Job 25-27

1Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

2“Dominion and awe belong to God; He establishes harmony in the heights of heaven.

3Can His troops be numbered? On whom does His light not rise?

4How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure?

5If even the moon does not shine, and the stars are not pure in His sight,

6how much less man, who is but a maggot, and the son of man, who is but a worm!”

1Then Job answered:

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

3How you have counseled the unwise and provided fully sound insight!

4To whom have you uttered these words? And whose spirit spoke through you?

5The dead tremble— those beneath the waters and those who dwell in them.

6Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.

7He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth upon nothing.

8He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their own weight.

9He covers the face of the full moon, spreading over it His cloud.

10He has inscribed a horizon on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.

11The foundations of heaven quake, astounded at His rebuke.

12By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab.

13By His breath the skies were cleared; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

14Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

1Job continued his discourse:

2“As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice— the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—

3as long as my breath is still within me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils,

4my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit.

5I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die.

6I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.

7May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust.

8For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

9Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?

10Will he delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?

11I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.

12Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?

13This is the wicked man’s portion from God— the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

14Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.

15His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.

16Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,

17what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

18The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut set up by a watchman.

19He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone.

20Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest sweeps him away in the night.

21The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.

22It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.

23It claps its hands at him and hisses him out of his place.