That

You will know that your tent is secure, and find nothing amiss when inspecting your home.

You will know that your offspring will be many, your descendants like the grass of the earth.

…that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off!

It still brings me comfort, and joy through unrelenting pain, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What is my future, that I should be patient?

What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What is my future, that I should be patient?

Is my strength like that of stone, or my flesh made of bronze?

Is there any help within me now that success is driven from me?

But my brothers are as faithless as wadis, as seasonal streams that overflow,

Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.

The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.

Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?

…so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.

What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,

What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,

…that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?

If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?

“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?

He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.

I would still dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.

For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.

For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.

Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.

…that You should seek my iniquity and search out my sin—

…though You know that I am not guilty, and there is no deliverance from Your hand?

Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?

Yet You concealed these things in Your heart, and I know that this was in Your mind:

Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!

Are my days not few? Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort,

…and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.

Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!

See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.

Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:

Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,

Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?

What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

…so that you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?

What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!

…then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.

I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book,

But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.

…then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”

I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding prompts a reply.

Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth,

The eye that saw him will see him no more, and his place will no longer behold him.

The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’

It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.

Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?

Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?

Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?

If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat.

Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

They are but foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one turns toward their vineyards.

“How you have helped the powerless and saved the arm that is feeble!

I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die.

No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon’s eye has seen it.

And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

…so that they lived on the slopes of the wadis, among the rocks and in holes in the ground.

Yes, I know that You will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living.

…let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.

For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.

For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.

…if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,

…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—

(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.

But when he saw that the three men had no further reply, his anger was kindled.

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 there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.

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

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

Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?

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

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

…to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.

For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’

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

…that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.

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,

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!

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

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

Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.

Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth.

He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men may know His work.

They swirl about, whirling at His direction, accomplishing all that He commands over the face of all the earth.

Should He be told that I want to speak? Would a man ask to be swallowed up?

…that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?

Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?

She forgets that a foot may crush them, or a wild animal may trample them.

She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain.

Then I will confess to you that your own right hand can save you.