and suddenly, a great wind came from across the desert, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

“Let those curse it who curse the day,
Who are skilled in rousing up Leviathan.

“There [in death] the wicked cease from raging,
And there the weary are at rest.

“The small and the great are there,
And the servant is free from his master.

Who rejoice exceedingly,
And rejoice when they find the grave?

“For my groaning comes at the sight of my food,
And my cries [of despair] are poured out like water.

“But now adversity comes upon you, and you are impatient and intolerant;
It touches you, and you are horrified.

“By the breath of God they perish,
And by the blast of His anger they are consumed.

“The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion,
And the teeth of the young lions are broken.

“The lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

‘How much more [will He blame and charge] those who dwell in houses (bodies) of clay,
Whose foundations are in the dust,
Who are crushed like a moth.

‘Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces and destroyed;
Unobserved and unnoticed, they perish forever.

“His children are far from safety [and included in their father’s ruin],
They are oppressed and crushed in the [court of justice in the city’s] gate,
And there is no one to rescue them.

So that He sets on high those who are lowly,
And He lifts to safety those who mourn.

Because the arrows of the Almighty are within me,
My spirit drinks their poison;
The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

“My soul refuses to touch them;
Such things are like loathsome food to me [sickening and repugnant].

Which are dull and dirty because of ice,
And into which the snow melts and hides itself;

“Indeed, you have now become like a dried-up stream,
You see a terror [believing me to be a victim of the wrath of God] and are afraid [to be compassionate].

“How painful are words of honesty.
But what does your argument prove?

“Is not man forced to labor on earth?
And are not his days like the days of a hired man?

So am I allotted months of futility and suffering,
And [long] nights of trouble and misery are appointed to me.

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.

“The eye of him who sees me [now] will see me no more;
Your eyes will be upon me, but I will not be.

“I waste away and loathe my life; I will not live forever.
Let me alone, for my days are but a breath [futile and without substance].

Then, if you are pure and upright,
Surely now He will awaken for you
And restore your righteous place.

“For we are only of yesterday and know nothing,
Because our days on earth are [like] a shadow [just a breath or a vapor].

“So are the paths of all who forget God;
And the hope of the godless will perish,

“His [godless] roots are wrapped around a pile of rocks,
And he gazes at a house of stones.

“Behold, He snatches away; who can restrain or turn Him back?
Who will say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

“The earth is given into the hands of the wicked;
He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blind to justice].
If it is not He, then who is it [that is responsible for all this injustice]?

“Now my days are swifter than a runner;
They vanish, they see no good.

“They pass by like the [swift] boats made of reeds,
Like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.

‘Are Your days as the days of a mortal,
Are Your years as man’s years,

“Would He not let my few days alone,
Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer

“No doubt you are the [only wise] people [in the world],
And wisdom will die with you!

“The tents of the destroyers prosper;
And those who provoke God are [apparently] secure,
Whom God brings into their power.

“Who among all these does not recognize [in all these things that good and evil are randomly scattered throughout nature and human life]
That the hand of the Lord has done this,

“But [only] with Him are [perfect] wisdom and might;
He [alone] has [true] counsel and understanding.

“With Him are might and sound wisdom,
The misled and the misleader are His [and in His power].

“He deprives the trusted ones of speech
And takes away the discernment and discretion of the aged.

“But you smear me with lies [you defame my character most untruthfully];
You are all worthless physicians and have no remedy to offer.

“Your memorable sayings are [worthless, merely] proverbs of ashes;
Your defenses are defenses of [crumbling] clay.

“How many are my iniquities and sins [that so much sorrow should come to me]?
Make me recognize and understand my transgression and my sin.

“Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You [in Your control],
And You have made his limits so he cannot pass [his allotted time].

So man lies down and does not rise [again].
Until the heavens are no longer,
The dead will not awake nor be raised from their sleep.

“His sons achieve honor, and he does not know it;
They become insignificant, and he is not aware of it.

“Indeed, you are doing away with fear,
And you are diminishing meditation before God.

“Were you the first man to be born [the original wise man],
Or were you created before the hills?

“Among us are both the gray-haired and the aged,
Older than your father.

“Are the consolations of God [as we have interpreted them to you] too trivial for you,
[Or] were we too gentle toward you [in our first speech] to be effective?

“Behold, God puts no trust in His holy ones (angels);
Indeed, the heavens are not pure in His sight—

“The wicked man writhes with pain all his days,
And numbered are the years stored up for him, the ruthless one.

“A [dreadful] sound of terrors is in his ears;
While at peace and in a time of prosperity the destroyer comes upon him [the tent of the robber is not at peace].

“I have heard many such things;
Wearisome and miserable comforters are you all.

“You have taken a firm hold on me and have shriveled me up,
It has become a witness [against me];
And my leanness [and infirmity] rises up [as evidence] against me,
It testifies to my face [about my guilt].

“My face is red and swollen with weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death [my eyes are dimmed],

“For when a few years are past,
I shall go the way of no return.

“My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished,
The grave is ready for me.

“Surely there are mockers and mockery with me,
And my eye gazes on their obstinacy and provocation.

“My eye has grown dim (unexpressive) because of grief,
And all my [body’s] members are [wasted away] like a shadow.

“My days are past, my purposes and plans are frustrated and torn apart;
The wishes of my heart [are broken].

If I call out to the pit (grave), ‘You are my father’;
And to the worm [that feeds on decay], ‘You are my mother and my sister [because I will soon be closest to you],’

“Why are we regarded as beasts,
As if [we are] stupid (senseless) in your eyes?

“Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked and the ungodly,
And such is the place of him who does not know or recognize or honor God.”

“These ten times you have insulted me;
You are not ashamed to wrong me [and harden your hearts against me].

“He has put my brothers far from me,
And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.

“All the men of my council hate me;
Those I love have turned against me.

“Why do you persecute me as God does?
Why are you not satisfied with my flesh (anguish)?

“Then beware and be afraid of the sword [of divine vengeance] for yourselves,
For wrathful are the punishments of that sword,
So that you may know there is judgment.”

“His bones are full of youthful strength
But it lies down with him in the dust.

“Their children and descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.

“Their houses are safe from fear;
And the rod of God is not on them.

“Are they like straw before the wind,
And like chaff that the storm steals and carries away?

“Can anyone teach God knowledge,
Seeing that He judges those on high?

His pails are full of milk [his sides are filled out with fat],
And the marrow of his bones is moist,

“That evil men are [now] reserved for the day of disaster and destruction,
They will be led away on the day of [God’s] wrath?

“The [dirt] clods of the valley are sweet to him [and gently cover him],
Moreover, all men will follow after him [to a grave],
While countless ones go before him.

“Is it any pleasure or joy to the Almighty that you are righteous?
Or is it of benefit to Him that you make your ways perfect?

“Therefore snares surround you,
And sudden dread terrifies and overwhelms you;

“Is not God in the height of heaven?
And behold the distant stars, how high they are!

‘Thick clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see,
And He walks on the vault (circle) of the heavens.’

“The righteous see it and are glad;
And the innocent mock and laugh at them, saying,

‘Surely our adversaries are cut off and destroyed,
And fire has consumed their abundance.’

“Why does the Almighty not set seasons for judgment?
Why do those who know Him not see His days [for punishment of the wicked]?

“They are wet from the rain of the mountains
And cling to the rock for lack of shelter.

“Others have been with those who rebel against the light;
They do not want to know its ways
Nor stay in its paths.

“For the morning is the same to him as the thick darkness [of midnight];
For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness.

“God gives them security, and they are supported;
And His eyes are on their ways.

“They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone;
Moreover, they are brought low and like everything [they are] gathered up and taken out of the way;
Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.

“Dominion and awe belong to God;
He establishes peace and order in His high places.

“Behold, even the moon has no brightness [compared to God’s majesty and glory]
And the stars are not pure in His sight,

“The pillars of the heavens tremble
And are terrified at His rebuke.

“By His breath the heavens are cleared;
His hand has pierced the [swiftly] fleeing serpent.

“Yet these are just the fringes of His ways [mere samples of His power],
The faintest whisper of His voice!
Who can contemplate the thunder of His [full] mighty power?”

“Far be it from me that I should admit you are right [in your accusations against me];
Until I die, I will not remove my integrity from me.

“Though his children are many, they are destined for the sword;
And his descendants will not have sufficient bread.

“Its stones are the bed of sapphires;
It holds dust of gold.

‘My glory and honor are fresh in me [being constantly renewed],
And my bow gains [ever] new strength in my hand.’

“But now those younger than I mock and laugh at me,
Whose fathers I refused to put with the sheepdogs of my flock.

“They are gaunt with want and famine;
They gnaw the dry and barren ground by night in [the gloom of] waste and desolation.