“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.

Should anyone try to speak with you
when you are exhausted?
Yet who can keep from speaking?

What strength do I have that I should continue to hope?
What is my future, that I should be patient?

A despairing man should receive loyalty from his friends,
even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty.

Since I will be found guilty,
why should I labor in vain?

“Why did You bring me out of the womb?
I should have died and never been seen.

Should this stream of words go unanswered
and such a talker be acquitted?

Should your babbling put others to silence,
so that you can keep on ridiculing
with no one to humiliate you?

Should he argue with useless talk
or with words that serve no good purpose?

What is man, that he should be pure,
or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

You who tear yourself in anger—
should the earth be abandoned on your account,
or a rock be removed from its place?

As for me, is my complaint against a man?
Then why shouldn’t I be impatient?

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
and what will we gain by pleading with Him?”

what could I do when God stands up to judge?
How should I answer Him when He calls me to account?

I thought that age should speak
and maturity should teach wisdom.

Should I continue to wait now that they are silent,
now that they stand there and no longer answer?

Fear of me should not terrify you;
the pressure I exert against you will be light.

God does not need to examine a person further,
that one should approach Him in court.

so that godless men should not rule
or ensnare the people.

Should God repay you on your terms
when you have rejected His?
You must choose, not I!
So declare what you know.

Remember that you should praise His work,
which people have sung about.

Teach us what we should say to Him;
we cannot prepare our case because of our darkness.

Should He be told that I want to speak?
Can a man speak when he is confused?

Who confronted Me, that I should repay him?
Everything under heaven belongs to Me.