Job’s Fourth Speech

12 Thena Job answered and said,

2 “Truly indeed youb are the people,

and wisdom will die with you.c

3 ⌊I also have insight⌋d like you;e

I am not more inferior than you.f

And ⌊who does not know things like these⌋?g

4 I am a laughingstock to my friends:h

‘He calls on God, and he answers him.’

A righteous, blameless man is a laughingstock.

5 ⌊Those at ease have contempt⌋i for the thought of ⌊disaster⌋,j

but it is ready for those unstable of foot.

6 The tents of the destroyers are at peace,

and there is security for those who provoke God,

for those whom God brings into his hand.k

7 “Butl askm the animals, and they will teach you,

and the birds of the heaven, and they will tell you;

8 or ask the earth, and it will teach you,

and the fishes of the sea will declare to you.

9 Who among all of these does not know

that Yahweh’s hand has done this?

10 In whose hand is the life of all living things

and ⌊the breath of every human being⌋?n

11 Does not the ear test words

and the palate taste food for itself?

12 Wisdom is with the aged,

and understanding is in length of days.

13 “With him are wisdom and powerful deeds,

and to him belong counsel and understanding.

14 If he tears down, theno it will not be rebuilt;

if he shuts a man in, thenp he cannot be freed.

15 Look, if he withholds the water,q thenr they dry up;

and if he sends them out, thens they overwhelm the land.

16 “Strength and sound wisdom are with him;

the deceived and the deceiver are his.t

17 He leads counselors away stripped,

and he makes fools of judges.

18 He loosens the fetters of kings,

and he binds a loincloth on their loins.

19 He leads priests away stripped,

and he overthrows ⌊the members of ancient families⌋.u

20 He deprives the trustworthy of speech,

and he takes away the discretion of elders.

21 He pours contempt on noblemen,

and he loosens the girdle of the mighty.

22 “He uncovers mysteries out of darkness,

and he brings deep shadow to the light.

23 He makes the nations great, thenv he destroys them;

he expands the nations, thenw he guides them.

24 He strips away the insight of the heads of the earth’s people,

and he makes them wander in ⌊a pathless wasteland⌋.x

25 They grope in the dark ⌊without⌋y light,

and he makes them stagger like az drunkard.

Job’s Fourth Speech Continues

13 “Look, my eye has seen everything;

my ear has heard and has understood it.

2 ⌊What youa know⌋,b I myselfc also know—

I am not more inferior than you.d

3 But I would speak to Shaddai,

and I desire to argue with God.

4 “Bute youf ⌊whitewash with lies⌋;g

all of youh are ⌊worthless healers⌋.i

5 ⌊O that⌋j youk would keep completely silent,

and that it would become wisdom for you.l

6 Please hear my argument,

and listen attentively to the pleadings of my lips.

7 “Will youm speak falsely for God?

And will youn speak deceitfully for him?

8 ⌊Will youo show partiality for him⌋?p

Or do youq want to plead God’s case?

9 Will it be well, if he examines you?r

Or can yous deceive him like deceiving a human being?

10 “Surely he will rebuke yout

if ⌊youu show partiality⌋v in secret.

11 Will not his majesty terrify you,w

and his dread fall upon you?x

12 Youry maxims are proverbs of ashes;

yourz defenses are defenses of clay.

13 “⌊Let me have silence⌋,a and I myselfb will speak,

and let come over me whatever may.

14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth

andc putd my life in my hand?

15 Look,e though he kill me, I will hope inf him;

however, I will defend my ways ⌊before him⌋.g

16 Moreover, this is salvation to me,

that the godless would not come ⌊before him⌋.h

17 “Listen carefully to my words,

and let my exposition be in your ears.

18 Please look,i I have prepared my case;

I know that I myselfj will be vindicated.

19 Who is he who will contend with me?

For ⌊then⌋ I would be silent, and I would pass away.