After my words they did not go on; and my speech dropped on them.

And they waited for me like the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

I smiled kindly on them when they did not believe; and they did not make the light of my face fall.

But now those younger laugh at me, whose fathers I would have refused to set with the dogs of my flock.

Also, what profit for me was the strength of their hands, for full vigor had perished from them?

They despise me, and they flee far from me; they do not spare spit from my face.

Because He has loosed His bowstring and afflicted me, they have also thrown off the bridle before me.

On my right a brood rises; they push away my feet and raise up against me the ways of their ruin.

They have broken down my path, they gain by my trouble; they have no helper.

Terrors have turned on me; they pursue my soul like the wind; and my good passes away like a cloud.

And now my soul is poured out within me; the days of affliction have taken hold on me.

My bones are pierced in me in the night; and my gnawings never lie down.

By the great force of my disease my clothing is exposed; it binds me about like the mouth of my coat.

He has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.

I cried to You, and You did not hear me; I stood up, and You did not consider me.

You changed to be cruel to me; with Your mighty hand You assault me.

You lift me up to the wind; You cause me to ride on it; and You melt me in a storm.

For I know that You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.

Did I not weep for him whose day was hard; and my soul grieved for the poor?

My bowels boiled, and did not rest; the days of trouble confront me.

My skin is black on me, and my bones are burned with heat.

And my lyre has turned to mourning, and my flute to the sound of weeping.

I made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I look upon a virgin?

Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?

If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot has hurried to deceit,

let me be weighed in an even balance so that God may know my uprightness.

If my step has turned out of the way, or my heart has walked after my eyes, and if any blot has held fast to my hands;

then let me sow, and let another eat; and let my harvests be rooted out.

If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or I have laid wait at my neighbor's door,

then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down on her.

For it is a fire that devours to the Place of Ruin, and it would root out all my gain.

If I despised the cause of my man servant or of my slave-girl, when they argued with me;

what then shall I do when God rises up? And when He calls me to account, what shall I answer Him?

Did not He who made me in the womb make him? And did not One shape us in the womb?

or have eaten my bit alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it,

for from my youth he grew up with me, as with a father, and from my mother's womb I guided her;

if his loins have not blessed me, and he warmed himself with the fleece of my flock;

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless when I watched over my help in the gate;

then let my arm fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from the elbow.

For trouble from God is a terror to me, and I could not do anything because of His highness.

If I have made gold my hope, or have called fine gold my trust;

if I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

and my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand;

If I rejoiced at the ruin of my hater, and I was excited when evil found him;

also I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse;

if the men of my camp did not say, Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat?

The stranger did not sleep in the street, for I opened my doors to the traveler.

If I covered my transgressions like Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

then let me tremble before a great multitude, and be terrified by the scorn of families; and I will be silent and not go out the door.

Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my mark. Let the Almighty answer me, and my Accuser write an indictment.

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and bind it like crowns to me.

I would declare to Him the number of my steps; like a prince I would go near Him.

If my lands cry against me, or its furrows weep together;

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and you are very old; therefore I was afraid, and dared not show you my opinion.

Therefore I say, Listen to me. I also will declare my opinion.

And he has not directed his words against me; and I will not answer him with your words.

I also will answer my part; I also will declare my wisdom.

For I am full of words; the spirit within me presses on me.

Behold, my breast is as wine which has no vent; it bursts like new wineskins.

I will speak so that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.

For I do not know how to eulogize; else after a little my Maker would take me away.

However, Job, please hear my speeches, and listen to all my words.

Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue has spoken in my mouth,

my words shall be from my upright heart, and my lips will clearly speak knowledge.

The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

If you can, answer me; set yourself in order before me, stand up.

Behold, my terror shall not make you afraid, and my burden shall not be heavy on you.

Surely you have spoken in my ears, and I have heard the sound of your words.

You said, I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and no iniquity is in me;

behold, He finds reasons to be against me, He counts me for His enemy;

He puts my feet in the stocks; He marks all my paths.

so that He may turn man from his act, that He might hide pride from man.

He will observe to men, and say, I have sinned and perverted righteousness; and it was not equally repaid to me,

He has redeemed my soul from passing over into the Pit, and my life shall see the light.

Hear this, Job, listen to me; be silent and I will speak.

If you have anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you.

If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.

Hear my words, wise men; and give ear to me, you who have knowledge;

For Job has said, I am righteous; and God has taken away my right;

should I lie against my right? My wound cannot be cured; I am without rebellion.

Therefore listen to me, O man of heart; far be it from God to commit iniquity; and from the Almighty, to do wrong.

If now you have understanding, hear this; listen to the sound of my words.

And He gives quietness, who then can condemn? And when He hides His face, who can behold Him? And it may be against a nation and a man together;

Besides what I see, You teach me; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more.

Men of understanding will say to me, and a wise man who hears me will say,

Would that Job may be tried to the end because his answers are like men of iniquity.

Your wickedness may hurt a man like yourself; and your righteousness may profit the son of man.

But none says, Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night;

Wait for me a little, and I will show you that there are yet words for God.

I will bring my knowledge from afar, and I will credit righteousness to my Maker.

For truly my words are not false; He who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

every man has seen it; man may see it afar off.

My heart trembles at this also, and it leaps out of its place.

He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men may know His work.

and it is turned around by His guidance, so that they may do whatever He commands them on the face of the world in the earth.

Now gird up your loins like a man; for I will ask of you, and you teach Me.

and set My limit on it, and set bars and doors,

Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that floods of waters may cover you?

Can you send lightnings, that they may go, and say to you, Here we are?

and forgets that a foot may crush them, or that the beast of the field may break them.