“Will You cause a windblown leaf to tremble?
Will You pursue the chaff of the dry stubble?

“For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that the shoots of it will not cease nor fail, [but there is no such hope for man].

Yet at the scent of water [the stump of the tree] will flourish
And bring forth sprigs and shoots like a seedling.

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.

“If a man dies, will he live again?
I will wait all the days of my struggle
Until my change and release will come.

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

“He does not believe that he will return out of the darkness [for fear of being murdered],
And he is destined for the sword [of God’s vengeance].

“Is there no end to [your futile] words of wind?
Or what plagues you [so much] that you [so boldly] answer [me like this]?

“O earth, do not cover my blood,
And let there be no [resting] place for my cry [where it will cease being heard].

“Give me a pledge (guarantee, promise) with Yourself [acknowledge my innocence before my death];
Who is there that will be my guarantor and give security for me?

“But You [Lord] have closed their hearts to understanding,
Therefore You will not exalt them [by giving a verdict against me].

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],’

Where now is my hope?
And who regards or considers or is even concerned about my hope?

“How long will you hunt for words and continue these speeches?
Do some clear thinking and show understanding and then we can talk.

“A snare catches him by the heel,
And a trap snaps shut on him.

“How long will you torment and exasperate me
And crush me with words?

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

“For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives,
And at the last He will take His stand upon the earth.

“If you say, ‘How shall we [continue to] persecute him?’
And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find [since we claim the root of these afflictions is found in him]?’

Yet he perishes forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

“He flies away like a dream and cannot be found;
Yes, he is chased away like a vision of the night.

“The eye which saw him sees him no longer,
Neither does his [accustomed] place behold him any longer.

“His sons favor the poor [and pay his obligations],
And his hands give back his [ill-gotten] wealth.

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

“He swallows [his ill-gotten] riches,
But will vomit them up;
God will drive them out of his belly.

“Because he knew no quietness or calm within him [because of his greed],
He does not retain anything he desires.

“There is nothing left of what he devoured;
Therefore his prosperity does not endure.

“When he fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And will rain it upon him while he is eating.

“He may flee from the iron weapon,
But the bow of bronze will pierce him through.

“The produce and increase of his house will depart [with the victors];
His possessions will be dragged away in the day of God’s wrath.

“Bear with me, and I also will speak;
And after I have spoken, you may [continue to] mock [me].

“Will you keep to the ancient path
That wicked men walked [in the time of Noah],

“Now yield and submit yourself to Him [agree with God and be conformed to His will] and be at peace;
In this way [you will prosper and great] good will come to you.

“If you return to the Almighty [and submit and humble yourself before Him], you will be built up [and restored];
If you remove unrighteousness far from your tents,

Then you will have delight in the Almighty,
And you will lift up your face to God.

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

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

“He will even rescue the one [for whom you intercede] who is not innocent;
And he will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”

“Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert,
The poor go to their work, diligently seeking food;
As bread for their children in the desert.

“And if this is not so, who can prove me a liar
And make my speech worthless?”

“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.

“I hold fast my uprightness and my right standing with God and I will not let them go;
My heart does not reproach me for any of my days.

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

“Will he take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?

“I will teach you regarding the hand (power) of God;
I will not conceal what is with the Almighty [God’s actual treatment of the wicked].

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

“Those who survive him will be buried because of the plague,
And [their] widows will not be able to weep.

He may prepare it, but the just will wear it
And the innocent will divide the silver.

“He lies down rich, but never will again;
He opens his eyes, and it is gone.

“Among the bushes they cry out [like wild animals];
Beneath the prickly scrub they gather and huddle together.

“For I know that You will bring me to death
And to the house of meeting [appointed] for all the living.

“However, does not one falling in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand?
Or in his disaster [will he not] therefore cry out for help?

“I assure you, the men of my tent have said,
‘Who can find one [in need] who has not been satisfied with his meat’?

“Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
I also will give you my opinion [about Job’s situation] and tell you plainly what I think.’

“Now Job has not directed his words against me [therefore I have no reason to be offended],
Nor will I answer him with arguments like yours. [I speak for truth, not for revenge.]

“I too will give my share of answers;
I too will express my opinion and share my knowledge.

“I must speak so that I may get relief;
I will open my lips and answer.

“I will not [I warn you] be partial to any man [that is, let my respect for you mitigate what I say];
Nor flatter any man.

“For God speaks once,
And even twice, yet no one notices it [including you, Job].

“Pay attention, Job, listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will speak.

“If not [and you have nothing to say], listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

“For God pays a man according to his work,
And He will make every man find [appropriate] compensation according to his way.

“Surely God will not act wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

“Shall one who hates justice [and is an enemy of right] govern?
And will you condemn Him who is just and mighty?

“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured my chastisement;
I will not offend anymore;

Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned];
If I have done wrong (injustice, unrighteousness),
I will not do it again’?

“Shall God’s retribution [for your sins] be on your terms, because you refuse to accept it?
For you must do the choosing, and not I;
Therefore say what you [truthfully] know.

“Men of understanding will tell me,
Indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],

“I will answer you,
And your companions with you.

“Surely God will not listen to an empty cry [which lacks trust],
Nor will the Almighty regard it.

“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you,
That there is yet more to say on God’s behalf.

“I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

“But you [Job] were full of judgment on the wicked,
Judgment and justice take hold of you.

“Will your wealth [be sufficient to] keep you from [the confinement of] distress,
Or will all the force of your strength do it?

“The Almighty—we cannot find Him;
He is exalted in power
And He will not do violence to [nor disregard] justice and abundant righteousness.

“Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

“Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock give birth [to their young]?
Do you observe the calving of the deer?

“Who sent out the wild donkey free [from dependence on man]?
And who has loosed the bonds of the wild donkey [to survive in the wild],

“Will the wild ox be willing to serve you,
Or remain beside your manger at night?

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

“Will you trust him because his strength is great
And leave your labor to him?

“Will you have faith and depend on him to return your grain
And gather it from your threshing floor?

Forgetting that a foot may crush them,
Or that the wild beast may trample them.

“I have spoken once, but I will not reply again—
Indeed, twice [I have answered], and I will add nothing further.”

“Now gird up your loins (prepare yourself) like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me.

“Will you really annul My judgment and set it aside as void?
Will you condemn Me [your God] that you may [appear to] be righteous and justified?

“[If you can do all this, Job, proving your divine power] then I [God] will also praise you and acknowledge
That your own right hand can save you.

“Surely the mountains bring him food,
And all the wild animals play there.

“Will he make many supplications to you [begging to be spared]?
Or will he speak soft words to you [to coax you to treat him kindly]?

“Will he make a covenant or an arrangement with you?
Will you take him for your servant forever?

“Will you play with him as with a bird?
Or will you bind him [and put him on a leash] for your maidens?

“Will traders bargain over him?
Will they divide him up among the merchants?

“Lay your hand on him;
Remember the battle [with him]; you will not do such [an ill-advised thing] again!

“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,
Nor his mighty strength, nor his orderly frame.

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

Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him [and his prayer] so that I may not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job has.”

For the Lord knows and fully approves the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked shall perish.

“I will declare the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son;
This day [I proclaim] I have begotten You.

‘Ask of Me, and I will assuredly give [You] the nations as Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth as Your possession.

I will not be intimidated or afraid of the ten thousands
Who have set themselves against me all around.