[11:2] "Shouldn't the multitude of words be answered? Should a man full of talk be justified? [11:3] Should your boastings make men hold their peace? When you mock, shall no man make you ashamed? [11:4] For you say, 'My doctrine is pure. I am clean in your eyes.' [11:5] But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you, [11:6] that he would show you the secrets of wisdom! For true wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves. [11:7] "Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty? [11:8] They are high as heaven. What can you do? They are deeper than Sheol. What can you know? [11:9] Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. [11:10] If he passes by, or confines, or convenes a court, then who can oppose him? [11:11] For he knows false men. He sees iniquity also, even though he doesn't consider it. [11:12] An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey's colt. [11:13] "If you set your heart aright, stretch out your hands toward him. [11:14] If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away. Don't let unrighteousness dwell in your tents. [11:15] Surely then you shall lift up your face without spot; Yes, you shall be steadfast, and shall not fear: [11:16] for you shall forget your misery. You shall remember it as waters that are passed away. [11:17] Life shall be clearer than the noonday. Though there is darkness, it shall be as the morning. [11:18] You shall be secure, because there is hope. Yes, you shall search, and shall take your rest in safety. [11:19] Also you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. Yes, many shall court your favor. [11:20] But the eyes of the wicked shall fail. They shall have no way to flee. Their hope shall be the giving up of the spirit."
[12:1] Then Job answered,
[12:2] "No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. [12:3] But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn't know such things as these? [12:4] I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke. [12:5] In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips. [12:6] The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their God in their hands. [12:7] "But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you. [12:8] Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you. [12:9] Who doesn't know that in all these, the hand of Yahweh has done this, [12:10] in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind? [12:11] Doesn't the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food? [12:12] With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding. [12:13] "With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding. [12:14] Behold, he breaks down, and it can't be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release. [12:15] Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth. [12:16] With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his. [12:17] He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools. [12:18] He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt. [12:19] He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty. [12:20] He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders. [12:21] He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong. [12:22] He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death. [12:23] He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive. [12:24] He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. [12:25] They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
[13:1] "Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it. [13:2] What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you. [13:3] "Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God. [13:4] But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value. [13:5] Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise. [13:6] Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips. [13:7] Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him? [13:8] Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God? [13:9] Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him? [13:10] He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality. [13:11] Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you? [13:12] Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay. [13:13] "Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will. [13:14] Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? [13:15] Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him. [13:16] This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him. [13:17] Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears. [13:18] See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous. [13:19] Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit. [13:20] "Only don't do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face: [13:21] withdraw your hand far from me; and don't let your terror make me afraid. [13:22] Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me. [13:23] How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin. [13:24] Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy? [13:25] Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble? [13:26] For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth: [13:27] You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet, [13:28] though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
[14:1] "Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. [14:2] He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn't continue. [14:3] Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you? [14:4] Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. [14:5] Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can't pass; [14:6] Look away from him, that he may rest, until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day. [14:7] "For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease. [14:8] Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground, [14:9] yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant. [14:10] But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he? [14:11] As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up, [14:12] so man lies down and doesn't rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep. [14:13] "Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! [14:14] If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, until my release should come. [14:15] You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands. [14:16] But now you number my steps. Don't you watch over my sin? [14:17] My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity. [14:18] "But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place; [14:19] The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man. [14:20] You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away. [14:21] His sons come to honor, and he doesn't know it. They are brought low, but he doesn't perceive it of them. [14:22] But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns."
[15:1] Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
[15:2] "Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind? [15:3] Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good? [15:4] Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God. [15:5] For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty. [15:6] Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you. [15:7] "Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills? [15:8] Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself? [15:9] What do you know, that we don't know? What do you understand, which is not in us? [15:10] With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much elder than your father. [15:11] Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you? [15:12] Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash, [15:13] That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth? [15:14] What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? [15:15] Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight; [15:16] how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water! [15:17] "I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare: [15:18] (Which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it; [15:19] to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them): [15:20] the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor. [15:21] A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer shall come on him. [15:22] He doesn't believe that he shall return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword. [15:23] He wanders abroad for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. [15:24] Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. [15:25] Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty; [15:26] he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers; [15:27] because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs. [15:28] He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps. [15:29] He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth. [15:30] He shall not depart out of darkness. The flame shall dry up his branches. By the breath of God's mouth shall he go away. [15:31] Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness shall be his reward. [15:32] It shall be accomplished before his time. His branch shall not be green. [15:33] He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive tree. [15:34] For the company of the godless shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery. [15:35] They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit."
[16:1] Then Job answered,
[16:2] "I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters! [16:3] Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? [16:4] I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul's place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you, [16:5] but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you. [16:6] "Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased? [16:7] But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made desolate all my company. [16:8] You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face. [16:9] He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me. [16:10] They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me. [16:11] God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked. [16:12] I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target. [16:13] His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my gall on the ground. [16:14] He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs on me like a giant. [16:15] I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust. [16:16] My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids. [16:17] Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure. [16:18] "Earth, don't cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest. [16:19] Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high. [16:20] My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God, [16:21] that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor! [16:22] For when a few years are come, I shall go the way from whence I shall not return.
[17:1] "My spirit is consumed. My days are extinct, And the grave is ready for me. [17:2] Surely there are mockers with me. My eye dwells on their provocation. [17:3] "Now give a pledge, be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me? [17:4] For you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore you shall not exalt them. [17:5] He who denounces his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his children shall fail. [17:6] "But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face. [17:7] My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow. [17:8] Upright men shall be astonished at this. The innocent shall stir up himself against the godless. [17:9] Yet shall the righteous hold on his way. He who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger. [17:10] But as for you all, come on now again; I shall not find a wise man among you. [17:11] My days are past, my plans are broken off, as are the thoughts of my heart. [17:12] They change the night into day, saying 'The light is near' in the presence of darkness. [17:13] If I look for Sheol as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness, [17:14] If I have said to corruption, 'You are my father;' to the worm, 'My mother,' and 'my sister;' [17:15] where then is my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? [17:16] Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?"