“Let those curse it who curse the day,
Who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.

“There the wicked cease from raging,
And there the weary are at rest.

“The prisoners are at ease together;
They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.

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

“But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
It touches you, and you are dismayed.

“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 whelps of the lioness are scattered.

‘How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before the moth!

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

“His sons are far from safety,
They are even oppressed in the gate,
And there is no deliverer.

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

“For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,
Their poison my spirit drinks;
The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

“My soul refuses to touch them;
They are like loathsome food to me.

Which are turbid because of ice
And into which the snow melts.

“When they become waterless, they are silent,
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.

“Indeed, you have now become such,
You see a terror and are afraid.

“How painful are honest words!
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 vanity,
And nights of trouble are appointed me.

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And come to an end without hope.

“I waste away; I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

“What is man that You magnify him,
And that You are concerned about him,

If you are pure and upright,
Surely now He would rouse Himself for you
And restore your righteous estate.

“For we are only of yesterday and know nothing,
Because our days on earth are as a shadow.

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

“Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him?
Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

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

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

“They are high as the heavens, what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol, what can you know?

“Truly then you are the people,
And with you wisdom will die!

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

“With Him are wisdom and might;
To Him belong counsel and understanding.

“With Him are strength and sound wisdom,
The misled and the misleader belong to Him.

“But you smear with lies;
You are all worthless physicians.

“Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.

“How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make known to me my rebellion and my sin.

“Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.

So man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens are no longer,
He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep.

“Should he argue with useless talk,
Or with words which are not profitable?

“Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Older than your father.

“Are the consolations of God too small for you,
Even the word spoken gently with you?

“Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones,
And the heavens are not pure in His sight;

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

“Sounds of terror are in his ears;
While at peace the destroyer comes upon him.

“He has lived in desolate cities,
In houses no one would inhabit,
Which are destined to become ruins.

“I have heard many such things;
Sorry comforters are you all.

“My friends are my scoffers;
My eye weeps to God.

“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 mockers are with me,
And my eye gazes on their provocation.

“My eye has also grown dim because of grief,
And all my members are as a shadow.

“My days are past, my plans are torn apart,
Even the wishes of my heart.

If I call to the pit, ‘You are my father’;
To the worm, ‘my mother and my sister’;

“Why are we regarded as beasts,
As stupid in your eyes?

“His roots are dried below,
And his branch is cut off above.

“Those in the west are appalled at his fate,
And those in the east are seized with horror.

“Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who does not know God.”

“These ten times you have insulted me;
You are not ashamed to wrong me.

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

“Why do you persecute me as God does,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?

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

“Their 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 as straw before the wind,
And like chaff which the storm carries away?

His sides are filled out with fat,
And the marrow of his bones is moist,

“Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous,
Or profit if you make your ways perfect?

“Is not God in the height of heaven?
Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!

‘Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;
And He walks on the vault of heaven.’

“The righteous see and are glad,
And the innocent mock them,

Saying, ‘Truly our adversaries are cut off,
And their abundance the fire has consumed.’

“When you are cast down, you will speak with confidence,
And the humble person He will save.

“For He performs what is appointed for me,
And many such decrees are with Him.

“Why are times not stored up by the Almighty,
And why do those who know Him not see His days?

“They push the needy aside from the road;
The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.

“They are wet with the mountain rains
And hug the rock for want of a shelter.

“They are insignificant on the surface of the water;
Their portion is cursed on the earth.
They do not turn toward the vineyards.

“He provides them with security, and they are supported;
And His eyes are on their ways.

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

“If even the moon has no brightness
And the stars are not pure in His sight,

“What a help you are to the weak!
How you have saved the arm without strength!

“The pillars of heaven tremble
And are amazed at His rebuke.

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

“Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;
And how faint a word we hear of Him!
But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

“Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword;
And his descendants will not be satisfied with bread.

“Its rocks are the source of sapphires,
And its dust contains gold.

“Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned;
And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls.

“From want and famine they are gaunt
Who gnaw the dry ground by night in waste and desolation,

“They are driven from the community;
They shout against them as against a thief,

“Among the bushes they cry out;
Under the nettles they are gathered together.

“Terrors are turned against me;
They pursue my honor as the wind,
And my prosperity has passed away like a cloud.

Let briars grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.

So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said,
“I am young in years and you are old;
Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think.

“They are dismayed, they no longer answer;
Words have failed them.

“My words are from the uprightness of my heart,
And my lips speak knowledge sincerely.

“Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this,
For God is greater than man.

Who shows no partiality to princes
Nor regards the rich above the poor,
For they all are the work of His hands?

“In a moment they die, and at midnight
People are shaken and pass away,
And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

“For His eyes are upon the ways of a man,
And He sees all his steps.

“Therefore He knows their works,
And He overthrows them in the night,
And they are crushed.

‘Job speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom.