26
Job

Job's Extended Defense: God's Power and the Friends' Failings (part 1)

Job 26:1-28:7
1Then Job answered and said: 2How have you helped one without strength, or saved an arm without strength? 3How have you counseled one without wisdom, and declared abundant wisdom? 4To whom have you declared words, and whose breath has gone forth from you? 5The shades tremble beneath the waters and their dwellers. 6Sheol lies naked before him, and Abaddon has no covering. 7He stretches out the north over formlessness and hangs the earth over nothing. 8He binds the waters in his clouds, and the cloud beneath them does not burst. 9He grasps the face of the throne and spreads his cloud over it. 10He marks a decree on the face of the waters to the boundary of light with darkness. 11The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his rebuke. 12By his power he stills the sea, and by his understanding he smites Rahab. 13By his spirit the heavens are made clear; his hand pierces the fleeing serpent. 14Behold, these are the ends of his ways, and how small a whisper of a word is heard of him! But the thunder of his might—who can understand?
Chapter 27
1Job again took up his discourse and said: 2As God lives, he has taken away my right, and the Almighty has embittered my soul. 3For as long as my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, 4my lips will not speak injustice, and my tongue will not utter deceit. 5Far be it from me to justify you; until I die I will not put away my integrity from me. 6I hold fast to my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart will not reproach me for any of my days. 7May my enemy be as the wicked, and the one who rises against me as the unjust. 8For what is the hope of the profane when God takes away his soul? 9Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him? 10Will he delight himself in the Almighty and call upon God at every time? 11I will show you by the hand of God; what is with the Almighty I will not hide. 12Behold, you all have seen it; why then do you speak such vanity? 13This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the inheritance of the ruthless that they receive from the Almighty. 14If his sons are multiplied, it is for the sword, and his offspring will not be satisfied with bread. 15His survivors are buried in death, and his widows do not weep. 16If he heaps up silver like dust and prepares garments like clay, 17he prepares it, but the righteous will wear it, and the innocent will divide the silver. 18He builds his house like a moth and like a booth that a watchman makes. 19The rich man lies down and is not gathered; he opens his eyes and he is not. 20Terrors overtake him like waters; by night a whirlwind steals him away. 21The east wind lifts him up and he departs, and it storms him away from his place. 22It hurls itself upon him and does not spare; he flees from its hand in flight. 23It claps its palms upon him and hisses at him from his place.
Chapter 28
1For there is a source for silver, and a place for gold where it is refined. 2Iron is taken from dust, and stone pours out bronze. 3He sets an end to darkness and searches out every limit: the stone of darkness and the shadow of death. 4A torrent bursts forth from beside the sojourner; those forgotten by the foot languish, removed from man. 5From the earth comes forth food, and beneath it is overturned as by fire. 6Its stones are the place of sapphire, and it has dust of gold. 7That path is not known by the bird of prey, and the eye of the falcon has not seen it.
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