Lo, in His holy ones He putteth no credence, And the heavens have not been pure in His eyes.

I shew thee -- hearken to me -- And this I have seen and declare:

Which the wise declare -- And have not hid -- from their fathers.

'All days of the wicked he is paining himself, And few years have been laid up for the terrible one.

And he inhabiteth cities cut off, houses not dwelt in, That have been ready to become heaps.

I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters are ye all.

They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.

At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.

Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn.

My days have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!

If I wait -- Sheol is my house, In darkness I have spread out my couch.

To corruption I have called: -- 'Thou art my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' -- to the worm.

Wherefore have we been reckoned as cattle? We have been defiled in your eyes!

Round about terrified him have terrors, And they have scattered him -- at his feet.

At this day westerns have been astonished And easterns have taken fright.

And also -- truly, I have erred, With me doth my error remain.

My brethren from me He hath put far off, And mine acquaintances surely Have been estranged from me.

Ceased have my neighbours And my familiar friends have forgotten me,

Sojourners of my house and my maids, For a stranger reckon me: An alien I have been in their eyes.

To my servant I have called, And he doth not answer, With my mouth I make supplication to him.

Also sucklings have despised me, I rise, and they speak against me.

Abominate me do all the men of my counsel, And those I have loved, Have been turned against me.

That -- I have known my Redeemer, The Living and the Last, For the dust he doth rise.

Whom I -- I see on my side, And mine eyes have beheld, and not a stranger, Consumed have been my reins in my bosom.

His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.

Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.

And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.

His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.

And this one dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.

Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.

Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?

Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.

The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?

Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.

For they have made low, And thou sayest, 'Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.

On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside,

The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.

For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.

Wherefore from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.

The borders they reach, A drove they have taken violently away, Yea, they do evil.

They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth.

Lo, wild asses in a wilderness, They have gone out about their work, Seeking early for prey, A mixture for himself -- food for young ones.

From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge -- have embraced a rock.

Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry -- have taken away a sheaf.

Between their walls they make oil, Wine-presses they have trodden, and thirst.

They have been among rebellious ones of light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abode in His paths.

He hath dug in the darkness -- houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.

Drought -- also heat -- consume snow-waters, Sheol those who have sinned.

High they were for a little, and they are not, And they have been brought low. As all others they are shut up, And as the head of an ear of corn cut off.

Lo -- unto the moon, and it shineth not, And stars have not been pure in His eyes.

On my righteousness I have laid hold, And I do not let it go, My heart doth not reproach me while I live.

Lo, ye -- all of you -- have seen, And why is this -- ye are altogether vain?

Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.

Destruction and death have said: 'With our ears we have heard its fame.'

As I have been in days of my maturity, And the counsel of God upon my tent.

Seen me have youths, and they, been hidden, And the aged have risen -- they stood up.

Princes have kept in words, And a hand they place on their mouth.

Righteousness I have put on, and it clotheth me, As a robe and a diadem my justice.

Eyes I have been to the blind, And feet to the lame am I.

A father I am to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.

To me they have hearkened, Yea, they wait, and are silent for my counsel.

And they wait as for rain for me, And their mouth they have opened wide As for the latter rain.

And now, laughed at me, Have the younger in days than I, Whose fathers I have loathed to set With the dogs of my flock.

Sons of folly -- even sons without name, They have been smitten from the land.

And now, their song I have been, And I am to them for a byword.

They have abominated me, They have kept far from me, And from before me have not spared to spit.

Because His cord He loosed and afflicteth me, And the bridle from before me, They have cast away.

On the right hand doth a brood arise, My feet they have cast away, And they raise up against me, Their paths of calamity.

They have broken down my path, By my calamity they profit, 'He hath no helper.'

As a wide breach they come, Under the desolation have rolled themselves.

I cry unto Thee, And Thou dost not answer me, I have stood, and Thou dost consider me.

For I have known To death Thou dost bring me back, And to the house appointed for all living.

Surely not against the heap Doth He send forth the hand, Though in its ruin they have safety.

My bowels have boiled, and have not ceased, Gone before me have days of affliction.

Mourning I have gone without the sun, I have risen, in an assembly I cry.

A brother I have been to dragons, And a companion to daughters of the ostrich.

If I have walked with vanity, And my foot doth hasten to deceit,

If his loins have not blessed me, And from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself,

If I have waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in him the gate of my court,

If I have made gold my confidence, And to the pure gold have said, 'My trust,'

Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, To ask with an oath his life.

If I have covered as Adam my transgressions, To hide in my bosom mine iniquity,

If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,

and against his three friends hath his anger burned, because that they have not found an answer, and condemn Job.

And Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answereth and saith: -- Young I am in days, and ye are age Therefore I have feared, And am afraid of shewing you my opinion.

Therefore I have said: Hearken to me, I do shew my opinion -- even I.

Lo, I have waited for your words, I give ear unto your reasons, Till ye search out sayings.

Lest ye say, We have found wisdom, God doth thrust him away, not man.

(They have broken down, They have not answered again, They removed from themselves words.

And I have waited, but they do not speak, For they have stood still, They have not answered any more.)

For I have been full of words, Distressed me hath the spirit of my breast,

For I have not known to give flattering titles, In a little doth my Maker take me away.

Lo, I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue hath spoken in the palate.

Of the uprightness of my heart are my sayings, And knowledge have my lips clearly spoken.

Lo, I am, according to thy word, for God, From the clay I -- I also, have been formed.

Pure am I, without transgression, Innocent am I, and I have no iniquity.

Then He doth favour him and saith, 'Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.'

He looketh on men, and saith, 'I sinned, And uprightness I have perverted, And it hath not been profitable to me.

If there are words -- answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify thee.