And

A senseless and nameless brood, they were driven off the land.

And now they mock me in song; I have become a byword among them.

They abhor me and keep far from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.

Because God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me, they have cast off restraint in my presence.

The rabble arises at my right; they lay snares for my feet and build siege ramps against me.

Terrors are turned loose against me; they drive away my dignity as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed like a cloud.

And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction grip me.

Night pierces my bones, and my gnawing pains never rest.

He throws me into the mud, and I have become like dust and ashes.

He throws me into the mud, and I have become like dust and ashes.

You snatch me up into the wind and drive me before it; You toss me about in the storm.

I am churning within and cannot rest; days of affliction confront me.

I go about blackened, but not by the sun. I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.

My skin grows black and peels, and my bones burn with fever.

My skin grows black and peels, and my bones burn with fever.

My harp is tuned to mourning and my flute to the sound of weeping.

Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?

Does He not see my ways and count my every step?

…then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.

…then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.

…though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

…then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.

For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.

…so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

…because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—

…because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.

…if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,

…then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.

…and he burned with anger against Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.

…and he burned with anger against Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.

So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared: “I am young in years, while you are old; that is why I was timid and afraid to tell you what I know.

I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom.

But Job has not directed his words against me, and I will not answer him with your arguments.

Must I wait, now that they are silent, now that they stand and no longer reply?

For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me.

I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond.

I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond.

“But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.

My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know.

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me.

Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words:

For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.

He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings

…to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,

…to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.

A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,

…so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food.

His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.

He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death.

…to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’

He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man.

He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man.

He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man.

Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.

He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’

Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.

Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.

But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”

He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.

Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.

Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,

If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,

…all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.

Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,

…who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’

…who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.

They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.

For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.

He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.

Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.

…because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.

They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.

But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,

Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:

For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”

And Elihu went on to say:

For you ask, ‘What does it profit me, and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’

I will reply to you and to your friends as well.

Look to the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds high above you.

Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only a son of man.

…who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’

Surely God does not listen to empty pleas, and the Almighty does not take note of it.

How much less, then, when you say that you do not see Him, that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him,

…and further, that in His anger He has not punished or taken much notice of folly!

So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”

And Elihu continued:

“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.

I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.

And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,

…then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.

If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.

If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.

But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.

God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.

Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.