Through the Bible – Day 179

₁I know and understand

every bit of this.

₂None of you are cleverer

than I am;

there's nothing you know

that I don't.

₃But I prefer to argue my case

with God All-Powerful—

₄you are merely useless doctors,

who treat me with lies.

₅The wisest thing you can do

is to keep quiet ₆and listen

to my argument.

₇Are you telling lies for God

₈and not telling the whole truth

when you argue his case?

₉If he took you to court,

could you fool him,

just as you fool others?

₁₀If you were secretly unfair,

he would correct you,

₁₁and his glorious splendour

would make you terrified.

₁₂Your wisdom and arguments

are as delicate as dust.

₁₃Be quiet while I speak,

then say what you will.

₁₄I will be responsible

for what happens to me.

₁₅God may kill me, but still

I will trust him

and offer my defence.

₁₆This may be what saves me,

because no guilty person

would come to his court.

₁₇Listen carefully to my words!

₁₈I have prepared my case well,

and I am certain to win.

₁₉If you can prove me guilty,

I will give up and die.

₂₀I ask only two things

of you, my God,

and I will no longer

hide from you—

₂₁stop punishing

and terrifying me!

₂₂Then speak, and I will reply;

or else let me speak,

and you reply.

₂₃Please point out my sins,

so I will know them.

₂₄Why have you turned your back

and count me your enemy?

₂₅Do you really enjoy

frightening a fallen leaf?

₂₆Why do you accuse me

of horrible crimes

and make me pay for sins

I did in my youth?

₂₇You have tied my feet down

and keep me surrounded;

₂₈I am rotting away like cloth

eaten by worms.

₁Life is short and sorrowful

for every living soul.

₂We are flowers that fade

and shadows that vanish.

₃And so, I ask you, God,

why pick on me?

₄There's no way a human

can be completely pure.

₅Our time on earth is brief;

the number of our days

is already decided by you.

₆Why don't you leave us alone

and let us find some happiness

while we toil and labour?

₇When a tree is chopped down,

there is always the hope

that it will sprout again.

₈Its roots and stump may rot,

₉but at the touch of water,

fresh twigs shoot up.

₁₀Humans are different—

we die, and that's the end.

₁₁We are like streams and lakes

after the water has gone;

₁₂we fall into the sleep of death,

never to rise again,

until the sky disappears.

₁₃Please hide me, God,

deep in the ground—

and when you are angry no more,

remember to rescue me.

₁₄Will we humans live again?

I would gladly suffer

and wait for my time.

₁₅My Creator, you would want me;

you would call out,

and I would answer.

₁₆You would take care of me,

but not count my sins—

₁₇you would put them in a bag,

tie it tight,

and toss them away.

₁₈But in the real world,

mountains tumble,

and rocks crumble;

₁₉streams wear away stones

and wash away soil.

And you destroy our hopes!

₂₀You change the way we look,

then send us away,

wiped out for ever.

₂₁We never live to know

if our children are praised

or disgraced.

₂₂We feel no pain but our own,

and when we mourn,

it's only for ourselves.

₁Eliphaz from Teman said:

_2-3Job, if you had any sense,

you would stop spreading

all this hot air.

₄Your words are enough

to make others turn from God

and lead them to doubt.

₅And your sinful, scheming mind

is the source of all you say.

₆I am not here as your judge;

your own words are witnesses

against you.

₇Were you the first human?

Are you older than the hills?

₈Have you ever been present

when God's council meets?

Do you alone have wisdom?

₉Do you know and understand

something we don't?

₁₀We have the benefit of wisdom

older than your father.

₁₁And you have been offered

comforting words from God.

Isn't this enough?

₁₂Your emotions are out of control,

making you look fierce;

₁₃that's why you attack God

with everything you say.

₁₄No human is pure and innocent,

₁₅and neither are angels—

not in the sight of God.

If God doesn't trust his angels,

₁₆what chance do humans have?

We are so terribly evil

that we thirst for sin.

₁₇Just listen to what I know,

and you will learn

₁₈wisdom known by others

since ancient times.

₁₉Those who gained such insights

also gained the land,

and they were not influenced

by foreign teachings.

₂₀But suffering is in store

each day for those who sin.

₂₁Even in times of success,

they constantly hear

the threat of doom.

₂₂Darkness, despair, and death

are their destiny.

₂₃They scrounge around for food,

all the while dreading

the approaching darkness.

₂₄They are overcome with despair,

like a terrified king

about to go into battle.

₂₅This is because they rebelled

against God All-Powerful

₂₆and have attacked him

with their weapons.

₂₇They may be rich and fat,

₂₈but they will live in the ruins

of deserted towns.

₂₉Their property and wealth

will shrink and disappear.

₃₀They won't escape the darkness,

and the blazing breath of God

will set their future aflame.

_31-32They have put their trust

in something worthless;

now they will become worthless

like a date palm tree

without a leaf.

₃₃Or like vineyards or orchards

whose blossoms and unripe fruit

drop to the ground.

₃₄Yes, the godless and the greedy

will have nothing but flames

feasting on their homes,

₃₅because they are the parents

of trouble and vicious lies.

₁Job said:

₂I have often heard this,

and it offers no comfort.

₃So why don't you keep quiet?

What's bothering you?

₄If I were in your place,

it would be easy to criticize

or to give advice.

₅But I would offer hope

and comfort instead.

₆If I speak, or if I don't,

I suffer all the same.

My torment continues.

₇God has worn me down

and destroyed my family;

₈my shrivelled up skin proves

that I am his prisoner.

₉God is my hateful enemy,

glaring at me and attacking

with his sharp teeth.

₁₀Everyone is against me;

they sneer and slap my face.

₁₁And God is the one

who handed me over

to this merciless mob.

₁₂Everything was going well,

until God grabbed my neck

and shook me to pieces.

God set me up as the target

₁₃for his arrows,

and without showing mercy,

he slashed my stomach open,

spilling out my insides.

₁₄God never stops attacking,

₁₅and so, in my sorrow

I dress in sackcloth

and sit in the dust.

₁₆My face is red with tears,

and dark shadows

circle my eyes,

₁₇though I am not violent,

and my prayers are sincere.

₁₈If I should die,

I beg the earth not to cover

my cry for justice.

₁₉Even now, God in heaven

is both my witness

and my protector.

₂₀My friends have rejected me,

but God is the one I beg

₂₁to show that I am right,

just as a friend should.

₂₂Because in only a few years,

I will be dead and gone.