Study Desk

Bildad

Then Bildad the Shuhite^(a) replied:

"How long will you say such things?^(b) Your words are a blustering wind.^(c)

Does God pervert justice?^(d) Does the Almighty pervert what is right?^(e)

When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.^(f)

But if you will seek God earnestly and plead^(g) with the Almighty,^(h)

if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf⁽ⁱ⁾ and restore you to your prosperous state.^(j)

Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous^(k) will your future be.^(l)

"Ask the former generation^(m) and find out what their ancestors learned,

for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,⁽ⁿ⁾ and our days on earth are but a shadow.^(o)

Will they not instruct^(p) you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?^(q)

Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?^(r) Can reeds^(s) thrive without water?

While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass.^(t)

Such is the destiny^(u) of all who forget God;^(v) so perishes the hope of the godless.^(w)

What they trust in is fragile^[a]; what they rely on is a spider's web.^(x)

They lean on the web,^(y) but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold.^(z)

They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots^(aa) over the garden;^(ab)

it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones.

But when it is torn from its spot, that place disowns^(ac) it and says, ‘I never saw you.'^(ad)

Surely its life withers^(ae) away, and^[b] from the soil other plants grow.^(af)

"Surely God does not reject one who is blameless^(ag) or strengthen the hands of evildoers.^(ah)

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter^(ai) and your lips with shouts of joy.^(aj)

Your enemies will be clothed in shame,^(ak) and the tents^(al) of the wicked will be no more."^(am)

Job

Then Job replied:

"Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?^(a)

Though they wished to dispute with him,^(b) they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.^(c)

His wisdom^(d) is profound, his power is vast.^(e) Who has resisted^(f) him and come out unscathed?^(g)

He moves mountains^(h) without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.⁽ⁱ⁾

He shakes the earth^(j) from its place and makes its pillars tremble.^(k)

He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;^(l) he seals off the light of the stars.^(m)

He alone stretches out the heavens⁽ⁿ⁾ and treads on the waves of the sea.^(o)

He is the Maker^(p) of the Bear^[a] and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.^(q)

He performs wonders^(r) that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.^(s)

When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.^(t)

If he snatches away, who can stop him?^(u) Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?'^(v)

God does not restrain his anger;^(w) even the cohorts of Rahab^(x) cowered at his feet.

"How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him?^(y)

Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;^(z) I could only plead^(aa) with my Judge^(ab) for mercy.^(ac)

Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing.^(ad)

He would crush me^(ae) with a storm^(af) and multiply^(ag) my wounds for no reason.^(ah)

He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.^(ai)

If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!^(aj) And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him^[b]?^(ak)

Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.^(al)

"Although I am blameless,^(am) I have no concern for myself;^(an) I despise my own life.^(ao)

It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.'^(ap)

When a scourge^(aq) brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.^(ar)

When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,^(as) he blindfolds its judges.^(at) If it is not he, then who is it?^(au)

"My days are swifter than a runner;^(av) they fly away without a glimpse of joy.^(aw)

They skim past^(ax) like boats of papyrus,^(ay) like eagles swooping down on their prey.^(az)

If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,^(ba) I will change my expression, and smile,'

I still dread^(bb) all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent.^(bc)

Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?^(bd)

Even if I washed myself with soap^(be) and my hands^(bf) with cleansing powder,^(bg)

you would plunge me into a slime pit^(bh) so that even my clothes would detest me.^(bi)

"He is not a mere mortal^(bj) like me that I might answer him,^(bk) that we might confront each other in court.^(bl)

If only there were someone to mediate between us,^(bm) someone to bring us together,^(bn)

someone to remove God's rod from me,^(bo) so that his terror would frighten me no more.^(bp)

Then I would speak up without fear of him,^(bq) but as it now stands with me, I cannot.^(br)

"I loathe my very life;^(a) therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.^(b)

I say to God:^(c) Do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges^(d) you have against me.^(e)

Does it please you to oppress me,^(f) to spurn the work of your hands,^(g) while you smile on the plans of the wicked?^(h)

Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees?⁽ⁱ⁾

Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a strong man,^(j)

that you must search out my faults and probe after my sin^(k)—

though you know that I am not guilty^(l) and that no one can rescue me from your hand?^(m)

"Your hands shaped⁽ⁿ⁾ me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me?^(o)

Remember that you molded me like clay.^(p) Will you now turn me to dust again?^(q)

Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese,

clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together^(r) with bones and sinews?

You gave me life^(s) and showed me kindness,^(t) and in your providence^(u) watched over^(v) my spirit.

"But this is what you concealed in your heart, and I know that this was in your mind:^(w)

If I sinned, you would be watching me^(x) and would not let my offense go unpunished.^(y)

If I am guilty^(z)—woe to me!^(aa) Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,^(ab) for I am full of shame and drowned in^[a] my affliction.^(ac)

If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion^(ad) and again display your awesome power against me.^(ae)

You bring new witnesses against me^(af) and increase your anger toward me;^(ag) your forces come against me wave upon wave.^(ah)

"Why then did you bring me out of the womb?^(ai) I wish I had died before any eye saw me.^(aj)

If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!^(ak)

Are not my few days^(al) almost over?^(am) Turn away from me^(an) so I can have a moment's joy^(ao)

before I go to the place of no return,^(ap) to the land of gloom and utter darkness,^(aq)

to the land of deepest night, of utter darkness^(ar) and disorder, where even the light is like darkness."^(as)