"They listened and waited for me, as they remained in silence for my counsel.

They waited for me as one waits for rain, as one opens his mouth to drink in a spring rain shower.

I smiled at them when they had no confidence, and no one could discourage me.

"But now they mock me; men who are far younger than I, whose fathers I would have hated to entrust with my own sheep dogs.

"Now, I've become the object of their mocking melodies; I'm nothing but a fool's proverb to them!

They abhor me they keep their distance from me; but they don't refrain from spitting at the sight of me.

But God has loosened his cord and afflicted me; so they've cast off all restraints in my presence.

"A wretched crowd ambushes me to my right; they trip my feet; they build up their path of calamity for me.

They tear up my pathways; they profit from my destruction, and they need no help to do this!

They come like those who breach through a wall; as everything crashes around me they'll roll on and on!

My greatest fears have overcome me; my honor is assaulted as though by a wind storm; my prosperity evaporates like a morning cloud."

"Now, my soul pours itself out; the time of my affliction has taken control of me.

The night racks my bones; and the pain that gnaws on me will not rest.

My clothes are disheveled by his forceful treatment of me; he restricts my movement like the collar of my cloak.

"He tossed me into the mire; I've become like dust and ashes.

I cry for help to you, but you won't answer me; I stand still, but you only look at me.

You changed toward me, and now you're cruel to me; with your mighty hand you are persecuting me;

you carried me off in a wind storm, making me ride on it while you toss me about as the storm roars around me.

I know that you're about to kill me, so I'm about to go to the house that's appointed for all the living."

I'm boiling mad inside, and I won't remain silent; the time for my affliction to confront me has arrived.

My skin turns black all over me; and my bones seem burned from the heat.

But my harp is in mourning; my flute plays only songs for those who are weeping."

"I made a covenant with my eyes; how, then, can I focus my attention on a virgin?

He watches my life, observing every one of my actions, does he not?"

"If I've lived my life in the company of vanity, or run quickly to embrace deception,

let my righteousness be weighed in honest scales, and God will make known my integrity.

If I have stepped away from the way, or if my heart covets whatever my eyes see, or if some other blemish clings to my hands,

what I've planted, let another eat or let my crops be uprooted."

"If my heart has been seduced by a woman and I've laid in wait at my friend's door,

then let my wife cook for another person and may someone else sleep with her,

The fires of Abaddon will burn, disrupting every part of my eternal reward."

"If I've refused to help my male and female servants when they complain against me,

The one who made me in the womb made them, too, didn't he? Didn't the same one prepare each of us in the womb?"

if I ate my meals by myself without feeding orphans,

(even a poor man had grown up with me as if I were his father, and even though I had guided the widow from the time I was born),

if he hadn't thanked me from the bottom of his heart, if he had not been warmed by wool from my sheep,

if I've raised my hand against an orphan when I thought I would against him in court,

then let my arm fall from its socket; and may my arm be torn off at the shoulder.

For I'm terrified of what calamity God may have in store for me; and I cannot endure his grandeur."

"If I've put my confidence in gold, if I've told gold, "You're my security,'

if I've found joy in great wealth that I own, if I've earned a lot with my own hands,

so that in the depths of my deceived heart I worshipped them with my mouth and hands,

"Have I rejoiced in the destruction of those who hate me, or have I been happy that evil caught up with him?

No, I haven't allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.

People in my household have said, "We cannot find anyone who has not been satisfied with his meat,' haven't they?

No stranger ever spent the night in the street, because I opened my doors to travelers."

"Have I covered my transgression like other people, to conceal iniquity within myself?

Have I feared large crowds? Has my family's contempt ever terrified me so that I remained silent and wouldn't go outside?"

"Who will grant me a hearing? Here's my signature let the Almighty answer! Since my adversary indicted me,

I'll wear it on my shoulder, or tie it on my head for a crown!

"If my land were to cry out against me or if all its furrows wept as one,

may thorns spring up instead of wheat, and obnoxious weeds instead of barley." With this, Job's discourse with his friends is completed.

Barachel's son Elihu from Buz responded and said: "I'm younger than you are. Because you're older, I was terrified to tell you what I know.

Therefore I'm saying, "Listen to me!' Then I'll declare what I know.

let him not direct a rebuke toward me. I won't be responding to him with your arguments.

"I will contribute my arguments as an answer; I'll declare what I know,

because I'm filled with things to say, and my spirit within me compels me to speak.

My insides feel like unvented wine, like it's about to burst like a new wineskin.

"Let me speak! I need relief! Let me open my lips and respond.

since I don't know the first thing about how to flatter; and the one who made me would sweep me away as if I were nothing."

Look! I've begun to speak, and I'm fashioning my words.

I speak from the innocence of my heart; and my lips will utter what I sincerely know.

"The spirit of God fashioned me; and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Answer me, if you can! Present your case! Take your stand in my presence!

Look! As far as God is concerned, I'm just like you are I, too, have been pinched off from a piece of clay.

Don't be afraid of me; I'll go easy on you."

"I'm pure. I'm without sin; I'm innocent. I'm harboring no iniquity inside of me.

Nevertheless, God has found a pretext to attack me; he considers me his enemy.

He has bound my feet in shackles, and keeps watching everything I do.'"

"You aren't right about this; My response is that God is greater than human beings.

"He'll sing to mankind with these words: "I've sinned. I have twisted what is right. Yet he has not repaid me like I deserve.

He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit; my life will see the light.'

"Job, pay attention! Listen to me! Be silent and let me speak.

If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, because I'd be happy to vindicate you.

But if you have nothing to say, then at least listen to me! Be quiet and learn some wisdom from me."

"Listen to what I have to say, you wise men! Pay attention to me, you educated people!

Now this is Job's claim: "Even though I'm innocent, God has stopped treating me righteously.

Have I lied concerning the justice that I deserve? My wound is incurable, though transgression cannot be attributed to me.'

"Therefore you men of understanding, listen to me! Far be it for God to practice wickedness, or the Almighty to do what is wrong,

What I don't see, instruct me! If I've done anything evil, I won't repeat it!'

"Men of understanding, speak to me! Are any of you men wise? Then listen to me!

"Are you saying that it's just for you to claim, "I'm more righteous than God?'

I'm going to respond to that statement, and to your friends with you."

He never asks, "Where is God, my Creator, who gives me songs in the night,

"Be patient with me a moment longer, and I'll show you that there's more to say on God's behalf.

I'll take what I know to its logical conclusion and ascribe righteousness to my Creator,

"Now I'll conclude with this: my heart is trembling violently; it feels like it's about to leap from my body!

"Who is this who keeps darkening my counsel without knowing what he's talking about?

Stand up like a man! I'll ask you some questions, and you give me some answers!"

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of my earth? Tell me, since you're so informed!

and said, "You may come only this far and no more. Your majestic waves will stop here.'?

Do you understand the breadth of the earth? Tell me, since you know it all!

She mistreats her young as though they're not hers, and she has no fear that her labor may be in vain,

"I must look insignificant to you! How can I answer you? I'm speechless.

"Stand up like a man! I'll ask you some questions, and you give me some answers!

Indeed would you annul my justice and condemn me, just so you can claim that you're righteous?

Will he try to make a deal with you, so that you may take him in servitude forever?

No one is fierce enough to dare to arouse him. "Who, then, can stand in my presence and face me?

Who can take me to court and be reconciled to me? All of heaven is mine.

You asked, "Who is this that darkens counsel without knowledge?' Well now, I have talked about what I don't understand awesome things beyond me that I don't know.