He has delimited a boundary over the surface of the oceans as a limit between light and darkness.

Indeed, these are the fringes of his ways, and how faint is the whisper we've heard of it! But who can comprehend the thunder of his might?"

As long as I can breathe; as long as God's breath is in my nostrils,

For where is the hope of the godless when he is eliminated; when God takes away his life?

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

"This is what a wicked person inherits from God, and what the ruthless will receive from the Almighty:

If he has many children, their destiny is to die by the sword, and his descendants won't have enough food.

but it will clap its hands over him, hissing at him as it lunges toward him."

"Surely there are mines for silver and places where gold is refined.

Iron is taken from the ground; and copper is smelted from ore.

Mankind limits the darkness as they search the deepest depths for ore in unfathomable darkness.

He sinks his shaft far from human habitations, in a place forgotten by explorers; they hang on harnesses as they swing back and forth.

"While the ground produces food, underneath it is torn up and burning hot,

"Where can wisdom be found? Where is understanding's home?

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

For he looks as far as the ends of the earth and sees everything under the sky.

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

I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.

"I used to say: "I will die in my home. I'm going to live as many days as there are grains of sand on the shore.

My glory renews for me and my bow is as good as new in my hand.'

"They listened and waited for me, as they remained in silence for my counsel.

They waited for me as one waits for rain, as one opens his mouth to drink in a spring rain shower.

I set an example of the way to live, as a leader would; I lived like a king among his army; like one who comforts mourners."

"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.

Furthermore, what could I have gained from men whose strength is gone?

Driven away from human company, they were shouted at as though they were thieves.

They come like those who breach through a wall; as everything crashes around me they'll roll on and on!

My greatest fears have overcome me; my honor is assaulted as though by a wind storm; my prosperity evaporates like a morning cloud."

you carried me off in a wind storm, making me ride on it while you toss me about as the storm roars around me.

Haven't I wept for the one who is going through hard times? Haven't I grieved for the needy?

But my harp is in mourning; my flute plays only songs for those who are weeping."

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.

The one who made me in the womb made them, too, didn't he? Didn't the same one prepare each of us in the womb?"

(even a poor man had grown up with me as if I were his father, and even though I had guided the widow from the time I was born),

if I've observed someone who is about to die for lack of clothes or if I have no clothing to give to the poor,

if I look at the sun when it shines or the moon as it rises in steady splendor,

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

"If my land were to cry out against me or if all its furrows wept as one,

may thorns spring up instead of wheat, and obnoxious weeds instead of barley." With this, Job's discourse with his friends is completed.

"The aged aren't always wise, nor do the elderly always understand justice.

"I will contribute my arguments as an answer; I'll declare what I know,

since I don't know the first thing about how to flatter; and the one who made me would sweep me away as if I were nothing."

Look! As far as God is concerned, I'm just like you are I, too, have been pinched off from a piece of clay.

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

"He is being reproved by painful bed rest, with continual aching in his bones.

His soul is getting close to the Pit; his life is approaching its executioner."

to show favor to him and to plead, "Deliver him from having to go down to the Pit I know where his ransom is!'

Let his flesh be rejuvenated as he was in his youth! Let him recover the strength of his youth.

"He'll sing to mankind with these words: "I've sinned. I have twisted what is right. Yet he has not repaid me like I deserve.

"Listen to what I have to say, you wise men! Pay attention to me, you educated people!

let's choose what's right for us. Let's consider among ourselves what is good."

Now this is Job's claim: "Even though I'm innocent, God has stopped treating me righteously.

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

"What man is like Job, who drinks mockery like water,

"Therefore you men of understanding, listen to me! Far be it for God to practice wickedness, or the Almighty to do what is wrong,

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

Can one who hates justice really govern? And if God is righteous and mighty, can you condemn him?

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

As a result, the cries of the poor have reached him and he has heard the cry of the afflicted.

"Should you not be paid back, since you have rejected him? You do the choosing! I won't! Tell us what you know!

"Men of understanding, speak to me! Are any of you men wise? Then listen to me!

Oh, how Job needs to be given a full court trial, as a rebuke to those who practice evil,

because he has been adding rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and keeps on ranting against God."

He never asks, "Where is God, my Creator, who gives me songs in the night,

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

Theirs is a useless plea God won't listen; the Almighty won't pay any attention.

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.

because what I have to say isn't deceptive, and the one who has perfect knowledge is with you."

"Indeed God is mighty and he doesn't show disrespect; he is mighty and strong of heart.

"Indeed, God is exalted in his power. Who is like him as a teacher?

"God is truly awesome, beyond what we know; the number of his years is unknowable.

His thunder declares his presence; and tells the animals what is coming."

"Now I'll conclude with this: my heart is trembling violently; it feels like it's about to leap from my body!

From the breath of God ice is produced, and a wide body of water is frozen.

Do you understand his wondrous work of balancing the clouds, the one whose knowledge is perfect,

you whose garments are hot, even though the land is cooled by a south wind?

Can you spread out the skies like he does; can you cast them as one might a mirror?

Tell us! What are we to say to him? Can we prepare our case to face him when our faces are in darkness?

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?

From the north he brings gold; around God is awesome splendor.

We cannot find the Almighty he is majestic in power and justice, and overflowing with righteousness; he never oppresses.

Therefore humanity fears him, which none of the wise can quite comprehend."

"Who is this who keeps darkening my counsel without knowing what he's talking about?

Like clay is molded by a signet ring, the earth's hills and valleys then stand out like the colors of a garment.

Then from the wicked their light is withheld and their upraised arm is broken.

"Where is the road to where the light lives? Or where does the darkness live?

You should know! After all, you had been born back then, so the number of your days is great!

"Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen where the hail is stored,

Where is the lightning diffused or the east wind scattered around the earth?

Whose womb brings forth the ice? Who gives birth to frost out of an empty sky,

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

Who prepares food for the raven, when its offspring cry out to God as they wander for lack of food?"

"Do you know when the mountain goat gives birth? Do you watch the doe as it calves its young?

Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Will he sleep at night near your feeding trough?

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

He scoffs at fear and is never scared; he never retreats from a sword.

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

He dwells on the crags where he makes his home, there on the rocky crag is his stronghold.