“They are high as the heavens, what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol, what can you know?

“Its measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.

“For you would forget your trouble,
As waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

“Your life would be brighter than noonday;
Darkness would be like the morning.

“Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this,

“O that you would be completely silent,
And that it would become your wisdom!

“Be silent before me so that I may speak;
Then let come on me what may.

“Behold now, I have prepared my case;
I know that I will be vindicated.

While I am decaying like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

“Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.

“Turn Your gaze from him that he may rest,
Until he fulfills his day like a hired man.

“For there is hope for a tree,
When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And its shoots will not fail.

“Oh that You would hide me in Sheol,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You,
That You would set a limit for me and remember me!

“What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that we do not?

“Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Older than your father.

That you should turn your spirit against God
And allow such words to go out of your mouth?

“What is man, that he should be pure,
Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

“He does not believe that he will return from darkness,
And he is destined for the sword.

“He wanders about for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows that a day of darkness is at hand.

“Is there no limit to windy words?
Or what plagues you that you answer?

“O that a man might plead with God
As a man with his neighbor!

“Lay down, now, a pledge for me with Yourself;
Who is there that will be my guarantor?

Know then that God has wronged me
And has closed His net around me.

“He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass,
And He has put darkness on my paths.

“Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!

“That with an iron stylus and lead
They were engraved in the rock forever!

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.

“Then be afraid of the sword for yourselves,
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
So that you may know there is judgment.”

That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless momentary?

“Bear with me that I may speak;
Then after I have spoken, you may mock.

‘Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
And what would we gain if we entreat Him?’

“You say, ‘God stores away a man’s iniquity for his sons.’
Let God repay him so that he may know it.

“Can anyone teach God knowledge,
In that He judges those on high?

“Is it because of your reverence that He reproves you,
That He enters into judgment against you?

Or darkness, so that you cannot see,
And an abundance of water covers you.

‘Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;
And He walks on the vault of heaven.’

“Oh that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!

“I have not departed from the command of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

“But He is unique and who can turn Him?
And what His soul desires, that He does.

How much less man, that maggot,
And the son of man, that worm!”

“Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

“Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned;
And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls.

“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to depart from evil is understanding.’”

“Oh that I were as in months gone by,
As in the days when God watched over me;

“But now those younger than I mock me,
Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.

So that they dwell in dreadful valleys,
In holes of the earth and of the rocks.

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

“For that would be a lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.

“For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon,
And would uproot all my increase.

If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or that the needy had no covering,

That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment,
For I would have denied God above.

“Oh that I had one to hear me!
Behold, here is my signature;
Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my adversary has written,

Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he.

And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned.

“Let me speak that I may get relief;
Let me open my lips and answer.

“Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this,
For God is greater than man.

“Why do you complain against Him
That He does not give an account of all His doings?

That He may turn man aside from his conduct,
And keep man from pride;

So that his life loathes bread,
And his soul favorite food.

Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,
Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,
That he may see His face with joy,
And He may restore His righteousness to man.

To bring back his soul from the pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

“For He does not need to consider a man further,
That he should go before God in judgment.

So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted—

When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?
And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him,
That is, in regard to both nation and man?—

So that godless men would not rule
Nor be snares of the people.

“Do you think this is according to justice?
Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?

“For you say, ‘What advantage will it be to You?
What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’

“Look at the heavens and see;
And behold the clouds—they are higher than you.

Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’

“Wait for me a little, and I will show you
That there is yet more to be said in God’s behalf.

Then He declares to them their work
And their transgressions, that they have magnified themselves.

“He opens their ear to instruction,
And commands that they return from evil.

“Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress,
Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;
And that which was set on your table was full of fatness.

“Beware that wrath does not entice you to scoffing;
And do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.

“Remember that you should exalt His work,
Of which men have sung.

“Listen closely to the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.

“He seals the hand of every man,
That all men may know His work.

“It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,
That it may do whatever He commands it
On the face of the inhabited earth.

“Shall it be told Him that I would speak?
Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up?

“Who is this that darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And the wicked be shaken out of it?

That you may take it to its territory
And that you may discern the paths to its home?

“Where is the way that the light is divided,
Or the east wind scattered on the earth?

“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
So that an abundance of water will cover you?

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

“Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain
And gather it from your threshing floor?

And she forgets that a foot may crush them,
Or that a wild beast may trample them.

“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,
Stretching his wings toward the south?

“Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up
And makes his nest on high?

“Will you really annul My judgment?
Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?

“Then I will also confess to you,
That your own right hand can save you.

“No one is so fierce that he dares to arouse him;
Who then is he that can stand before Me?

“Who has given to Me that I should repay him?
Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.

“One is so near to another
That no air can come between them.

“The sword that reaches him cannot avail,
Nor the spear, the dart or the javelin.

“He looks on everything that is high;
He is king over all the sons of pride.”

“I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”

It came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.