26 1 Job said,
7 God hung the earth on nothing.
11 The pillars that hold up the sky tremble when he speaks.
27 1 Job continued his parable, saying,
2 God has refused to judge me fairly.
3 But while I still have breath in me,
5 I will not let you take away my integrity.
6 I will continue to proclaim my righteousness.
28 20 Wisdom is hidden from all living things, even birds.
29 2 I miss the good old days, when I lived a happy and carefree life.
11 Everyone liked me and said nice things about me.
12 I helped the poor and fatherless, and those who had no one else to help them.
13 People blessed me when they died.
I made widow's hearts sing for joy.
14 I was clothed in righteousness.
I wore justice like a robe.
15 I helped the blind see, and the lame walk.
16 I was a father to the poor and defended them in court.
17 I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.
20 I was glorious.
21 Everyone listened to me, and stopped talking when I told them to.
24 I made people happy just by smiling at them.
25 I was the king of my own world.
30 1 But now young people make fun of me.
10 They hate me and spit in my face.
20 I cry out to you, God, but you don't hear me.
21 You are cruel to me and oppress me.
23 I know you're going to kill me.
27 My bowels boiled.
29 I am a brother to dragons and a companion to owls.
31 1 Since I made an agreement with my eyes, why should I desire a woman?
9 If I've fallen for another woman,
10 Then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down on her.
13 If I ignored the complaints of my servants, 16 or ignored the needs of the poor or blinded widows, 17 or not shared my food with the fatherless, 19 or didn't clothe the poor with the fleece of my sheep, 22 then let my arm be broken off from my shoulder.
24 If I put my hope in gold, 25 or rejoiced in my wealth,26 or saw the sun when it shined, or the moon when it was bright, 27 or kissed my hand, 28 then I deserve to be punished by God.
29 If I rejoiced when a person who hated me was destroyed, 30 or wanted to curse his soul, 31 or didn't take in travelers, 33 or hid my iniquity in my bosom, 34 or stayed silent from fear of what others would say, 39 or ate fruits without paying for them, or caused others to lose their life, 40 Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley.
And with that, Job stopped talking.
32 1 Job's three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) stopped speaking to him, since he considered himself righteous. Then Elihu arrived and was angry at Job for blaming God instead of himself. 3 And he was angry at Job's friends, because they couldn't prove that Job was wrong.
4 He waited until Job finished speaking, then he said,
19 My belly is ready to burst like a bottle of wine without a vent.
33 1 Hear my speeches and listen to me.
6 I'm speaking for God here.
14 God speaks in dreams while we sleep.
19 He punishes us with pain on our beds.
34 35 Job has spoken without knowledge or wisdom.
36 I'd like to see him tried and punished for his wickedness.
37 He added rebellion to sin, clapped his hands, and talked back to God.
35 2 Do you think you were right when you said that you were more righteous than God?
36 2 Be patient with me, and I'll speak to you on God's behalf.
3 I'll fetch knowledge from afar and talk about how great God is.
37 2 Hear the noise of God's voice and the sound that comes out of his mouth.
6 He tells the snow to go to the earth, and he does the same to rain.
10 He makes frost with his breath.
18 Were you with him when he spread out the sky, which is hard and strong like a mirror?
24 People fear him, and he respects no one who is wise.
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