If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression and be cheerful,'

"I am weary of my life; I will complain without restraint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me; tell me why you are contending with me.'

Remember that you have made me as with the clay; will you return me to dust?

Will your idle talk reduce people to silence, and will no one rebuke you when you mock?

For he knows deceitful men; when he sees evil, will he not consider it?

But an empty man will become wise, when a wild donkey's colt is born a human being.

For then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be securely established and will not fear.

For you will forget your trouble; you will remember it like water that has flowed away.

And life will be brighter than the noonday; though there be darkness, it will be like the morning.

And you will be secure, because there is hope; you will be protected and will take your rest in safety.

You will lie down with no one to make you afraid, and many will seek your favor.

"Without a doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.

"But now, ask the animals and they will teach you, or the birds of the sky and they will tell you.

Or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea declare to you.

Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him?

Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?

Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face!

Moreover, this will become my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him.

Who will contend with me? If anyone can, I will be silent and die.

Only in two things spare me, O God, and then I will not hide from your face:

Then call, and I will answer, or I will speak, and you respond to me.

"But there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.

at the scent of water it will flourish and put forth shoots like a new plant.

so man lies down and does not rise; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor arise from their sleep.

If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait until my release comes.

You will call and I -- I will answer you; you will long for the creature you have made.

But as a mountain falls away and crumbles, and as a rock will be removed from its place,

"I will explain to you; listen to me, and what I have seen, I will declare,

He will not grow rich, and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the land.

He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots and he will depart by the breath of God's mouth.

Let him not trust in what is worthless, deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward.

Before his time he will be paid in full, and his branches will not flourish.

Like a vine he will let his sour grapes fall, and like an olive tree he will shed his blossoms.

Will there be an end to your windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer?

For the years that lie ahead are few, and then I will go on the way of no return.

Make then my pledge with you. Who else will put up security for me?

Because you have closed their minds to understanding, therefore you will not exalt them.

If a man denounces his friends for personal gain, the eyes of his children will fail.

"But turn, all of you, and come now! I will not find a wise man among you.

Will it go down to the barred gates of death? Will we descend together into the dust?"

You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, will the earth be abandoned for your sake? Or will a rock be moved from its place?

"How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?

Why do you pursue me like God does? Will you never be satiated with my flesh?

As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth.

And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God,

whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold, and not another. My heart grows faint within me.

If you say, 'How we will pursue him, since the root of the trouble is found in him!'

he will perish forever, like his own excrement; those who used to see him will say, 'Where is he?'

People who had seen him will not see him again, and the place where he was will recognize him no longer.

His bones were full of his youthful vigor, but that vigor will lie down with him in the dust.

The wealth that he consumed he vomits up, God will make him throw it out of his stomach.

He will not look on the streams, the rivers, which are the torrents of honey and butter.

He gives back the ill-gotten gain without assimilating it; he will not enjoy the wealth from his commerce.

In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress overtakes him. the full force of misery will come upon him.

Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; a fire which has not been kindled will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.

A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God's wrath.

Bear with me and I will speak, and after I have spoken you may mock.

Will you keep to the old path that evil men have walked --

"Reconcile yourself with God, and be at peace with him; in this way your prosperity will be good.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent,

then the Almighty himself will be your gold, and the choicest silver for you.

Surely then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face toward God.

You will pray to him and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him.

Whatever you decide on a matter, it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.

When people are brought low and you say 'Lift them up!' then he will save the downcast;

he will deliver even someone who is not innocent, who will escape through the cleanness of your hands."

Like wild donkeys in the desert they go out to their labor, seeking diligently for food; the wasteland provides food for them and for their children.

The womb forgets him, the worm feasts on him, no longer will he be remembered. Like a tree, wickedness will be broken down.

my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will whisper no deceit.

I will never declare that you three are in the right; until I die, I will not set aside my integrity!

I will maintain my righteousness and never let it go; my conscience will not reproach me for as long as I live.

Will he find delight in the Almighty? Will he call out to God at all times?

I will teach you about the power of God; What is on the Almighty's mind I will not conceal.

what he stores up a righteous man will wear, and an innocent man will inherit his silver.

He goes to bed wealthy, but will do so no more. When he opens his eyes, it is all gone.

Of coral and jasper no mention will be made; the price of wisdom is more than pearls.

"Then I thought, 'I will die in my own home, my days as numerous as the grains of sand.

My glory will always be fresh in me, and my bow ever new in my hand.'

let him weigh me with honest scales; then God will discover my integrity.

then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment; when he intervenes, how will I respond to him?

Therefore I say, 'Listen to me. I, even I, will explain what I know.'

So do not say, 'We have found wisdom! God will refute him, not man!'

Job has not directed his words to me, and so I will not reply to him with your arguments.

I too will answer my part, I too will explain what I know.

I will speak, so that I may find relief; I will open my lips, so that I may answer.

I will not show partiality to anyone, nor will I confer a title on any man.

My words come from the uprightness of my heart, and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely.

Pay attention, Job -- listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.

If not, you listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."

Do you really think that one who hates justice can govern? And will you declare guilty the supremely righteous One,

"Has anyone said to God, 'I have endured chastisement, but I will not act wrongly any more.

Teach me what I cannot see. If I have done evil, I will do so no more.'

But Job will be tested to the end, because his answers are like those of wicked men.

But you say, 'What will it profit you,' and, 'What do I gain by not sinning?'

I will reply to you, and to your friends with you.

who teaches us more than the wild animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?'

"Be patient with me a little longer and I will instruct you, for I still have words to speak on God's behalf.

With my knowledge I will speak comprehensively, and to my Creator I will ascribe righteousness.

The wild animals go to their lairs, and in their dens they remain.