"Total darkness has been reserved for his treasures; a fire that has no need to be kindled will devour him and consume whatever remains in his possession.

This is what the wicked person inherits from God; it is the inheritance that God appoints for him."

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? Where's the profit in talking to him?'

May they become like a straw, blown away before the wind; like a chaff that's swept off by a storm.

God stores up their iniquity to repay their children; making them repay so that they may be aware.

that the wicked person is spared from times of calamity, that he is rescued on the day of wrath?

That's why disaster surrounds you, terror suddenly overwhelms you,

"Will you keep walking on the traditional path that sinners have tread,

In that place, the upright can reason with him; and I'll be acquitted once and for all by my judge."

I haven't wandered away from the commands that he has spoken; I've treasured what he has said more than my own meals."

That's why I'm terrified at his presence! When I think about it, I'm afraid of him.

As a group, deep darkness is their morning time; fear that lives in darkness is their friend."

As drought and heat evaporate melting snow, that's what Sheol does with sinners.

If this weren't so, who can prove that I'm a liar by showing that there's nothing to what I'm saying?"

Far be it from me to admit that you're right! I intend to maintain my integrity even if it kills me!

"I'll teach you about the power of God, that which is with the Almighty I won't conceal.

whatever he stores up, the righteous will wear, and the innocent will inherit that silver!

"He has built his house like a moth's cocoon, like a temporary sunshade that a watchman makes.

He will go to bed wealthy, but won't be doing that anymore! When he opens his eyes, it will be gone!

Don't even bother to mention coral and crystal wisdom is more valuable than a bag of rubies.

He set in place ordinances for the rain; and determined the pathway for thunder that accompanies lightning.

He has commanded mankind: "To fear the Lord that is wisdom; to move away from evil that is understanding.'"

"But now they mock me; men who are far younger than I, whose fathers I would have hated to entrust with my own sheep dogs.

The night racks my bones; and the pain that gnaws on me will not rest.

I know that you're about to kill me, so I'm about to go to the house that's appointed for all the living."

if not calamity that is due the unjust, and misfortune that is due those who practice iniquity?

because something as lascivious as that is an iniquity that should be judged.

if I've found joy in great wealth that I own, if I've earned a lot with my own hands,

so that in the depths of my deceived heart I worshipped them with my mouth and hands,

this is also a sin that deserves to be judged, since I would have tried to deceive God above."

"Have I rejoiced in the destruction of those who hate me, or have I been happy that evil caught up with him?

Have I feared large crowds? Has my family's contempt ever terrified me so that I remained silent and wouldn't go outside?"

Elihu waited to have a word with Job, since the others were older than he,

but when he saw that there had been no response from those three, he got even more angry.

Barachel's son Elihu from Buz responded and said: "I'm younger than you are. Because you're older, I was terrified to tell you what I know.

"So that you cannot claim, "We have found wisdom!' let God do the rebuking, not man;

"You aren't right about this; My response is that God is greater than human beings.

That's when he opens the ear of mankind, authenticating his messages to them,

Have I lied concerning the justice that I deserve? My wound is incurable, though transgression cannot be attributed to me.'

If he were to decide to do so, that is, to take back to himself his spirit and breath of life,

There's no such thing as darkness to him not even deep darkness that can conceal those who practice evil.

He won't examine mankind further, that they would go before God to judgment.

"Are you saying that it's just for you to claim, "I'm more righteous than God?'

I'm going to respond to that statement, and to your friends with you."

"Observe the heavens! Take a look around! Look! The clouds are higher than you, aren't they?

If you sin, what will that do to harm him? If you add transgression to transgression what will it do to him?

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

Even though you complain that you can't perceive him, your case is already pending for judgment in his presence so keep on placing your hope in him.

"Be patient with me a moment longer, and I'll show you that there's more to say on God's behalf.

So that no one entices you with riches, don't let a large ransom turn you astray.

Be careful! Don't turn to evil, because of this you will be tried by more than affliction.

His hands are covered with lightning that he commands to strike his designated target.

Listen carefully to his thundering voice; to the sound that rumbles from his mouth.

"God thunders with his wondrous voice; he does awesome works that we don't comprehend.

It whirls about in circles at his direction to accomplish all that he commands throughout the surface of the entire world,

Has it been relayed to God that I want to talk? Can a person speak when he is confused?"

"So then, the sun is too bright to gaze at, is it not? The sky is swept clean by the wind that blows, is it not?

"Can you call out to the clouds, so that abundant water drenches you?

Can you command the lightning, so that it goes forth and calls to you, "Look at us!'

He ranges the mountains that are his pasture to search for anything green.

Will you trust him that he'll bring in your grain, and gather it to your threshing floor?"

but she forgets that a foot might crush them or any wild animal might trample them.

She mistreats her young as though they're not hers, and she has no fear that her labor may be in vain,

"Is it by your understanding that the hawk flies, spreading its wings toward the south?

Indeed would you annul my justice and condemn me, just so you can claim that you're righteous?

dispensed the fury of your anger, made sure that you have humbled every proud person,

buried them in the dust together, and sent them bound to that secret place,

then I will applaud you myself! I'll admit that you can deliver yourself by your own efforts!"

Now take a look at the strength that he has in his loins, and in the muscles of his abdomen.

The lotus trees cover him with their shade, and willows that line the wadis surround him.

Will he try to make a deal with you, so that you may take him in servitude forever?

Lay your hand on him, and you'll remember the struggle. You'll never do that again!

Each one is so close to the other that not even air comes in between them.

"His neck is so powerful that all who meet him are terrified.

He looks down on everything that is high; he rules over every kind of pride."

"I know that you can do anything and nothing that you plan is impossible.

You asked, "Who is this that darkens counsel without knowledge?' Well now, I have talked about what I don't understand awesome things beyond me that I don't know.

The LORD restored Job's prosperity after he prayed for his friends. The LORD doubled everything that Job had once possessed.

Then all his brothers and sisters and all those who knew him before arrived. They ate food with him in his house, mourned for him, and consoled him for all the trouble that the LORD had brought and placed on him. Some gave him gold bullion and some brought gold earrings.

The LORD blessed Job during the latter part of his life more than the former, since he owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.

No one could find more beautiful women in the whole land than Job's daughters. Their father gave them their inheritance along with their brothers.

But this is not the case with the wicked. They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Let me announce the decree of the LORD that he told me: "You are my son, today I have become your father.

Offer sacrifices that are righteous, and put your confidence in the LORD.

You have given me more joy in my heart than at harvest times, when grain and wine abound.

He digs a pit, even excavates it; then he fell into the hole that he had made.

When I look at the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you established

what is man that you take notice of him, or the son of man that you pay attention to him?

You made him a little less than divine, but you crowned him with glory and honor.

The wicked will turn back to where the dead are all the nations that have forgotten God.

Make them afraid, LORD, Let the nations know that they are only human. Interlude

Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; so that when you seek out his wickedness you will find it no more.

to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that men of the earth may cause terror no more. To the Director: A Davidic Song.

The LORD will cut off all slippery lips, and the tongue that boasts great things,

As for the saints that are in the land, they are noble, and all my delight is in them.

When you probe my heart, and examine me at night; when you refine me, you will find nothing wrong, for I have determined that I will not transgress with my mouth.

He delivered me from my strong enemies, from those who hated me because they were stronger than I.

For who is God but the LORD, and who is a Rock other than our God?

They are more desirable than gold, even much fine gold. They are sweeter than honey, even the drippings from a honeycomb.

Now I know that the LORD has delivered his anointed; he has answered him from his sanctuary with the strength of his right hand of deliverance.