Job Complains of God's Indifference to Wickedness

241 Wherefore from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days. 2 The borders they reach, A drove they have taken violently away, Yea, they do evil. 3 The ass of the fatherless they lead away, They take in pledge the ox of the widow, 4 They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth. 5 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. 6 In a field his provender they reap, And the vineyard of the wicked they glean. 7 The naked they cause to lodge Without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold. 8 From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge—have embraced a rock. 9 They take violently away From the breast the orphan, And on the poor they lay a pledge. 10 Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry—have taken away a sheaf. 11 Between their walls they make oil, Wine-presses they have trodden, and thirst. 12 Because of enmity men do groan, And the soul of pierced ones doth cry, And God doth not give praise.

13 They have been among rebellious ones of light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abode in His paths. 14 At the light doth the murderer rise, He doth slay the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief. 15 And the eye of an adulterer Hath observed the twilight, Saying, 'No eye doth behold me.' And he putteth the face in secret. 16 He hath dug in the darkness—houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light. 17 When together, morning 'is' to them death shade, When he discerneth the terrors of death shade.

18 Light he 'is' on the face of the waters, Vilified is their portion in the earth, He turneth not the way of vineyards. 19 Drought—also heat—consume snow-waters, Sheol 'those who' have sinned. 20 Forget him doth the womb, Sweeten 'on' him doth the worm, No more is he remembered, And broken as a tree is wickedness. 21 Treating evil the barren 'who' beareth not, And 'to' the widow he doth no good, 22 And hath drawn the mighty by his power, He riseth, and none believeth in life. 23 He giveth to him confidence, and he is supported, And his eyes 'are' on their ways. 24 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. 25 And if not now, who doth prove me a liar, And doth make of nothing my word?

Bildad Denies That Man Can Be Justified with God

251 And Bildad the Shuhite answereth and saith:— 2 The rule and fear 'are' with Him, Making peace in His high places. 3 Is their 'any' number to His troops? And on whom ariseth not His light? 4 And what? is man righteous with God? And what? is he pure—born of a woman? 5 Lo—unto the moon, and it shineth not, And stars have not been pure in His eyes. 6 How much less man—a grub, And the son of man—a worm!

Job Declares God's Sovereignty

261 And Job answereth and saith:— 2 What—thou hast helped the powerless, Saved an arm not strong! 3 What—thou hast given counsel to the unwise, And wise plans in abundance made known. 4 With whom hast thou declared words? And whose breath came forth from thee?

5 The Rephaim are formed, Beneath the waters, also their inhabitants. 6 Naked 'is' Sheol over-against Him, And there is no covering to destruction. 7 Stretching out the north over desolation, Hanging the earth upon nothing, 8 Binding up the waters in His thick clouds, And the cloud is not rent under them. 9 Taking hold of the face of the throne, Spreading over it His cloud. 10 A limit He hath placed on the waters, Unto the boundary of light with darkness. 11 Pillars of the heavens do tremble, And they wonder because of His rebuke. 12 By His power He hath quieted the sea, And by His understanding smitten the proud. 13 By His Spirit the heavens He beautified, Formed hath His hand the fleeing serpent. 14 Lo, these 'are' the borders of His way, And how little a matter is heard of Him, And the thunder of His might Who doth understand?

Job Describes the Portion of the Wicked

271 And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith:— 2 God liveth! He turned aside my judgment, And the Mighty—He made my soul bitter. 3 For all the while my breath 'is' in me, And the spirit of God in my nostrils. 4 My lips do not speak perverseness, And my tongue doth not utter deceit. 5 Pollution to me—if I justify you, Till I expire I turn not aside mine integrity from me. 6 On my righteousness I have laid hold, And I do not let it go, My heart doth not reproach me while I live.

7 As the wicked is my enemy, And my withstander as the perverse. 8 For what 'is' the hope of the profane, When He doth cut off? When God doth cast off his soul? 9 His cry doth God hear, When distress cometh on him? 10 On the Mighty doth he delight himself? Call God at all times?

11 I shew you by the hand of God, That which 'is' with the Mighty I hide not. 12 Lo, ye—all of you—have seen, And why 'is' this—ye are altogether vain? 13 This 'is' the portion of wicked man with God, And the inheritance of terrible ones From the Mighty they receive. 14 If his sons multiply—for them 'is' a sword. And his offspring 'are' not satisfied 'with' bread. 15 His remnant in death are buried, And his widows do not weep. 16 If he heap up as dust silver, And as clay prepare clothing, 17 He prepareth—and the righteous putteth 'it' on, And the silver the innocent doth apportion. 18 He hath built as a moth his house, And as a booth a watchman hath made. 19 Rich he lieth down, and he is not gathered, His eyes he hath opened, and he is not. 20 Overtake him as waters do terrors, By night stolen him away hath a whirlwind. 21 Take him up doth an east wind, and he goeth, And it frighteneth him from his place, 22 And it casteth at him, and doth not spare, From its hand he diligently fleeth. 23 It clappeth at him its hands, And it hisseth at him from his place.

Man's Quest for Wisdom

281 Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine; 2 Iron from the dust is taken, And 'from' the firm stone brass. 3 An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade. 4 A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered. 5 The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire. 6 A place of the sapphire 'are' its stones, And it hath dust of gold. 7 A path—not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite, 8 Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion. 9 Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains. 10 Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen. 11 From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out 'to' light. 12 And the wisdom—whence is it found? And where 'is' this, the place of understanding? 13 Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.

14 The deep hath said, 'It 'is' not in me,' And the sea hath said, 'It is not with me.' 15 Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed—its price. 16 It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire, 17 Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor 'is' its exchange a vessel of fine gold. 18 Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom 'is' above rubies. 19 Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.

20 And the wisdom—whence doth it come? And where 'is' this, the place of understanding? 21 It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden. 22 Destruction and death have said: 'With our ears we have heard its fame.' 23 God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place. 24 For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see, 25 To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure. 26 In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices, 27 Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out, 28 And He saith to man:—'Lo, fear of the Lord, that 'is' wisdom, And to turn from evil 'is' understanding.'