Job 25–26

Bildad Speaks: How Can a Mortal Be Righteous before God?

²⁵Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:

²“Dominion and fear are with God;^d

he makes peace in his high heaven.^*

³Is there any number to his armies?

Upon whom does his light not arise?^*

⁴How then can a mortal be righteous before God?

How can one born of woman be pure?^*

⁵If even the moon is not bright

and the stars are not pure in his sight,^*

⁶how much less a mortal, who is a maggot,

and a human being, who is a worm!”^*

Job Replies: God’s Majesty Is Unsearchable

²⁶Then Job answered:

²“How you have helped one who has no power!

How you have assisted the arm that has no strength!^*

³How you have counseled one who has no wisdom

and given much good advice!

⁴With whose help have you uttered words,

and whose spirit has come forth from you?

⁵The shades below tremble,

the waters and their inhabitants.

⁶Sheol is naked before God,

and Abaddon has no covering.^*

⁷He stretches out Zaphon^e over the void

and hangs the earth upon nothing.^*

⁸He binds up the waters in his thick clouds,

and the cloud is not torn open by them.^*

⁹He covers the face of the full moon

and spreads over it his cloud.^*

¹⁰He has described a circle on the face of the waters,

at the boundary between light and darkness.^*

¹¹The pillars of heaven tremble

and are astounded at his rebuke.

¹²By his power he stilled the Sea;

by his understanding he struck down Rahab.^*

¹³By his wind the heavens were made fair;

his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.^*

¹⁴These are indeed but the outskirts of his ways,

and how small a whisper do we hear of him!

But the thunder of his power who can understand?”^*