Job 6
6Then Job spoke again.H347H6030H5592"If my misery could be weighed and my troubles be put on the scales,H3863H3708H8254H8254H1942H1962H5375H3976H31623they would outweigh all the sands of the sea. That is why I spoke impulsively.H3513H2344H3220H1697H38864For the Almighty has struck me down with his arrows. Their poison infects my spirit. God's terrors are lined up against me.H2671H7706H5978H2534H8354H7307H1161H433H61865Don't I have a right to complain? Don't wild donkeys bray when they find no grass, and oxen bellow when they have no food?H6501H5101H1877H1600H7794H10986Don't people complain about unsalted food? Does anyone want the tasteless white of an egg?H8602H398H4417H3426H2940H7388H24957My appetite disappears when I look at it; I gag at the thought of eating it!H5315H3985H5060H1741H38998"Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant my desire.H935H7596H433H5414H86159I wish he would crush me. I wish he would reach out his hand and kill me.H2974H433H1792H5425H3027H121410At least I can take comfort in this: Despite the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One.H5165H5539H2427H2550H3582H561H691811But I don't have the strength to endure. I have nothing to live for.H3581H3176H7093H748H531512Do I have the strength of a stone? Is my body made of bronze?H3581H3581H68H1320H515313No, I am utterly helpless, without any chance of success.H5833H8454H508014"One should be kind to a fainting friend, but you accuse me without any fear of the Almighty.H4523H2617H7453H5800H3374H770615My brothers, you have proved as unreliable as a seasonal brook that overflows its banks in the springH251H898H5158H650H5158H567416when it is swollen with ice and melting snow.H6937H7140H7950H595617But when the hot weather arrives, the water disappears. The brook vanishes in the heat.H6256H2215H6789H2527H1846H472518The caravans turn aside to be refreshed, but there is nothing to drink, so they die.H734H1870H3943H5927H8414H619The caravans from Tema search for this water; the travelers from Sheba hope to find it.H734H8485H5027H1979H7614H696020They count on it but are disappointed. When they arrive, their hopes are dashed.H954H982H935H265921You, too, have given no help. You have seen my calamity, and you are afraid.H7200H2866H337222But why? Have I ever asked you for a gift? Have I begged for anything of yours for myself?H559H3051H7809H358123Have I asked you to rescue me from my enemies, or to save me from ruthless people?H4422H6862H3027H6299H3027H618424Teach me, and I will keep quiet. Show me what I have done wrong.H3384H2790H995H768625Honest words can be painful, but what do your criticisms amount to?H4834H3476H561H3198H319826Do you think your words are convincing when you disregard my cry of desperation?H2803H3198H4405H561H2976H730727You would even send an orphan into slavery or sell a friend.H5307H3490H3738H745328Look at me! Would I lie to your face?H2974H6437H6440H357629Stop assuming my guilt, for I have done no wrong.H7725H5766H7725H666430Do you think I am lying? Don't I know the difference between right and wrong?H3426H5766H3956H2441H995H1942
Job 7
7"Is not all human life a struggle? Our lives are like that of a hired hand,H6635H582H776H3117H3117H79162like a worker who longs for the shade, like a servant waiting to be paid.H5650H7602H6738H7916H6960H64673I, too, have been assigned months of futility, long and weary nights of misery.H5157H3391H7723H5999H3915H44874Lying in bed, I think, 'When will it be morning?' But the night drags on, and I toss till dawn.H7901H559H6965H6153H4059H7646H5076H53995My body is covered with maggots and scabs. My skin breaks open, oozing with pus.H1320H3847H7415H1487H6083H5785H7280H39886"My days fly faster than a weaver's shuttle. They end without hope.H3117H7043H708H3615H657H86157O God, remember that my life is but a breath, and I will never again feel happiness.H2142H2416H7307H5869H7725H7200H28968You see me now, but not for long. You will look for me, but I will be gone.H5869H7210H7789H58699Just as a cloud dissipates and vanishes, those who die will not come back.H6051H3615H3212H3381H7585H592710They are gone forever from their home—never to be seen again.H7725H1004H4725H523411"I cannot keep from speaking. I must express my anguish. My bitter soul must complain.H2820H6310H1696H6862H7307H7878H4751H531512Am I a sea monster or a dragon that you must place me under guard?H3220H8577H7760H492913I think, 'My bed will comfort me, and sleep will ease my misery,'H559H6210H5162H4904H5375H787914but then you shatter me with dreams and terrify me with visions.H2865H2472H1204H238415I would rather be strangled—rather die than suffer like this.H5315H977H4267H4194H610616I hate my life and don't want to go on living. Oh, leave me alone for my few remaining days.H3988H2421H5769H2308H3117H189217"What are people, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often?H582H1431H7896H382018For you examine us every morning and test us every moment.H6485H1242H974H728119Why won't you leave me alone, at least long enough for me to swallow!H4100H8159H7503H1104H753620If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of all humanity? Why make me your target? Am I a burden to you?H2398H6466H5341H120H7760H4645H485321Why not just forgive my sin and take away my guilt? For soon I will lie down in the dust and die. When you look for me, I will be gone."H5375H6588H5674H5771H7901H6083H7836
Job 8
8Then Bildad the Shuhite replied to Job.H6030H1085H7747H5592"How long will you go on like this? You sound like a blustering wind.H575H5704H4448H561H6310H3524H73073Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right?H410H5791H4941H7706H5791H66644Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved.H1121H2398H7971H3027H65885But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty,H7836H410H7836H2603H77066and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home.H2134H3477H5782H5116H6664H79997And though you started with little, you will end with much.H7225H4705H319H3966H76858"Just ask the previous generation. Pay attention to the experience of our ancestors.H7592H7223H7223H1755H3559H2714H19For we were born but yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are as fleeting as a shadow.H8543H3045H3117H776H673810But those who came before us will teach you. They will teach you the wisdom of old.H3384H559H3318H4405H382011"Can papyrus reeds grow tall without a marsh? Can marsh grass flourish without water?H1573H1342H1207H7685H260H7685H1097H432512While they are still flowering, not ready to be cut, they begin to wither more quickly than grass.H3H6998H3001H6440H268213The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate.H734H7911H410H2611H8615H614Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider's web.H3689H6990H4009H5908H100415They cling to their home for security, but it won't last. They try to hold it tight, but it will not endure.H8172H1004H5975H2388H696516The godless seem like a lush plant growing in the sunshine, its branches spreading across the garden.H7373H6440H8121H3127H3318H159317Its roots grow down through a pile of stones; it takes hold on a bed of rocks.H8328H5440H1530H2372H1004H6818But when it is uprooted, it's as though it never existed!H1104H4725H3584H720019That's the end of its life, and others spring up from the earth to replace it.H4885H1870H6083H312H677920"But look, God will not reject a person of integrity, nor will he lend a hand to the wicked.H410H3988H8535H2388H3027H748921He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.H4390H6310H7814H8193H864322Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the home of the wicked will be destroyed."H8130H3847H1322H168H7563H369
Job 9
9Then Job spoke again.H347H6030H5592"Yes, I know all this is true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in God's sight?H3045H551H582H6663H4103If someone wanted to take God to court, would it be possible to answer him even once in a thousand times?H2654H7378H6030H259H5054For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?H2450H3824H533H3581H7185H79995"Without warning, he moves the mountains, overturning them in his anger.H6275H2022H3045H2015H6396He shakes the earth from its place, and its foundations tremble.H7264H776H4725H5982H64267If he commands it, the sun won't rise and the stars won't shine.H559H2775H2224H2856H35568He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea.H5186H8064H1869H1116H32209He made all the stars—the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.H6213H5906H3685H3598H2315H848610He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.H6213H1419H369H2714H6381H455711"Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him. When he moves by, I do not see him go.H5674H7200H2498H99512If he snatches someone in death, who can stop him? Who dares to ask, 'What are you doing?'H2862H7725H559H621313And God does not restrain his anger. Even the monsters of the sea are crushed beneath his feet.H433H7725H639H7293H5826H781714"So who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with him?H6030H977H169715Even if I were right, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy.H6663H6030H2603H819916And even if I summoned him and he responded, I'm not sure he would listen to me.H7121H6030H539H238H696317For he attacks me with a storm and repeatedly wounds me without cause.H7779H8183H7235H6482H260018He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows.H5414H7725H7307H7646H447219If it's a question of strength, he's the strong one. If it's a matter of justice, who dares to summon him to court?H3581H533H4941H325920Though I am innocent, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty. Though I am blameless, it would prove me wicked.H6663H6310H7561H8535H614021"I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me—I despise my life.H8535H3045H5315H3988H241622Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God. That's why I say, 'He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.'H259H559H3615H8535H756323When a plague sweeps through, he laughs at the death of the innocent.H7752H4191H6597H3932H4531H535524The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked, and God blinds the eyes of the judges. If he's not the one who does it, who is?H776H5414H3027H7563H3680H6440H8199H64525"My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away without a glimpse of happiness.H3117H7043H7323H1272H7200H289626It disappears like a swift papyrus boat, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.H2498H5973H16H591H5404H2907H40027If I decided to forget my complaints, to put away my sad face and be cheerful,H559H7911H7879H5800H6440H108228I would still dread all the pain, for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.H3025H6094H3045H535229Whatever happens, I will be found guilty. So what's the use of trying?H7561H3021H189230Even if I were to wash myself with soap and clean my hands with lye,H7364H7950H4325H1119H3709H1252H1253H214131you would plunge me into a muddy ditch, and my own filthy clothing would hate me.H227H2881H7845H8008H858132"God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.H376H6030H935H3162H494133If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together.H3426H3198H7896H3027H814734The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.H5493H7626H5493H367H120435Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength.H1696H3372
Dublin, OH
H8602
