But he said to her, “You speak as one of the [spiritually] foolish women speaks [ignorant and oblivious to God’s will]. Shall we indeed accept [only] good from God and not [also] accept adversity and disaster?” In [spite of] all this Job did not sin with [words from] his lips.

“There the prisoners rest together;
They do not hear the taskmaster’s voice.

“Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair on my skin stood on end!

“So the helpless have hope,
And injustice shuts its mouth.

“Behold this; we have investigated it, and it is true.
Hear and heed it, and know for yourself [for your own good].”

“Please hear my argument
And listen to the pleadings of my lips.

“Do you hear the secret counsel of God,
And do you limit [the possession of] wisdom to yourself?

“I will tell you, listen to me;
And what I have seen I will also declare;

“Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be the consolation.

“You will pray to Him, and He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.

“Will God hear his cry
When trouble and distress come upon him?

Let my wife grind [meal, like a bond slave] for another [man],
And let others kneel down over her.

“However, Job, please listen to my words,
And pay attention to everything I say.

“Behold, I have opened my mouth [to begin my speech];
My tongue in my mouth is going to speak.

“In a dream, a vision of the night [one may hear God’s voice],
When deep sleep falls on men
While slumbering upon the bed,

“Hear my words, you wise men,
And listen to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.

“Therefore hear me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God that He would do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.

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

“Look to the heavens and see;
And behold the skies which are [much] higher than you.

“Listen carefully to the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out of His mouth!

“Listen to this, Job;
Stand still and consider the wonders of God.

And said, ‘This far you shall come, but no farther;
And here your proud waves shall stop’?

“Can you lead forth a constellation in its season,
And guide [the stars of] the Bear with her sons?

“Can you send forth lightnings that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?

“Can you bind the wild ox with a harness [to the plow] in the furrow?
Or will he plow the valleys for you?

For she leaves her eggs on the ground
And warms them in the dust,

“She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers;
Though her labor is in vain because she is unconcerned [for the safety of her brood],

For God has made her forget wisdom,
And has not given her a share of understanding.

“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,
Stretching his wings toward the south [as winter approaches]?

‘Hear, please, and I will speak;
I will ask You, and You instruct [and answer] me.’