Elihu Reproves Job

331 And yet, I pray thee, O Job, Hear my speech and 'to' all my words give ear. 2 Lo, I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue hath spoken in the palate. 3 Of the uprightness of my heart 'are' my sayings, And knowledge have my lips clearly spoken. 4 The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Mighty doth quicken me. 5 If thou art able—answer me, Set in array before me—station thyself. 6 Lo, I 'am', according to thy word, for God, From the clay I—I also, have been formed. 7 Lo, my terror doth not frighten thee, And my burden on thee is not heavy.

8 Surely—thou hast said in mine ears, And the sounds of words I hear: 9 'Pure 'am' I, without transgression, Innocent 'am' I, and I have no iniquity. 10 Lo, occasions against me He doth find, He doth reckon me for an enemy to Him, 11 He doth put in the stocks my feet, He doth watch all my paths.' 12 Lo, 'in' this thou hast not been righteous, I answer thee, that greater is God than man. 13 Wherefore against Him hast thou striven, When 'for' all His matters He answereth not?

14 For once doth God speak, and twice, (He doth not behold it.) 15 In a dream—a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed. 16 Then He uncovereth the ear of men, And for their instruction sealeth: 17 To turn aside man 'from' doing, And pride from man He concealeth. 18 He keepeth back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.

19 And he hath been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones 'is' enduring. 20 And his life hath nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food. 21 His flesh is consumed from being seen, And high are his bones, they were not seen! 22 And draw near to the pit doth his soul, And his life to those causing death. 23 If there is by him a messenger, An interpreter—one of a thousand, To declare for man his uprightness: 24 Then He doth favour him and saith, 'Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.' 25 Fresher 'is' his flesh than a child's, He returneth to the days of his youth. 26 He maketh supplication unto God, And He accepteth him. And he seeth His face with shouting, And He returneth to man His righteousness. 27 He looketh on men, and saith, 'I sinned, And uprightness I have perverted, And it hath not been profitable to me. 28 He hath ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life on the light looketh.'

29 Lo, all these doth God work, Twice—thrice with man, 30 To bring back his soul from the pit, To be enlightened with the light of the living. 31 Attend, O Job, hearken to me, Keep silent, and I—I do speak. 32 If there are words—answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify thee. 33 If there are not—hearken thou to me, Keep silent, and I teach thee wisdom.

Job Bewails His Birth

31 After this hath Job opened his mouth, and revileth his day. 2 And Job answereth and saith:— 3 Let the day perish in which I am born, And the night that hath said: 'A man-child hath been conceived.' 4 That day—let it be darkness, Let not God require it from above, Nor let light shine upon it. 5 Let darkness and death-shade redeem it, Let a cloud tabernacle upon it, Let them terrify it as the most bitter of days. 6 That night—let thick darkness take it, Let it not be united to days of the year, Into the number of months let it not come. 7 Lo! that night—let it be gloomy, Let no singing come into it. 8 Let the cursers of day mark it, Who are ready to wake up Leviathan. 9 Let the stars of its twilight be dark, Let it wait for light, and there is none, And let it not look on the eyelids of the dawn. 10 Because it hath not shut the doors Of the womb that was mine! And hide misery from mine eyes.

11 Why from the womb do I not die? From the belly I have come forth and gasp! 12 Wherefore have knees been before me? And what 'are' breasts, that I suck? 13 For now, I have lain down, and am quiet, I have slept—then there is rest to me, 14 With kings and counsellors of earth, These building wastes for themselves. 15 Or with princes—they have gold, They are filling their houses 'with' silver. 16 (Or as a hidden abortion I am not, As infants—they have not seen light.) 17 There the wicked have ceased troubling, And there rest do the wearied in power. 18 Together prisoners have been at ease, They have not heard the voice of an exactor, 19 Small and great 'are' there the same. And a servant 'is' free from his lord.

20 Why giveth He to the miserable light, and life to the bitter soul? 21 Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures. 22 Who are glad—unto joy, They rejoice when they find a grave. 23 To a man whose way hath been hidden, And whom God doth shut up? 24 For before my food, my sighing cometh, And poured out as waters 'are' my roarings. 25 For a fear I feared and it meeteth me, And what I was afraid of doth come to me. 26 I was not safe—nor was I quiet—Nor was I at rest—and trouble cometh!