Job 8; Job 9; Job 10

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied, 2 "Job, how long will you talk like that? Your words don't have any meaning. 3 Does God ever treat people unfairly? Does the Mighty One make what is wrong appear to be right? 4 Your children sinned against him. So he punished them for their sin. 5 But look to God. Make your appeal to the Mighty One. 6 Be pure and honest. And he will rise up and help you now. He'll return you to the place where you belong. 7 In the past, things went well with you. But in days to come, things will get even better. 8 "Find out what your people who lived long ago taught. Discover what those who lived before them learned. 9 After all, we were born only yesterday. So we don't know anything. Our days on this earth are like a shadow that disappears. 10 Won't your people of long ago teach you and tell you? Won't the things they said help you understand? 11 Can grass grow tall where there isn't any swamp? Can plants grow well where there isn't any water? 12 While they are still growing and haven't been cut, they dry up faster than grass does. 13 The same thing happens to everyone who forgets God. The hope of ungodly people dies out. 14 What they trust in is very weak. What they depend on is like a spider's web. 15 A person leans on it, but it falls apart. He holds on to it, but it gives way. 16 He is like a plant in the sunshine that receives plenty of water. It spreads its new growth all over the garden. 17 It wraps its roots around a pile of rocks. It tries to find places to grow among the stones. 18 But when a plant is pulled up from its spot, that place says, 'I never saw you.' 19 The life of that plant is sure to dry up. But from the same soil other plants will grow. 20 "I'm sure God doesn't turn his back on anyone who is honest. And he doesn't help those who do what is evil. 21 He will fill your mouth with laughter. Shouts of joy will come from your lips. 22 Your enemies will put on shame as if it were clothes. The tents of sinful people will be gone."

1 Job replied, 2 "I'm sure that what you have said is true. But how can human beings be right with God? 3 They might wish to argue with him. But they couldn't answer him even once in a thousand times. 4 His wisdom is deep. His power is great. No one opposes him and comes away unharmed. 5 He moves mountains, and they don't even know it. When he is angry, he turns them upside down. 6 He shakes the earth loose from its place. He makes its pillars tremble. 7 When he tells the sun not to shine, it doesn't. He turns off the light of the stars. 8 He's the only one who can spread the heavens out. He alone can walk on the waves of the ocean. 9 He made the Big Dipper and Orion. He created the Pleiades and the southern stars. 10 He does wonderful things that can't be understood. He does miracles that can't even be counted. 11 When he passes by me, I can't see him. When he goes past me, I can't recognize him. 12 If he takes something, who can stop him? Who would dare to ask him, 'What are you doing?' 13 God doesn't hold back his anger. Even the helpers of the sea monster Rahab bowed in fear at his feet. 14 "So how can I disagree with God? How can I possibly argue with him? 15 Even if I hadn't done anything wrong, I couldn't answer him. I could only beg my Judge to have mercy on me. 16 Suppose I called out to him and he answered. I don't believe he'd listen to me. 17 He would send a storm to crush me. He'd increase my wounds without any reason. 18 He wouldn't let me catch my breath. He'd make my life very bitter. 19 If it's a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it's a matter of being fair, who would dare to bring charges against him? 20 Even if I hadn't sinned, what I said would prove me guilty. Even if I were honest, my words would show that I'm wrong. 21 "Even though I'm honest, I'm not concerned about myself. I hate my own life. 22 It all amounts to the same thing. That's why I say, 'God destroys honest people and sinful people alike.' 23 Suppose a plague brings sudden death. Then he laughs when those who haven't sinned lose hope. 24 Suppose a nation falls into the power of sinful people. Then God makes its judges blind to the truth. If he isn't the one doing it, who is? 25 "God, my days race by like a runner. They fly away without seeing any joy. 26 They speed along like papyrus boats. They are like eagles swooping down on their food. 27 Suppose I say, 'I'll forget about all of my problems. I'll change my frown into a smile.' 28 Then I'd still be afraid I'd go on suffering. That's because I know you would say I had done something wrong. 29 In fact, you have already said I'm guilty. So why should I struggle without any reason? 30 Suppose I clean myself with soap. Suppose I wash my hands with cleanser. 31 Even then you would throw me into a muddy pit. And even my clothes would hate me. 32 "God isn't a man like me. I can't answer him. We can't take each other to court. 33 I wish someone would settle matters between us. I wish someone would force us to work things out. 34 I wish someone would keep God from punishing me. Then his terror wouldn't frighten me anymore. 35 I would speak up without being afraid of him. But as things stand now, I can't do that.

1 "I'm sick of living. So I'll talk openly about my problems. I'll speak out because my spirit is bitter. 2 I'll say to God, 'Don't find me guilty. Instead, tell me what charges you are bringing against me. 3 Does it make you happy when you crush me? Does it please you to turn your back on what you have made? While you do those things, you smile on the plans of sinful people! 4 You don't have human eyes. You don't see as people see. 5 Your days aren't like the days of a human being. Your years aren't like the years of a mere man. 6 So you search for my mistakes. You look for my sin. 7 You already know I'm not guilty. No one can save me from your powerful hand. 8 " 'Your hands shaped me and made me. So are you going to destroy me now? 9 Remember, you molded me like clay. So are you going to turn me back into dust? 10 Didn't you pour me out like milk? Didn't you form me like cheese? 11 Didn't you put skin and flesh on me? Didn't you sew me together with bones and muscles? 12 You gave me life. You were kind to me. You took good care of me. You watched over me. 13 " 'But here's what you hid in your heart. Here's what you had on your mind. 14 If I sinned, you would be watching me. You wouldn't let me go without punishing me. 15 If I were guilty, how terrible that would be for me! Even if I haven't sinned, I can't be proud of what I've done. That's because I'm so full of shame. I'm drowning in my suffering. 16 If I become proud, you hunt me down like a lion. You show your mighty power against me. 17 You bring new witnesses against me. You become more and more angry with me. You use your power against me again and again. 18 " 'Why did you bring me out of my mother's body? I wish I had died before anyone saw me. 19 I wish I'd never been born! I wish I'd been carried straight from my mother's body to the grave! 20 Aren't my few days almost over? Leave me so I can have a moment of joy. 21 Turn away before I go to the place I can't return from. It's the land of darkness and deep shadow. 22 It's the land of darkest night and deep shadow and disorder. There even the light is like darkness.' "