children, and they are dead; and I alone escaped to tell you.
Then Job got up and tore his garments, and, having shaved his head, he collapsed on the ground, and worshipped
and he said, "Naked I departed from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Just as it pleased the Lord, so has it been done. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
In all this, Job did not sin by his lips, nor did he speak any foolish thing against God
#2
But it happened that, on a certain day, when the sons of God had arrived and they stood before the Lord, Satan likewise arrived among them, and he stood in his sight
So the Lord said to Satan, "Where do you come from?" Answering, he said, "I have circled the land, and walked around in it.
And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you not considered my servant, Job, that there is no one like him in the land, a simple and honest man, fearing God and withdrawing from evil, and still retaining his innocence? Yet you have stirred me against him, so that I would afflict him to no purpose.
Answering him, Satan said, "Skin for skin; and everything that a man has, he will give for his life
Yet send your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and then you will see whether or not he blesses you to your face.
Therefore, the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but even so, spare his life.
And so, Satan departed from the face of the Lord and he struck Job with a very serious ulcer from the sole of the foot all the way to the crown of his head
So he took a shard of earthenware and scraped the discharge, while sitting on a heap of refuse
But his wife said to him, "Do you still continue in your simplicity? Bless God and die.
He said to her, "You have spoken like one of the foolish wives. If we accepted good things from the hand of God, why should we not accept bad things?" In all this, Job did not sin with his lips
And so, three friends of Job, hearing about all the evil that had befallen him, arrived, each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Themanite, and Baldad the Suhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had agreed to come together to visit and console him
And when they had raised up their eyes from a distance, they did not recognize him, and, crying out, they wept, and, tearing their garments, they scattered dust over their heads into the sky
And they sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his sorrow was very great
#3
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day
and this is what he said
May the day perish on which I was born, and the night, in which it was said, "A man has been conceived.
May that day be turned into darkness, may God not seek it from above, and may light not illuminate it
Let darkness and the shadow of death obscure it, let a fog overtake it, and let it be enveloped in bitterness
Let a whirlwind of darkness take hold of that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months
May that night be alone and unworthy of praise
May they curse it, who curse the day, who are prepared to awaken a leviathan
Let the stars be concealed with its darkness. Let it expect light, and not see it, nor the rising of the dawn in the East
For it did not close the doors of the womb that bore me, nor take away evils from my eyes
Why did I not die in the womb? Having left the womb, why did I not immediately perish
Why was I received upon the knees? Why was I suckled at the breasts
For by now, I should have been sleeping silently, and taking rest in my slee
with the kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes
either with princes, who possess gold and fill their houses with silver
or, like a hidden miscarriage, I should not have continued, just like those who, being conceived, have not seen the light
There the impious cease from rebellion, and there the wearied in strength take rest
And at such times, having been bound together without difficulty, they have not heard the voice of the bailiff
The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to those who are in bitterness of soul
who expect death, and it does not arrive, like those who dig for treasur
and who rejoice greatly when they have found the grave
to a man whose way is hidden and whom God has surrounded with darkness
Before I eat, I sigh; and like overflowing waters, so is my howl
for the terror that I feared has happened to me, and so has the dread befallen me
Have I not remained hidden? Have I not kept silence? Have I not remained calm? Yet indignation has overcome me
#4
But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said
If we start to speak to you, perhaps you will take it badly, but who can hold back the words he has conceived
Behold, you have taught many, and you have strengthened weary hands
Your words have reassured the wavering, and you have fortified the trembling knees
But now the scourge has overcome you, and you falter. It has touched you, and you are disturbed
Where is your reverence, your fortitude, your patience, and the perfection of your ways
Consider this, I beg you: who ever perished being innocent? Or when have the righteous been destroyed
In fact, I have instead seen those who work iniquity and who sow resentments, reap them
perishing by the breath of God, and being consumed by the wrath of his spirit
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of young lions have been worn away
The tiger has perished because it does not have prey, and the young lions have been scattered
Furthermore, a word was spoken to me in secret, and, as if by theft, my ears received the pulse of its whisper
In the horror of a vision by night, when men are accustomed to be overtaken by a deep sleep
fear and trembling seized me and all my bones were terrified
And when a spirit passed before me, the hair on my body stood up
There appeared an image before my eyes, someone whose face I did not recognize, and I heard a voice like a gentle breeze
Should man be justified in relation to God, or will a man be more pure than his Maker
Behold, those who serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he finds imperfection
How much more will those who live in houses of clay, which have an earthly foundation, be consumed like the moth
From morning all the way to evening, they will be cut down, and because no one understands, they will be destroyed without ceasing
But those who are left behind will be taken away from them; they will die, and not in wisdom
#5
Therefore call, if there are any who will respond to you, and turn to one or another of the saints
Truly, anger condemns the foolish to death, and envy kills the petty
I have seen a fool with a strong root, and I have cursed his excellence without hesitation
His sons will be far from prosperity and will be crushed at the gate, and there will be none who can rescue them
Their harvest, the starving will eat. The armed man will rob him, and the thirsty will drink his resources
Nothing on earth occurs without a reason, and sorrow does not rise from the earth
Man is born to labor, and the bird to fly
Therefore, because of this, I will beg the Lord, and place my eloquence before God
He does great and unfathomable and miraculous things without number
He gives rain over the face of the earth and irrigates all things with the waters
He places the humble on high and encourages the grieving towards health
He dispels the thoughts of the spiteful, lest their hands be able to complete what they had begun
He catches the wise in their cleverness and dissipates the counsel of the perverse
They will encounter darkness in the daytime, and they will grope at midday just as in the night
Thereafter, he will act to save the needy from the sword of their mouth, and the poor from the hand of the violent
And there will be hope for those in need, for iniquity will diminish its speech
Blessed is the man whom God corrects; therefore, do not reject the chastisement of the Lord
For he wounds and he cures; he strikes and his hands will heal
He will deliver you into six tribulations, and in the seventh, evil will not touch you
During famine, he will rescue you from death, and during war, from the hand of the sword
You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you will not fear calamity when it arrives
In desolation and in famine, you will laugh, and you will not dread the beasts of the earth
For you are in harmony with the stones of the land, and the beasts of the earth will make peace with you
And you will know that your home has peace, and, concerning your appearance, you will not sin
Likewise, you will know that your offspring will be manifold and your progeny will be like the grass of the earth
You will enter the grave with abundance, just as a crop of wheat is gathered in its time
Behold, this is just as we have found it, which you have heard; walk it through your mind
#6
But Job, responding, said
I wish that my sins, for which I deserve wrath, and the calamity that I endure, were weighed out on a balance
Compared to the sand of the sea, they would appear heavier, and so my words are full of sorrow
For the arrows of the Lord are in me, my spirit drinks of their indignation, and the terrors of the Lord are soldiers against me
Will the wild ass bray when he has grass? Or will the ox bellow when he stands before a full manger
Or can one eat bland food, which is not seasoned with salt? Or can anyone taste that which, if tasted, causes death
The things that my soul was unwilling to touch before, now, because of anguish, are my foods
Who will grant that my petition may arrive and that God may bestow on me what I expect
and that he who, at first, had crushed me, will let loose his hand and cut me down
And may this be my consolation, that in afflicting me with sorrow, although he might not be lenient with me, I still do not contradict the words of the Holy One
For what is my strength, that I may continue? Or what is my goal, so that I may act patiently
My strength is not the strength of stones, nor is my flesh made of bronze
Behold, there is no help for me in myself, and my loved ones also have withdrawn from me
He who takes away mercy from his friend, abandons the fear of the Lord
My brethren have disregarded me, like a torrent that passes swiftly through the steep valleys
Those who fear frost, snow will rush over them
At that time, when they are scattered, they will perish, and when it becomes hot, they will be freed from their place
The paths of their steps are entangled; they will walk in vain and will perish
Consider the paths of Thema, the ways of Saba, and wait a little while
They have been thrown into confusion, just as I had hoped; they have even come to me and are overwhelmed with shame
Now you have arrived, and merely by seeing my affliction, you are afraid
Did I say: "Bring to me and give to me from your necessities?
or, "Free me from the hand of the enemy and rescue me from the hand of the strong?
Teach me, and I will be silent, and if by chance I have been ignorant of anything, instruct me
Why have you diminished the words of truth, when there is none of you who is able to offer proof against me
You prepare speeches as so much noise, and you offer words into the wind
You encroach upon the orphan, and you strive to undermine your friend
Such is true, so finish what you have begun. Listen closely, and see if I lie
Respond, I beg you, without contention, and, speaking what is just, pass judgment
And you will not find iniquity on my tongue, nor will foolishness resound in my throat
#7
The life of a man on the earth is a battle, and his days are like the days of a hired hand
Just as a servant desires the shade, and just as the hired hand looks forward to the end of his work
so also have I had empty months and have counted my burdensome nights
If I lie down to sleep, I will say, "When will I rise?" And next I will hope for the evening and will be filled with sorrows even until darkness
My flesh is clothed with particles of rottenness and filth; my skin is dried up and tightened
My days have passed by more quickly than threads are cut by a weaver, and they have been consumed without any hope
Remember that my life is wind, and my eye will not return to see good things
Neither will the sight of man gaze upon me; your eyes are upon me, and I will not endure
Just as a cloud is consumed and passes away, so he who descends to hell will not ascend
He will not return again to his house, nor will his own place know him any longer
And because of this, I will not restrain my mouth. I will speak in the affliction of my spirit. I will converse from the bitterness of my soul
Am I an ocean or a whale, that you have encircled me in a prison
If I say, "My bed will comfort me, and I will find rest, speaking with myself on my blanket,
then you will frighten me with dreams, and strike dread through visions
so that, because of these things, my soul would choose hanging, and my bones, death
I despair; by no means will I live any longer. Spare me, for my days are nothing
What is man, that you should praise him? Or why do you place your heart near him
You visit him at dawn, and you test him unexpectedly
How long will you not spare me, nor release me to ingest my saliva
I have sinned; what should I do for you, O keeper of men? Why have you set me against you, so that I have become burdensome even to myself
Why do you not steal away my sin, and why do you not sweep away my iniquity? Behold, now I will sleep in the dust, and if you seek me in the morning, I will not remain
#8
But Baldad the Suhite, responding, said
How long will you speak this way, so that the words of your mouth are like a changeable wind
Does God supplant judgment, or does the Almighty subvert that which is just
And if now your children have sinned against him, and he has dismissed them into the power of their iniquity
even so, you should arise early to God, so as to beseech the Almighty
If you approach with purity and honesty, he will quickly be attentive to you, and a peaceful life will repay your righteousness
so much so that, if your former things were small, your latter things would be multiplied greatly
For inquire of the earliest generation, and investigate diligently the history of the fathers
(of course, we are but of yesterday and are ignorant that our days on earth are like a shadow,
and they will teach you; they will speak with you and will offer you the eloquence of their hearts
Can the marsh plant live without moisture? Or can sedges grow without water
When it is still in flower, and has not been pulled up by hand, it withers before all other plants
Just so are the ways of all who forget God, and the hope of the hypocrite will perish
His frenzy will not please him, and his faith will be like a spider's web
He will lean on his house, and it will not stand; he will prop it up, but it will not rise
He seems to have moisture before the sun arrives; and at sunrise, his sprout shoots forth
His roots will crowd together over a heap of stones, and among the stones he will remain
If someone is devoured right beside him, he will deny him and will say: "I do not know you.
For this is the benefit of his way, that others in turn may spring up from the earth
God will not discard the simple, nor will he extend his hand to the spiteful
even until your mouth is filled with laughter and your lips with rejoicing
Those who hate you, will be clothed with confusion, and the tabernacle of the impious will not continue
#9
And Job, responding, said
Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God
If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times
He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace
He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it
He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble
He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal
He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea
He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south
He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered
If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand
If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, "Why did you do so?
God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world
what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him
And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge
And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice
For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause
He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness
If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me
If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved
And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me
There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes
If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent
Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it
My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness
They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food
If I say: "By no means will I speak this way." I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow
I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender
Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain
If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing
yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me
For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment
There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two
Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me
I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond
#10
My soul is weary of my life. I will release my words against myself. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul
I will say to God: Do not be willing to condemn me. Reveal to me why you judge me this way
Does it seem good to you, if you find fault with me and oppress me, the work of your own hands, and assist the counsel of the impious
Do you have bodily eyes? Or, just as man sees, will you see
Are your days just like the days of man, and are your years as the times of humans
so that you would inquire about my iniquity and examine my sin
And you know that I have done nothing impious, yet there is no one who can deliver from your hand
Your hands have made me and formed me all around, and, in this way, do you suddenly throw me away
Remember, I ask you, that you have fashioned me like clay, and you will reduce me to dust
Have you not extracted me like milk and curdled me like cheese
You have clothed me with skin and flesh. You have put me together with bones and nerves
You have assigned to me life and mercy, and your visitation has preserved my spirit
Though you may conceal this in your heart, yet I know that you remember everything
If I have sinned, and you have spared me for an hour, why do you not endure me to be clean from my iniquity
And if I should be impious, woe to me, and if I should be just, I will not lift up my head, being drenched with affliction and misery
And because of pride, you will seize me like a lioness, and having returned, you torment me to an extraordinary degree
You renew your testimony against me, and you multiply your wrath against me, and these punishments make war within me
Why did you lead me out of the womb? If only I had been consumed, so that no eye would ever see me
I should have been as if I had not been: transferred from the womb to the tomb
Will not my few days be completed soon? Release me, therefore, so that I may lament my sorrows a little
before I depart and return no more to a land that is dark and covered with the fog of death
a land of misery and darkness, where the shadow of death, and nothing else but everlasting horror, dwells
#11
But Zophar the Naamathite, responding, said
Will he who speaks much, not also listen? Or will a talkative man be justified
Will men be silent only for you? And when you have mocked others, will no one refute you
For you said: "My word is pure, and I am clean in your sight.
Yet I wish that God would speak with you, and would open his lips to you
so that he might reveal to you the secrets of wisdom, and how intricate his law is, and that you would understand how much less he requires of you than your iniquity deserves
By chance, will you comprehend the footsteps of God and reach all the way to the perfection of the Almighty
He is higher than heaven, and what will you do? He is deeper than hell, but how will you know
His measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea
If he overturns all things, or packs them together, who will contradict him
For he knows the vanity of men, and when he sees iniquity, does he not evaluate it
A vain man is lifted up in arrogance, and he thinks that he is born free like a wild ass's colt
But you have fortified your heart and extended your hands to him
If you would send away from you the iniquity that is in your hand, and not let injustice remain in your tabernacle
then you would be able to lift up your face without blemish, and you would be steadfast and unafraid
Misery, likewise, you would forget, or would remember only like waters that have passed by
And brightness, like that of midday, will rise upon you until evening, and when you would think yourself consumed, you will rise up like the morning star
And, when hope has been set before you, you will have faith, and, when buried, you will sleep secure
You will rest, and there will be nothing to make you afraid, and many will make requests before your face
But the eyes of the impious will fade away, and the path to escape will perish before them, for the abomination of the soul is their hope
#12
Then Job, answering, said
Are you, therefore, alone among men, and will wisdom die with you
And I have a heart just as you also do, and I am not inferior to you. For who is ignorant of these things, which you know
He who is mocked by his friends as I am, will call upon God, and he will listen to him because it is the sincerity of the just that is being mocked
The lamp that is despised in the thoughts of the rich is ready for the appointed time
The tabernacles of robbers are numerous, and they provoke God boldly; whereas, it is he who has given all things into their hands
In truth, ask the mules, and they will teach you, and the birds of the sky, and they will reveal to you
Speak with the earth, and it will respond to you, and the fish of the sea will explain
Who is ignorant that the hand of the Lord has made all these things
In his hand is the soul of all the living and the spirit of all the flesh of mankind
Does not the ear perceive words, and the palate, when eating, perceive flavor
In old age is wisdom, and in length of days is prudence
With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding
If he tears down, there is no one who can build up; if he encloses a man, there is no one who can open
If he restrains the waters, everything will dry up; and if he sends them forth, they will subdue the land
With him is strength and wisdom; he knows both the deceiver and he who is deceived
He leads advisors to a foolish end and judges to stupidity
He removes the belt of kings and encircles their waist with a rope
He leads away priests in dishonor and displaces nobles
altering the lips of those who speak the truth and sweeping away the teaching of the aged
He pours disdain upon the leaders, relieving those who had been oppressed
He reveals the depths of the darkness, and he brings the shadow of death into the light
He multiplies peoples, and destroys them, and, having been overthrown, he restores them anew
He transforms the heart of the leaders of the people on earth, and misleads those who in vain advance upon the inviolable
They will grope as in the darkness, not the light, and he will make them stagger like drunkards
#13
Behold, my eye has seen all these things, and my ear has heard, and I have understood each one
In conformity with your knowledge, I also know. I am not inferior to you
Yet I speak this way to the Almighty, and I desire to argue with God
having first shown that you fabricate lies and cultivate perverse teachings
And I wish that you would remain silent, so that you would be counted among the wise
Therefore, listen to my correction, and pay attention to the judgment of my lips
Does God require your lie, so that you would speak deceitfully for him
Have you taken his place, and do you struggle to give judgment in favor of God
Or, will it please him, from whom nothing can be concealed? Or, will he be deceived, like a man, by your deceitfulness
He will accuse you because in secret you have preempted his presence
As soon as he moves himself, he will disturb you, and his dread will fall over you
Your remembrance will be compared to ashes, and your necks will be reduced to clay
Be silent for a little while, so that I may speak whatever my mind suggests to me
Why do I wound my flesh with my teeth, and carry my soul in my hands
And now, if he would kill me, I will hope in him; in this, truly, I will correct my ways in his sight
And he will be my savior, for no hypocrite at all will approach in his sight
Listen to my words, and perceive an enigma with your ears
If I will be judged, I know that I will be found to be just
Who is it that will go to judgment with me? Let him approach. Why should I be consumed in silence
Do not do such things to me twice, and then I will not hide from your face
Take your hand far away from me, and do not let your dread terrify me
Call me, and I will answer you, or else I will speak, and you can answer me
How many iniquities and sins do I have? Reveal my crimes and offenses to me
Why do you conceal your face and consider me to be your enemy
Against a leaf, which is carried away by the wind, you reveal your power, and you pursue dry straw
For you write bitter things against me, and you want to consume me for the sins of my youth
You have put my feet on a tether, and you have observed all my paths, and you have considered the steps of my feet
I will be left to decay like something rotten and like a garment that is being eaten by moths
#14
Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries
He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state
And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you
Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can
The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed
Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand
A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth
If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust
at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted
Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he
It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up
just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep
Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will remember me
Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs
You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand
Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins
You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity
A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place
Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man
You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth
Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand
And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself
#15
But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said
Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking wind, and will he fill his stomach with fire
You rebuke with words he who is not equal to you, and you speak what is not expedient for you
to such an extent that, within yourself, you have expelled reverence and have taken away prayers from the presence of God
For your iniquity has mislead your mouth, and you imitate the tongue of blasphemers
Your own mouth will condemn you, not I; and your own lips will answer you
Are you the first man who was born, or were you formed before the hills
Have you heard the intentions of God, and will his wisdom be inferior to you
What do you know, about which we are ignorant? What do you understand that we do not know
There are with us both aged and ancient men, even more senior than your fathers
Is it so important that God should console you? But your own depraved words prevent this
Why does your heart exalt you, and why do you gaze with your eyes, as if thinking great things
Why does your spirit stir against God, so as to utter such speeches from your mouth
What is man that he should be immaculate, and that he should appear just, having been born of woman
Behold, among his holy ones not one is immutable, and even the heavens are not pure in his sight
How much more abominable and useless is the man who drinks as if from the water of iniquity
I will reveal to you, so listen to me; and I will explain to you what I have seen
The wise acknowledge, and they do not leave behind, their fathers
to whom alone the earth has been given, and no stranger passed among them
The impious is arrogant for all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain
The sound of terror is always in his ears; and when there is peace, he always suspects treason
He does not believe that it is possible for him to be turned from darkness into the light, for he sees around him the sword on every side
When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness has been prepared for his hand
Tribulation will terrify him, and anguish will prevail over him, like a king who is being prepared to go to battle
For he has extended his hand against God, and he has strengthened himself against the Almighty
He has rushed against him with his throat exposed, and he has been armed with a fat neck
Thickness has covered his face, and lard hangs down from his sides
He has lived in desolate cities and deserted houses, which have been turned into tombs
He will not be enriched, nor will his basic necessities endure, nor will he establish his root in the earth
He will not withdraw from the darkness; the flame will burn up his branches, and he will be defeated by the breath of his own mouth
He will not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he could be redeemed at any price
Before his time is completed, he will pass into ruin and his hands will wither away
He will be wounded like a grapevine, when its cluster is in first flower, and like an olive tree that casts off its flower
For the congregation of the hypocrites is fruitless, and fire will devour the tabernacles of those who love to accept money
He has conceived sorrow, and he has brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepares deceit
#16
Then Job, answering, said
I have often heard such things; you are all aggravating comforters
Will there be no end to windy words? Or is it at all a burden to you, if you speak
I, too, can speak like you; and I also wish that your soul favored my soul
I would also comfort you with speeches and would wag my head over you
I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as if being lenient to you
But what can I do? When I am speaking, my grief will not be quiet; and if I am quiet, it will not withdraw from me
But now my grief has crushed me, and all my limbs have been reduced to nothing
My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a liar rises up against my face, contradicting me
He has gathered together his fury towards me, and, threatening me, he has roared against me with his teeth; my enemy has beheld me with terrible eyes
They have opened their mouths against me, and, reproaching me, they have struck me on the cheek; they are nourished by my sufferings
God has confined me with the immoral, and he has delivered me into the hands of the impious
I, who once was wealthy, am now crushed. He has grabbed me by my neck; he has broken me and has placed me before him as a sign
He has surrounded me with his lances. He has severely wounded my lower back, he has not been lenient, and he has poured out my organs upon the earth
He has cut me with wound after wound. He has rushed upon me like a giant
I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, and I have covered my body with ashes
My face is swollen from weeping, and my eyelids have dimmed my vision
These things I have endured without iniquity in my hand, while I held pure prayers before God
O earth, do not conceal my blood, nor let my outcry find a hiding place in you
For behold, my witness is in heaven, and my confidante is on high
My friends are full of words; my eye rains tears upon God
And I wish that a man might be so judged before God, just as the son of man is judged with his assistant
For behold, a few years pass by, and I am walking a path by which I will not return
#17
My spirit will be wasted, my days will be shortened, and only the grave will be left for me
I have not sinned, yet my eye remains in bitterness
Free me, O Lord, and set me beside you, and let the hand of anyone you wish fight against me
You have set their heart far from discipline; therefore, they will not be praised
He promises prey to his companions, but the eyes of his sons will grow faint
He has posted me like a proverb to the people, and I am an example in their presence
My eyesight has been clouded by indignation, and my limbs have been reduced, as if to nothing
The just will be astounded over this, and the innocent will be stirred up against the hypocrite
And the just will cling to his way, and clean hands will increase strength
Therefore, be converted, all of you, and approach, for I do not find in you any wisdom
My days have passed away; my thoughts have been scattered, tormenting my heart
They have turned night into day, and I hope for light again after the darkness
If I should wait, the underworld is my house, and in darkness I have spread out my bed
I have said to decay and to worms: "You are my father, my mother, and my sister.
Therefore, where is my expectation now, and who is it that considers my patience
Everything of mine will descend into the deepest underworld; do you think that, in that place at least, there will be rest for me
#18
But Baldad the Suhite responded by saying
How long will you throw around words? Understand first, and then let us speak
Why have we been treated like mules, as if we were unworthy before you
You, who ruins your own soul in your fury, will the earth be forsaken because of you, and will the cliffs be moved from their place
Will not the light of the impious be put out, and the flame of his fire refuse to shine
Light will become darkness in his tabernacle, and the lamp that is over him will be extinguished
His strong steps will be constrained, and his own counsel will cast him down uncontrollably
For he has caused his own feet to go into a net, and he has walked into its web
His heel will be held in a snare, and thirst will rage against him
A trap has been hidden for him in the earth, and a decoy, along his path
Horrifying things will terrify him everywhere and will entangle his feet
Let his strength be diminished by famine, and let starvation invade his ribs
Let it devour the beauty of his skin; let the ancient death consume his arms
Let his confidence be torn away from his tabernacle, and let ruin trample over him like a king
Let the companions of he who is not, dwell in his tabernacle; let brimstone rain down upon his tabernacle
Let his roots be dried up from beneath him, and his harvest be crushed from above
Let the memory of him perish from the earth, and let not his name be celebrated in the streets
He will expel him from light into darkness, and he will remove him from the world
Neither his offspring, nor his descendents, will exist among his people, nor will there be any remnants in his country
The last will be astonished at his day, and the first will be overcome with horror
And so, these are the tabernacles of the sinful, and this the place of he who does not know God
#19
But Job answered by saying
How long will you afflict my soul and wear me down with words
So, ten times you confound me and are not ashamed to oppress me
Now, of course, if I have been ignorant, my ignorance will be with me
But you have risen up against me, and you accuse me to my disgrace
At least now you should understand that God has not afflicted me with a balanced judgment, though he has encompassed me with his scourges
Behold, I will cry out, enduring violence, and no one will hear. I will announce loudly, but there is no one who may judge
He has hemmed in my path, and I cannot pass; he has added darkness to my difficult path
He has plundered me of my glory, and he has stolen the crown from my head
He has destroyed me on every side, and I am lost, and, like an uprooted tree, he has taken away my hope
His fury has raged against me, and in this way he has treated me like his enemy
His troops have gathered together, and they have made their way to me, and they have besieged my tabernacle all around
He has put my brothers far from me, and my friends have withdrawn from me like strangers
My kinsmen have forsaken me, and those who knew me, have forgotten me
The inhabitants of my house and my maidservants treat me just as if I were a stranger, and I have been like a sojourner in their eyes
I called my servant, and he did not respond; I pleaded with him with my own mouth
My wife has shuddered at my breath, and I have begged the sons of my loins
Even the foolish have looked down on me, and, when I withdrew from them, they spoke ill of me
Those who were sometimes my counselors, treat me like an abomination; and he whom I valued the most has turned against me
Since my flesh has been consumed, my bone adheres to my skin, and only my lips have been left around my teeth
Have mercy on me, have compassion on me, at least you my friends, because the hand of the Lord has touched me
Why do you pursue me just as God does, and satiate yourselves with my flesh
Who will grant to me that my words may be written down? Who will grant to me that they may be inscribed in a book
with an iron pen and a plate of lead, or else be carved in stone
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and on the last day I will rise out of the earth
And I will be enveloped again with my skin, and in my flesh I will see my God
It is he whom I myself will see, and he whom my eyes will behold, and no other. This, my hope, has taken rest in my bosom
Why then do you now say: "Let us pursue him, and let us find a basis to speak against him?
So then, flee from the face of the sword, for the sword is the avenger of iniquities; but know this: there is to be a judgment
#20
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered by saying
In response, various thoughts succeed one another in me, and my mind moves quickly through different ideas
The teaching you use to admonish me, I will hear, and the spirit of my understanding will respond for me
This, I know, is from the beginning, from the time that man was set over the earth
that the praise of the impious shall be short, and the joy of the hypocrite lasts only a moment
If his pride ascends even towards the heavens, and his head touches the clouds
in the end, he will be destroyed like a trash heap, and those who had seen him will say: "Where is he?
Like a dream that flies away, he will not be found; he will pass away like a nightmare
The eyes that had seen him, will not see him; no longer will his own place admire him
His sons will be worn away by poverty, and his own hands will deliver his grief to him
His bones will be filled with the vices of his youth, and they will sleep with him in the dust
For, when evil will be sweet in his mouth, he will hide it under his tongue
He will permit it, and not abandon it, and he will conceal it in his throat
His bread in his belly will be turned into the venom of snakes within him
The riches that he devours, he will vomit up, and from his stomach God will draw them out
He will suck the head of snakes, and the tongue of the viper will kill him
(May he never see the streams of the river, the torrents of honey and butter.
He will be repaid for all he has done, yet he will not be consumed; according to the multitude of his schemes, so also will he suffer
For, having broken in, he stripped the poor. He has quickly stolen away a house he did not build
And yet his stomach will not be satisfied, and when he has the things he desires, he will not be able to possess them
Nothing remained of his portion, and, because of this, nothing will continue of his kind
When he will be satisfied, he will be constrained; he will seethe, and all anguish will fall upon him
May his stomach be filled, so that God may send forth the fury of his wrath to him and may rain down his battle upon him
He will flee from weapons of iron, and he will fall in an arc of brass
which had been drawn and had issued forth from its sheath, glittering in its bitterness: the horrible ones will go forth and approach over him
All darkness has been hidden in his secrecy. A fire that has not been set will devour him; he will be thrown down and forsaken in his tabernacle
The heavens will reveal his sinfulness, and the earth will rise up against him
The offspring of his house will be exposed; he will be pulled down in the day of God's wrath
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the inheritance of his words from the Lord
#21
Then Job responded by saying
I beseech you to hear my words and to do penance
Permit me, and I will speak, and afterwards, if you see fit, you can laugh at my words
Is my dispute against man, so that I would have no reason to be discouraged
Listen to me and be astonished, and place a finger over your mouth
As for me, when I think it over, I am afraid, and trembling convulses my body
Why then do the impious live, having been lifted up and strengthened with riches
They see their offspring continue before them: a commotion of close relatives and of children's children in their sight
Their houses have been secure and peaceable, and there is no staff of God over them
Their cattle have conceived and have not miscarried; their cow has given birth and is not deprived of her newborn
Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children jump around playfully
They take up the timbrel and the lyre, and they rejoice at the sound of the organ
Their days are prolonged in wealth, yet, in an instant, they descend into hell
Who has said to God, "Depart from us, for we do not want the knowledge of your ways
Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And how is it helpful to us if we pray to him?
It is true that their good things are not in their power. May the counsel of the impious be far from me
How often will the lamp of the wicked be extinguished, and a deluge overtake them, and how often will he distribute the afflictions of his wrath
They will be like chaff before the face of the wind, and like ashes that the whirlwind scatters
God will preserve the grief of the father for his sons, and, when he repays, then he will understand
His eyes will see his own destruction, and he will drink from the wrath of the Almighty
For what does he care what happens to his house after him, or if the number of its months are reduced by half
Can anyone teach holy knowledge to God, who judges the exalted
This one dies strong and healthy, rich and happy
His gut is full of fat and his bones are moistened with marrow
In truth, another dies in bitterness of soul, without any resources
And yet they will sleep together in the dust, and worms will cover them
Surely, I know your thoughts and your sinful judgments against me
For you say, "Where is the house of the ruler, and where are the tabernacles of the impious?
Ask any passerby whom you wish, and you will realize that he understands these same things
that the evil-doer is reserved for the day of destruction, and he will be led to the day of wrath
Who will reprove his way to his face, and who will repay him for what he has done
He will be led to the tomb, and he will remain awake in the chaos of the dead
He has been found acceptable to the banks of the River of Lamentation, and he will draw any man towards him, and there are countless before him
Therefore, how long will you console me in vain, when your answer is shown to be repugnant to truth
#22
Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying
Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge
What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate
Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid
and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness
For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing
You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry
By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest
You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans
Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you
And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the on-rush of overflowing waters
Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars
And you say: "Well, what does God know?" and, "He judges, as if through a fog,
and, "The clouds are his hiding-place," and, "He does not examine us closely," and, "He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens.
Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned
These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation
They said to God, "Withdraw from us," and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing
though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me
The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them
Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them
So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits
Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart
If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle
He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone
And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you
Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God
You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows
You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways
For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved
The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands
#23
Then Job answered by saying
Now again my conversation is in bitterness, and the force of my scourging weighs more heavily on me because of my mourning
Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and that I may approach even to his throne
I would place judgment before his eye, and my mouth would fill with criticism
so that I may know the words that he will answer me and understand what he will say to me
I do not want him to contend with me with much strength, nor to overwhelm me with the bulk of his greatness
Let him show fairness in response to me, and let my judgment reach to victory
If I go to the east, he does not appear; if I go to the west, I will not understand him
If I turn to the left, what can I do? I will not take hold of him. If I turn myself to the right, I will not see him
Truly, he knows my way and has tested me like gold that passes through fire
My feet have been following his footsteps; I have kept to his way and have not strayed from it
I have not withdrawn from the commands of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hidden in my sinews
For he is alone, and no one is able to disturb his intention; and whatever his spirit wills, that he accomplishes
And when he fulfills his will in me, many other similar ones will also be present with him
And, for this reason, I have been troubled at his presence, and, when I consider him, I am approached by fear
God has weakened my heart, and the Almighty has confused me
Yet I have not perished because of the threatening darkness, nor has gloom covered my face
#24
The times are not hidden from the Almighty; even those who know him, do not know his days
Some have crossed the boundaries, plundered the flocks, and given them pasture
They have driven away the donkey of orphans, and have taken the cow from the widow as collateral
They have undermined the way of the poor, and have pressed together the meek of the earth
Others, like wild asses in the desert, go forth to their work; by watching for prey, they obtain bread for their children
They reap a field that is not their own, and they harvest a vineyard that they have taken by force
They send men away naked, having taken the clothing of those who have no covering in the cold
these are wet with the mountain rain, and, having no covering, they embrace the rocks
They have used violence to deprive orphans, and they have robbed the poor common people
From the naked and those who do not have enough clothing, and from the hungry, they have taken away sheaves of grain
They take their midday rest among the stockpiles of those who, though they have trodden the winepresses, suffer thirst
In the cities, they caused the men to groan and the spirit of the wounded to cry out, and so God does not allow this to go unpunished
They have been rebellious against the light; they have not known his ways, nor have they returned by his paths
The killer of men rises at first light; he executes the destitute and the poor, but, in truth, he is like a thief in the night
The eye of the adulterer waits for darkness, saying, "No eye will see me," and he covers his face
He passes through houses in the nighttime, just as they had agreed among themselves in the daytime; and they are ignorant of the light
If sunrise should suddenly appear, it is treated by them like the shadow of death; and they walk in darkness, as if in light
He is nimble on the surface of water. His place on land is to be accursed. May he not walk by way of the vineyards
May he cross from the snowy waters to excessive heat, and his sin, all the way to hell
Let mercy forget him. His charm is worms. Let him not be remembered, but instead be broken like an unfruitful tree
For he has fed on the barren, who does not bear fruit, and he has not done good to the widow
He has pulled down the strong by his strength, and, when he stands up, he will not have trust in his life
God has given him a place for repentance, and he abuses it with arrogance, but his eyes are upon his ways
They are lifted up for a little while, but they will not continue, and they will be brought low, just like all things, and they will be taken away, and, like the tops of the ears of grain, they will be crushed
But, if this is not so, who is able to prove to me that I have lied and to place my words before God
#25
Then Baldad the Suhite answered by saying
Power and terror are with him that makes a pact with those in high places
Is there any limit to the number of his soldiers or to the number of those over whom his light rises
Is it right for man to compare himself to God, or to appear pure though he is born of woman
Behold, even the moon is not radiant, and the stars are not pure, in his sight
Is man much more than rottenness and the son of man much more than worms
#26
Then Job responded by saying
Whose assistant are you? Is he weak-minded? And do you sustain the arm of him that is not strong
To whom have you given advice? Perhaps it is to him that has no wisdom or prudence that you have revealed your many ideas
Who is it that you wanted to teach? Was it not him that created the breath of life
Behold, giant things groan under the waters, and they dwell with them
The underworld is naked before him, and there is no covering for perdition
He stretched out the North over emptiness, and he suspended the land over nothing
He secures the waters in his clouds, so that they do not burst forth downward all at once
He holds back the face of his throne, and he stretches his cloud over it
He has set limits around the waters, until light and darkness shall reach their limit
The pillars of heaven tremble and are frightened at his nod
By his strength, the seas suddenly gather together, and his foresight has struck the arrogant
His spirit has adorned the heavens, and his birthing hand has brought forth the winding serpent
Behold, these things have been said about his ways in part, and, since we barely have heard a small drop of his word, who will be able to gaze upon the thunder of his greatness
#27
Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said
As God lives, who has taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who has led my soul to bitterness
as long as my breath remains in me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils
my lips will not speak iniquity, nor will my tongue devise lies
Far be it from me that I should judge you to be right, for, until I expire, I will not withdraw from my innocence
I will not forsake my justification, which I have just begun to grasp, for my heart does not find blame for me in my whole life
Let the impious be as my enemy, and the sinful, as my adversary
For what hope is there for the hypocrite, if he greedily plunders and God does not free his soul
Will God pay attention to his cry, when anguish overcomes him
Or will he take delight in the Almighty and call upon God at all times
I will teach you through the hand of God, what the Almighty holds, and I will not conceal it
Behold, you know all this, and so why do you speak vain things without a reason
This is the portion of the impious man with God, and the inheritance of the violent, which they will receive from the Almighty
If his sons should happen to increase, they will be for the sword, and his grandsons will not be satisfied with bread
Whatever will remain of him will be buried in the ruins, and his widows will not weep
If he will amass silver as if it were dirt and fabricate garments as if they were clay
then yes, he will gather, but the just will be clothed with it and the innocent will divide the silver
He has built his house like a moth, and he has made a makeshift shelter like a sentry
When he falls asleep, the rich man will leave him with nothing; he will open his eyes and find nothing
Destitution will surround him like water; a storm will overwhelm him in the night
A burning wind will pick him up and carry him away, and, like a whirlwind, it will rush him from his place
And it will hurl over him and will not spare him; fleeing from its power, he will go into exile
He will clasp his hands over himself, and he will hiss at himself, while considering his situation
#28
Silver has its fissures where it is first found, and gold has a place where it is melted
Iron is taken from the earth, and ore, unbound by heat, is turned into brass
He has established a time for darkness, and he has settled on an end for all things, as well as for the stone that is in the gloom and shadow of death
The burning separates a pilgrim people from those who have been forgotten by the feet of the destitute man and from the unapproachable
The land, where bread appeared in its place, has been destroyed by fire
Its stones are embedded with sapphires, and its soil, with gold
The bird does not know its path, nor has the eye of the vulture beheld it
The sons of merchants have not walked there, nor has the lioness traveled through it
He has stretched out his hand to the rocks; he has overturned the foundations of the mountains
He has cut rivers through the rocks, and his eye has seen all precious things
The depths of rivers he has also examined, and he has brought hidden things into the light
But, in truth, where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding
Man does not know its price, nor is it found in the land of those who live in sweetness
The abyss declares, "It is not in me." And the sea says, "It is not with me.
The finest gold will not be paid for it, nor will silver be weighed in exchange for it
It will not be compared with the dyed colors of India, nor with the very costly stone sardonyx, nor with the sapphire
Neither gold nor crystal will be its equal; neither will vessels of gold be fitted for it
The exalted and the eminent will not be remembered in comparison with it. Yet wisdom is drawn out of concealment
The topaz of Ethiopia will not be equal to it, nor will it be compared to the purest dyes
So then, where does wisdom begin, and where is the place of understanding
It has been hidden from the eyes of all living things, just as the birds of the heavens escape notice
Perdition and death have said, "With our ears, we have heard its fame.
God understands its way, and he knows its location
For he beholds the limits of the world, and he looks upon all things that are under heaven
He created a counterweight for the winds, and he suspended the waters to measure them
At that time, he gave a law to the rain and a path to the resounding storms
Then he saw and explained it, and he made ready and examined it
And he said to man, "Behold the fear of the Lord. Such is wisdom. And to withdraw from evil, this is understanding.
#29
Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said
Who will grant to me that I might be as I was in former months, according to the days when God kept watch over me
At that time, his lamp shined over my head, and by his light, I walked through the darkness
I was then just as in the days of my youth, when God was privately in my tabernacle
At that time, the Almighty was with me and my children surrounded me
Then, I washed my feet with butter, and a boulder poured out rivers of oil for me
When I went to the gate of the city, or to the main street, they prepared a chair for me
The youths saw me and hid themselves, and the elders, rising up, remained standing
The leaders stopped talking, and they placed a finder over their mouth
The commanders subdued their voice, and their tongue adhered to their throat
The ear that heard me, blessed me, and the eye that saw me, gave testimony for me
This was because I had freed the poor, who cried out, and the orphan, who had no helper
The blessing of him who would have been destroyed came upon me, and I consoled the heart of the widow
I put on justice, and I clothed myself with my judgment, like a robe and a diadem
I was an eye for the blind and a foot for the lame
I was the father of the poor; and if I lacked knowledge about any case, I investigated very diligently
I crushed the jaws of the impious, and I took away prey from his teeth
And I said, "I will die in my little nest, and like a palm tree, I will multiply my days
My root has been spread beside the waters, and the dew will remain with my harvest
My glory will always be restored, and my bow will be restored to my hand.
Those who heard me, expected vindication, and they listened closely in silence to my counsel
To my words, they dared to add nothing, and my eloquence poured over them
They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for belated rains
If I had ever laughed at them, they would not have believed it, and the light of my face was not cast down towards the ground
If I wished to go to them, I sat down first, and, though I sat like a king surrounded by an army, yet I was a comforter to those who mourned
#30
But now, those younger in years scorn me, whose fathers I would not have seen fit to place with the dogs of my flock
the strength of whose hands was nothing to me, and they were considered unworthy of life itself
They were barren from poverty and hunger; they gnawed in solitude, layered with misfortune and misery
And they chewed grass and the bark from trees, and the root of junipers was their food
They took these things from the steep valleys, and when they discovered one of these things, they rushed to the others with a cry
They lived in the parched desert and in caves underground or above the rocks
They rejoiced among these kinds of things, and they considered it delightful to be under thorns
These are the sons of foolish and base men, not even paying any attention to the land
Now I become their song, and I have been made into their proverb
They loathe me, and so they flee far from me, and they are not reluctant to spit in my face
For he has opened his quiver and has afflicted me, and he has placed a bridle in my mouth
Immediately, upon rising, my calamities rise up to the right. They have overturned my feet and have pressed me down along their way like waves
They have diverted my journeys; they have waited to ambush me, and they have prevailed, and there was no one who might bring help
They have rushed upon me, as when a wall is broken or a gate opened, and they have been pulled down into my miseries
I have been reduced to nothing. You have taken away my desire like a wind, and my health has passed by like a cloud
But now my soul withers within myself, and the days of affliction take hold of me
At night, my bone is pierced with sorrows, and those who feed on me, do not sleep
By the sheer number of them my clothing is worn away, and they have closed in on me like the collar of my coat
I have been treated like dirt, and I have been turned into embers and ashes
I cry to you, and you do not heed me. I stand up, and you do not look back at me
You have changed me into hardness, and, with the hardness of your hand, you oppose me
You have lifted me up, and, placing me as if on the wind, you have thrown me down powerfully
I know that you will hand me over to death, where a home has been established for all the living
Truly, then, you do not extend your hand in order to consume them, and if they fall down, you will save them
Once, I wept over him who was afflicted, and my soul had compassion on the poor
I expected good things, but evil things have come to me. I stood ready for light, yet darkness burst forth
My insides have seethed, without any rest, for the days of affliction have prevented it
I went forth mourning, without anger, and rising up, I cried out in confusion
I was the brother of snakes, and the companion of ostriches
My skin has become blackened over me, and my bones have dried up because of the heat
My harp has been turned into mourning, and my pipes have been turned into a voice of weeping
#31
I reached an agreement with my eyes, that I would not so much as think about a virgin
For what portion should God from above hold for me, and what inheritance should the Almighty from on high keep
Is not destruction held for the wicked and repudiation kept for those who work injustice
Does he not examine my ways and number all my steps
If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot has hurried towards deceitfulness
let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity
If my steps have turned aside from the way, or if my heart has followed my eyes, or if a blemish has clung to my hands
then may I sow, and let another consume, and let my offspring be eradicated
If my heart has been deceived over a woman, or if I have waited in ambush at my friend's door
then let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lean over her
For this is a crime and a very great injustice
It is a fire devouring all the way to perdition, and it roots out all that springs forth
If I have despised being subject to judgment with my servant or my maid, when they had any complaint against me
then what will I do when God rises to judge, and, when he inquires, how will I respond to him
Is not he who created me in the womb, also he who labored to make him? And did not one and the same form me in the womb
If I have denied the poor what they wanted and have made the eyes of the widow wait
if I have eaten my morsel of food alone, while orphans have not eaten from it
(for from my infancy mercy grew with me, and it came out with me from my mother's womb;
if I have looked down on him who was perishing because he had no clothing and the poor without any covering
if his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep
if I have lifted up my hand over an orphan, even when it might seem to me that I have the advantage over him at the gate
then may my shoulder fall from its joint, and may my arm, with all its bones, be broken
For I have always feared God, like waves flowing over me, whose weight I was unable to bear
If I have considered gold to be my strength, or if I have called purified gold 'my Trust;
if I have rejoiced over my great success, and over the many things my hand has obtained
if I gazed upon the sun when it shined and the moon advancing brightly
so that my heart rejoiced in secret and I kissed my hand with my mouth
which is a very great iniquity and a denial against the most high God
if I have been glad at the ruin of him who hated me and have exulted that evil found him
for I have not been given my throat to sin by asking for a curse on his soul
if the men around my tabernacle have not said: "He might give us some of his food, so that we will be filled,
for the foreigner did not remain at the door, my door was open to the traveler
if, as man does, I have hidden my sin and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom
if I became frightened by an excessive crowd, and the disrespect of close relatives alarmed me, so that I would much rather have remained silent or have gone out the door
then, would he grant me a hearing, so that the Almighty would listen to my desire, and he who judges would himself write a book
which I would then carry on my shoulder and wrap around me like a crown
With each of my steps, I would pronounce and offer it, as if to a prince
So, if my land cries out against me, and if its furrows weep with it
if I have used its fruits for nothing but money and have afflicted the souls of its tillers
then, may thistles spring forth for me instead of grain, and thorns instead of barley. (This ended the words of Job.
#32
But these three men ceased to answer Job, because he considered himself justified
And Eliu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, was angry and indignant. But he was angry against Job because he described himself to be just in the presence of God
Moreover, he was indignant with his friends because they had not found a reasonable response, except in so far as they condemned Job
Therefore, Eliu waited while Job was talking, for these were his elders that were speaking
But when he saw that these three were not able to respond, he was extremely angry
And so Eliu the son of Barachel the Buzite responded by saying: I am younger in years, and you are more ancient; therefore, I kept my head low, for I was afraid to reveal to you my opinion
For I had hoped that greater age would speak, and that a multitude of years would teach wisdom
But I see now that there is only breath in men, and that it is the inspiration of the Almighty that gives understanding
The wise are not the aged, nor do the elders understand judgment
Therefore, I will speak. Listen to me, and so I will show you my wisdom
For I have endured your words; I have paid attention to your deliberations, while you were being argumentative with words
And as long as I supposed that you were saying something, I considered; but now I see that there is none of you that is able to argue with Job and to respond to his words
So that you will not say, "We have found wisdom," God has thrown him down, not man
He has said nothing to me, and I will not respond to him according to your words
Then they were filled with dread, and so they no longer responded, and they withdrew from their  speechmaking
Therefore, because I have waited and they have not been speaking, for they stood firm and did not respond at all
I also will answer in my turn, and I will reveal my knowledge
For I am full of words, and the feeling in my gut inspires me
Yes, my stomach is like fermenting wine without a vent, which bursts the new containers
I should speak, but I will also breathe a little; I will open my lips, and I will answer
I will not esteem the reputation of a man, and I will not equate God with man
For I do not know how long I will continue, and whether, after a while, my Maker might take me away
#33
Therefore, hear my speeches, Job, and listen to all my words
Behold, I have opened my mouth; let my tongue speak along with my throat
My words are from my simple heart, and my lips will speak a pure judgment
The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life
If you can, answer me, and oppose me to my face
Behold, God has made me, just as he also has made you, and I, likewise, have been formed of the same clay
So, truly, do not let my wonders terrify you, and do not let my eloquence be burdensome to you
For you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying
"I am clean and without sin; I am immaculate, and there is no iniquity in me
Yet he has discovered blame in me, and so he has treated me like his enemy
He has put my feet in fetters; he has kept watch over all my ways.
Therefore, it is for this reason that you have not been justified. For I tell you that God is greater than man
Do you contend against him because he has not responded to all of your words
God speaks once, and he does not repeat the same thing a second time
Through a dream in a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falls over men, and they are sleeping in their beds
then, he opens the ears of men, and, educating them, he teaches discipline
so that he may divert a man from the things that he is doing, and may free him from pride
rescuing his soul from corruption and his life from passing away by the sword
Likewise, he rebukes by sorrow in bed, and he causes all of his bones to become weak
Bread becomes abominable to him in his life, and, to his soul, the meat which before he desired
His body will waste away, and his bones, which had been covered, will be revealed
His soul has approached corruption, and his life has drawn near to what is deadly
If there were an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare the fairness of the man
he will have mercy on him, and he will say, "Free him, so that he will not descend to destruction. I have found a reason to be favorable to him
His body is consumed by suffering. Let him return to the days of his youth.
He will beg pardon from God, and he will be soothing to him; and he will look upon his face in jubilation, and he will restore his justice to man
He will consider mankind, and he will say: "I have sinned and truly I have offended, yet I was not treated as I deserved.
He has freed his soul from continuing into destruction, so that, in living, it may see the light
Behold, all these things God works three times within each one
so that he may revive their souls from corruption and enlighten them with the light of life
Pay attention Job, and listen to me; and remain silent, while I speak
Yet, if you have anything to say, answer me and speak, for I want you to be treated justly
But if you do not have anything to say, then listen to me. Be quiet and I will teach you wisdom
#34
After proclaiming these things, Eliu now had this to say
May the wise hear my words, and may the educated listen to me
For the ear examines words, and the mouth discerns foods by the taste
Let us choose judgment for ourselves, and let us consider among ourselves what is best
For Job has said: "I am just, yet God has subverted my judgment
For, within my judgment, there is a lie: my vehement barbs are without any sin.
What man is there that is like Job, who drinks up derision as if it were water
who accompanies those who work iniquity, and who walks with impious men
For he has said, "Man will not please God, even if he should travel with him.
Therefore, prudent men, hear me: impiety is far from God, and iniquity is far from the Almighty
For he will restore to man his works, and according to the ways of each, he will repay them
For truly, God will not condemn in vain, nor will the Almighty repudiate judgment
What other is established over the earth? Or whom has he placed over the world, which he made
But, if he directs his heart towards him, he will draw his spirit and breath to himself
All flesh will fail together, and man will return to ashes
Therefore, if you have understanding, hear what is said, and heed the sound of my eloquence
Is he that does not love judgment able to be corrected? And how can you so greatly condemn him who is just
He says to the king, "You are an apostate." He calls commanders impious
He does not accept the reputation of leaders; nor does he recognize the tyrant as he contends against the poor. For all are the work of his hands
They will die suddenly, and the people will be troubled in the middle of the night, but they will pass through it, and the violent will be taken away without a hand
For his eyes are upon the ways of men, and he examines all of their steps
There is no darkness and no shadow of death, where those who work iniquity may be hidden
For it is no longer within the power of man to enter into judgment with God
He will break into many innumerable pieces, and he will cause others to stand up in their place
For he knows their works, and, as a result, he will bring the night, and they will be crushed
Just as the impious do, he has struck them in a place where they can be seen
They, as if with great diligence, have withdrawn from him, and they refused to understand all his ways
so that they caused the outcry of the needy to reach him, and he heard the voice of the poor
For, when he grants peace, who is there that can condemn? When he hides his face, who is there that can contemplate him, either among the nations, or among all men
He causes a hypocritical man to reign because of the sins of the people
Therefore, since I have been speaking about God, I will not prevent you from doing the same
If I have erred, you may teach me; if I have spoken unfairly, I will add no more
Does God require this of you because it is displeasing to you? For you were the first to speak, and not I. But if you know something better, speak
Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man listen to me
But Job has been speaking foolishly, and his words contain unsound teaching
My father, let Job be tested even to the end; may you not retreat from a man of iniquity
For he adds blasphemy on top of his sins; nevertheless, let him be constrained to be among us, and then let him provoke God to judgment with his speeches
#35
After this, Eliu again spoke in this way
Does it seem right to you in your thoughts, that you should say, "I am more just than God?
For you said, "Having done what is right does not please you," and, "How will it benefit you, if I sin?
And so, I will respond to your words, and to your friends who are with you
Look up towards heaven and consider; also, think about the sky, which is higher than you
If you sin, how will it hurt him? And if your iniquities are multiplied, what will you do against him
Furthermore, if you act justly, what will you give him, or what will he receive from your hand
Your impiety may hurt a man who is like you, though your justice may help the son of the man
Because of the multitude of false accusers, they will cry out; and they will lament because of the strong arm of the tyrants
Yet he has not said: "Where is God, who made me, who has given songs in the night
who teaches us in addition to the beasts of the earth, and who educates us along with the birds of the air?
There they will cry, and he will not heed them, because of the arrogance of the wicked
Therefore, God does not hear in vain, and the Almighty will look into each and every case
And so, when you say, "He does not examine," be judged before him, but wait for him
For, at the present time, he does not bring forth his fury, nor does he punish sin exceedingly
Therefore, Job has opened his mouth in vain and has multiplied words without knowledge
#36
Continuing in a similar manner, Eliu had this to say
Bear with me for a little while and I will show you; for I have still more to say in favor of God
I will review my knowledge from the beginning, and I will prove my Maker to be just
For truly my words are without any falsehood and perfect knowledge will be proven to you
God does not abandon the powerful, for he himself is also powerful
But he does not save the impious, though he grants judgment to the poor
He will not take his eyes away from the just, and he continually establishes kings on their throne, and they are exalted
And, if they are in captivity, or are bound with the chains of poverty
he will reveal to them their works, as well as their sinfulness, in that they were violent
Likewise, he will open their ears to his correction, and he will speak to them, so that they may return from iniquity
If they listen and obey, they will fill their days with goodness and complete their years in glory
But if they will not listen, they will pass away by the sword and will be consumed by foolishness
The false and the crafty provoke the wrath of God, yet they do not cry out to him when they are chained
Their soul will die in a storm, and their life, among the unmanly
He will rescue the poor from his anguish, and he will open his ear during tribulation
Therefore, he will save you from the narrow mouth very widely, even though it has no foundation under it. Moreover, your respite at table will be full of fatness
Your case has been judged like that of the impious; you will withdraw your plea and your judgment
Therefore, do not let anger overwhelm you so that you oppress another; neither should you allow a multitude of gifts to influence you
Lay down your greatness without distress, and put aside all of your power with courage
Do not prolong the night, even if people rise on their behalf
Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity; for, after your misery, you have begun to follow this
Behold, God is exalted in his strength, and there is no one like him among the law-givers
Who is able to investigate his ways? And who can say, "You have done iniquity," to him
Remember that you are ignorant of his work, yet men have sung its praises
All men consider him; and each one ponders from a distance
Behold, God is great, defeating our knowledge; the number of his years is inestimable
He carries away the drops of rain, and he sends forth showers like a raging whirlpool
they flow from the clouds that are woven above everything
If he wills it, he extends the clouds as his ten
and shines with his light from above; likewise, he covers the oceans within his tent
For he judges the people by these things, and he gives food to a multitude of mortals
Within his hands, he hides the light, and he commands it to come forth again
He announces it to his friend, for it is his possession and he is able to reach out to it
#37
At this, my heart became frightened, and it has been moved from its place
Pay close attention to the alarm of his voice and to the sound that proceeds from his mouth
He beholds everything under the heavens, and his light reaches beyond the ends of the earth
After this, a noise will sound; he will thunder with the voice of his greatness, and it will not be tracked down, yet his voice will be obeyed
God will thunder with his voice miraculously, for he performs great and unsearchable things
He commands the snow to descend on earth, and the winter rains, and the shower of his strength
He signs the hand of all men, so that each one may know his works
The beast will enter his hiding-place, and he will remain in his cave
From the interior, a storm will come forth, and a cold winter from the north
As God breathes out, frost forms, and the waters are poured forth very widely again
Crops desire clouds, and the clouds scatter their light
It shines all around, wherever the will of him that governs them will lead, to anywhere he will command, over the whole face of the earth
whether in one tribe, or in his own region, or in whatever place of his mercy that he will order them to be found
Listen to these things, Job. Stand up and consider the wonders of God
Do you know when God ordered the rains, so as to show the light of his clouds
Do you know the great paths of the clouds, and the perfect sciences
Are not your garments hot, when the south wind blows across the land
Perhaps you have made the heavens with him, which are very solid, as if they had been cast from brass
Reveal to us what we should say to him, for, of course, we are wrapped in darkness
Who will explain to him the things that I am saying? Even while a man is still speaking, he will be devoured
Although they do not see the light, the air will be thickened suddenly into clouds, and the wind, passing by, will drive them away
Riches arrive from the north, and fearful praise reaches out to God
We are not worthy to be able to find him. Great in strength, great in judgment, great in justice: he is indescribable
Therefore, men will fear him, and all those who seem to themselves to be wise, will not dare to contemplate him
#38
But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said
Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words
Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me
Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding
Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it
Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone
when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise
Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb
when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant
I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors
And I said: "This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.
Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place
And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it
The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment
From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken
Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss
Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness
Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me
Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness
In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house
So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days
Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone
which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war
In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth
Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder
so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers
so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants
Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew
From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air
The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over
Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus
Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth
Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth
Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you
Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: "Here we are?
Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence
Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven
When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together
Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young
as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits
Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food
#39
Do you know at what time the wild goats have given birth among the rocks, or do you observe the deer when they go into labor
Have you numbered the months since their conception, and do you know at what time they gave birth
They bend themselves for their offspring, and they give birth, and they emit roars
Their young are weaned and go out to feed; they depart and do not return to them
Who has set the wild ass free, and who has released his bonds
I have given a house in solitude to him, and his tabernacle is in the salted land
He despises the crowded city; he does not pay attention to the bellow of the tax collector
He looks around the mountains of his pasture, and he searches everywhere for green plants
Will the rhinoceros be willing to serve you, and will he remain in your stall
Can you detain the rhinoceros with your harness to plough for you, and will he loosen the soil of the furrows behind you
Will you put your faith in his great strength, and delegate your labors to him
Will you trust him to return to you the seed, and to gather it on your drying floor
The wing of the ostrich is like the wings of the heron, and of the hawk
When she leaves eggs behind in the earth, will you perhaps warm them in the dust
She forgets that feet may trample them, or that the beasts of the field may shatter them
She is hardened against her young, as if they were not hers; she has labored in vain, with no fear compelling her
For God has deprived her of wisdom; neither has he given her understanding
Yet, when the time is right, she raises her wings on high; she ridicules the horse and his rider
Will you supply strength to the horse, or envelope his throat with neighing
Will you alarm him as the locusts do? His panic is revealed by the display of his nostrils
He digs at the earth with his hoof; he jumps around boldly; he advances to meet armed men
He despises fear; he does not turn away from the sword
Above him, the quiver rattles, the spear and the shield shake
Seething and raging, he drinks up the earth; neither does he pause when the blast of the trumpet sounds
When he hears the bugle, he says, "Ha!" He smells the battle from a distance, the exhortation of the officers, and the battle cry of the soldiers
Does the hawk grow feathers by means of your wisdom, spreading her wings towards the south
Will the eagle lift herself up at your command and make her nest in steep places
She dwells among the rocks, and she lingers among broken boulders and inaccessible cliffs
From there, she looks for food, and her eyes catch sight of it from far away
Her young will drink blood, and wherever the carcass will be, she is there immediately
And the Lord continued, and he said to Job
Will he who contends with God be so easily silenced? Certainly, he who argues with God must also respond to him
Then Job answered the Lord, saying
What could I possibly answer, since I have been speaking thoughtlessly? I will place my hand over my mouth
One thing I have spoken, which I wish I had not said; and another, to which I will add no more
#40
But the Lord, answering Job out of the whirlwind, said
Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me
Will you make my judgment null and void; and will you condemn me so that you may be justified
And do you have an arm like God, or a voice like thunder
Envelop yourself with splendor, and raise yourself up on high, and be glorious, and put on splendid garments
Scatter the arrogant with your wrath, and, when you see all the arrogant, humble them
Look down upon each of the arrogant and confound them, and crush the impious in their place
Hide them in the dust together and plunge their faces into the pit
Then I will confess that your right hand is able to save you
Behold, the behemoth, whom I created along with you, eats hay like an ox
His strength is in his lower back, and his power is in the center of his abdomen
He draws up his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs have been drawn together
His bones are like pipes of brass; his cartilage is like plates of iron
He is the beginning of the ways of God, who made him; he will use him as his sword
The mountains bring forth grass for him; all the beasts of the field will play there
He sleeps in the shadows, under the cover of branches, and in moist places
The shadows cover his shadow; the willows of the brook will encircle him
Behold, he will drink a river and not be amazed, and he has confidence that the Jordan could flow into his mouth
He will seize him through his eyes, as if with a hook, and he will bore through his nostrils, as if with stakes
Can you draw out the leviathan with a hook, and can you bind his tongue with a cord
Can you place a ring in his nose, or bore through his jaw with an arm band
Will he offer many prayers to you, or speak to you quietly
Will he form a covenant with you, and will you accept him as a servant forever
Will you play with him as with a bird, or tether him for your handmaids
Will your friends cut him into pieces, will dealers distribute him
Will you fill up bags with his hide, and let his head be used as a home for fishes
Place your hand upon him; remember the battle and speak no more
Behold, his hope will fail him, and in the sight of all, he will be thrown down
#41
I will not rouse him, as the cruel would do, for who is able to withstand my countenance
Who has given to me beforehand, so that I should repay him? All things that are under heaven are mine
I will not spare him, nor his powerful words and counterfeit attempts at supplication
Who can reveal the beauty of his garment? And who can enter the middle of his mouth
Who can open the doors of his face? I gave fear to the circle of his teeth
His body is like shields fused together, like dense scales pressed over one another
One is joined to another, and not even air can pass between them
They adhere to one another, and they hold themselves in place and will not be separated
His sneezing has the brilliance of fire, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning
Lamps proceed from his mouth, like torches of fire burning brightly
Smoke passes out of his nostrils, like a pot that is heated and boiling
His breath causes coal to burn, and a flame comes forth from his mouth
Strength dwells in his neck, and destitution goes before his presence
The parts of his body work in harmony together. He will send lightning bolts against him, and they will not be carried to another place
His heart will be as hard as a stone and as dense as a blacksmith's anvil
When he will be raised up, the angels will be afraid, and, because they are terrified, they will purify themselves
When a sword catches up with him, it will not be able to settle in, nor a spear, nor a breastplate
For he will consider iron as if it were chaff, and brass as if it were rotten wood
The archer will not cause him to flee; the stones of the sling have been turned into stubble for him
He will treat the hammer as if it were stubble, and he will ridicule those who brandish the spear
The beams of the sun will be under him, and he will dispense gold to them as if it were clay
He will make the depths of the sea boil like a pot, and he will set it to bubble just as ointments do
A path will shine after him; he will esteem the abyss as if it were weakening with age
There is no power on the earth that is being compared to him, who has been made so that he fears no one
He sees every prominent thing; he is king over all the sons of arrogance
#42
Then Job, responding to the Lord, said
I know that you are able to do all things, and that no thoughts are hidden from you
So, who is it that would disguise a lack of knowledge as counsel? Therefore, I have been speaking foolishly, about things whose measure exceeds my knowledge
Listen, and I will speak. I will question you, and you may answer me
By paying attention with the ear, I have heard you, but now my eye sees you
Therefore, I find myself reprehensible, and I will do penance in embers and ashes
But after the Lord had finished speaking these words to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Themanite: My wrath has been kindled against you, and against your two friends, because you have not been speaking correctly in my eyes, as my servant Job has done
Therefore, have seven bulls and seven rams brought to you, and go to my servant Job, and offer these as a holocaust for yourselves. But also, my servant Job will pray for you; I will accept his face, so that foolishness will not be imputed to you. For you have not been speaking correctly about me, as my servant Job has done
So Eliphaz the Themanite, and Baldad the Suhite, and Zophar the Naamathite departed, and they did just as the Lord had spoken to them, and the Lord accepted the face of Job
Likewise, the Lord was moved by the repentance of Job, when he prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave to Job twice as much as he had before
Yet all his brethren came to him, and all his sisters, and everyone who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house. They also shook their heads over him and comforted him, because of all the bad things that God had inflicted on him. And each one of them gave him one female sheep, and one earring of gold
And the Lord blessed the latter end of Job even more than his beginning. And he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand pairs of oxen, and a thousand she-donkeys
And he had seven sons and three daughters
And he called the name of one, Daylight, and the name of the second, Cinnamon, and the name of the third, Horn of Cosmetics
And, in the whole world, there were not found women so beautiful as the daughters of Job. And so their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers
But Job lived long after these events, for a hundred and forty years, and he saw his children, and his children's children, all the way to the fourth generation, and he died an old man and full of days