Job

1And Job answered and said,

Then Job answered his friends.

2No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

You act like you are the only wise people alive. You seem to think wisdom will die when you die.

3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

But I can think too. I am not less than you. Everyone knows things like this.

4I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

My friends laugh at me. I called to God, and God answered me. Now a good, honest man is something people laugh at.

5He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

People who are comfortable make fun of trouble. They look down on anyone whose feet are already slipping.

6The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

Robbers live in their tents and stay safe. People who make God angry live without any worry. Their hands are full of good things.

7But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

Go ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds in the sky, and they will tell you.

8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

Or talk to the earth, and it will teach you. The fish in the sea will tell you too.

9Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

Every one of them knows this. The LORD's own hand did all of it.

10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

He holds the life of every living thing in his hand. He holds the breath of every person too.

11Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

The ear tests words, doesn't it? The mouth tastes its food the same way.

12With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

Older people have wisdom. A long life brings understanding.

13With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

God has wisdom and strength. He has good advice and understanding.

14Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

When God tears something down, no one can build it again. When he shuts a man in, no one can let him out.

15Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

If God holds the waters back, everything dries up. If he lets them go, they flood the land.

16With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

Strength and wisdom belong to God. The person who is fooled and the person who fools him both belong to him.

17He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

He leads wise advisers away with nothing left. He makes judges look foolish.

18He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

He unties the ropes that kings use to hold people. Then he ties a plain belt around the kings themselves.

19He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

He leads priests away with nothing left. Priests were the men who served God at his altar. He brings down people who look too strong to fall.

20He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

He takes the words away from people everyone trusts. He takes the good sense away from old people.

21He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

He pours shame on rulers. He makes strong men weak.

22He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

He shows what is hidden deep in the dark. He brings deep shadows out into the light.

23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

He makes nations big, and then he destroys them. He spreads nations out, and then he scatters them.

24He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

He takes the good sense away from the leaders of the earth. He makes them wander in an empty land with no roads.

25They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

They feel around in the dark with no light. He makes them stumble like a man who has had too much to drink.

1Then Job answered and said,

Then Job answered his friends.

2I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

"I have heard talk like this many times. Not one of you makes me feel better."

3Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

"Will your long speeches ever end? What makes you keep on talking at me?"

4I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

"If you were hurting like me, I could talk the same way. I could pile up words against you and shake my head at you."

5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

"But I would use my words to make you strong. What I said would ease your sadness."

6Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

"When I speak, my pain does not stop. When I stay quiet, it still does not leave."

7But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

"God has worn me out. He has taken away everyone who belonged with me."

8And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

"He has tied me down, and people point at that as proof. My thin, worn body seems to speak against me."

9He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

"God's anger tears at me. He grinds his teeth at me. He stares at me with hard eyes, like an enemy."

10They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

"People open their mouths wide at me. They slap my face to shame me. They crowd together against me."

11God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

"God has handed me over to unfair people. He has dropped me into the grip of those who do wrong."

12I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

"My life was calm, and then he broke me apart. He grabbed my neck and shook me to pieces. He stood me up like a target to shoot at."

13His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

"His archers stand all around me. He cuts deep inside me and shows no pity. What is inside me spills onto the ground."

14He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

"He breaks me again and again. He runs at me like a huge, strong soldier."

15I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

"I have sewn rough cloth to wear against my skin. My strength lies down in the dust."

16My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

"My face is red from crying. Dark shadows ring my eyes."

17Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

"Yet my hands have hurt no one. And my prayers are honest."

18O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

"Earth, do not cover up my blood. Let my cry for help never be quiet."

19Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

"Even now, someone in heaven will speak for me. The one who knows the truth about me is high above."

20My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

"My friends laugh at me. So my eyes pour out tears to God."

21O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

"I wish someone could argue my case with God. I wish it were like a friend speaking up for a friend."

22When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

"In a few years I will die. I will go where no one ever comes back from."

1Then Job answered and said,

Then Job answered his friends and said,

2How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?

"How long will you hurt me? Your words crush me into pieces.

3These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.

You have blamed me ten times now. You are not even ashamed of how badly you treat me.

4And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.

Even if I really have done wrong, that is my own problem, not yours.

5If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:

Maybe you want to make yourselves look better than me. Maybe you point at my troubles and say they prove I am bad.

6Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.

Then know this: God is the one who has wronged me. He has caught me like an animal in a net.

7Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.

I shout, 'This is not fair!' But no one answers me. I call for help, but no one helps.

8He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

He has blocked my road so I cannot get through. He has covered my paths with darkness.

9He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.

He has taken away my good name. He has taken the crown off my head.

10He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.

He tears me down on every side until I am gone. He pulls up my hope like pulling up a tree.

11He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.

His anger burns against me. He treats me like one of his enemies.

12His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.

His soldiers march against me together. They pile up dirt to attack my tent. They set up camp all around me.

13He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.

He has pushed my brothers away from me. The people I knew have all left me.

14My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.

My family has let me down. My close friends have forgotten me.

15They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

My guests and my servant girls look at me like a stranger. To them I am someone from far away.

16I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.

I call my servant, but he does not answer. I have to beg him with my own mouth.

17My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.

My breath smells bad to my wife. My own family cannot stand to be near me.

18Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.

Even little children make fun of me. When I stand up, they laugh and say mean things.

19All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.

All my best friends hate to look at me. The ones I loved have turned against me.

20My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.

I am so thin that my skin hangs on my bones. I have barely escaped alive.

21Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

Have pity on me, my friends. Please have pity on me. God's hand has struck me.

22Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

Why do you chase me the way God does? Have you not hurt me enough already?

23Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!

I wish someone would write my words down. I wish they were put in a book.

24That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

I wish they were cut into rock with an iron tool. Then they would last forever.

25For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

But I know that my Redeemer, the one who saves me, is alive. In the end he will stand upon the earth.

26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Even after my skin is destroyed, I will still see God in my body.

27Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

I will see him with my own eyes. I will see him myself, not someone else. My heart aches inside me while I wait.

28But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

Maybe you say, 'Let's keep after him. The trouble must start with him.'

29Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Then you should be afraid yourselves. Anger brings punishment by the sword. Then you will know there is a judge.

1But Job answered and said,

Then Job answered them.

2Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

"Listen carefully to what I say. Let that be your comfort to me."

3Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

"Let me talk. When I am done, you can laugh at me again."

4As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

"Am I complaining about a person? No. So of course I am upset."

5Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

"Look at me and be shocked. Put your hand over your mouth."

6Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

"When I think about it, I feel afraid. My whole body shakes."

7Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

"Why do bad people keep on living? They grow old and strong."

8Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

"Their children grow up safe right beside them. They see their grandchildren too."

9Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

"Their homes are safe. Nothing scares them. God does not punish them."

10Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

"Their bulls always father calves. Their cows have calves, and none are lost."

11They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

"Their little children run outside like a flock of sheep. They jump and play."

12They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

"They sing with drums and harps. They have fun listening to the pipes."

13They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

"They have good things all their lives. Then they die quietly and go to the place of the dead."

14Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

"But they say to God, 'Go away. We do not want to know your ways.'"

15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

"'Who is God, that we should serve him? What good would praying do us?'"

16Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

"But their good things did not come from their own hands. I stay far away from thinking like them."

17How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

"How often does the lamp of a bad person really go out? How often does trouble come to them? How often does God, being angry, hand out pain?"

18They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

"Are they really like dry straw in the wind? Like husks blown away in a storm?"

19God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.

"People say God saves up the punishment for a man's children. But God should punish the man himself, so he feels it."

20His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

"Let him see his own ruin with his own eyes. Let him drink God's anger himself."

21For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?

"Why would he care about his family after he dies? His life is already over."

22Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.

"Can anyone teach God something new? God judges even the highest ones."

23One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

"One man dies while he is still strong. He is calm and comfortable."

24His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.

"His body is well fed. His bones are strong and healthy."

25And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.

"Another man dies feeling bitter and sad. He never had one good day."

26They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

"Both men lie down in the dirt. Worms cover them both the same."

27Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.

"Look, I know what you are thinking. I know your plans to blame me."

28For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?

"You ask, 'Where is the rich man's house now? Where do bad people live?'"

29Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

"Have you asked people who travel the roads? Do you believe what they tell you?"

30That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

"They will tell you that bad people are spared when trouble comes. They are kept safe on the day of anger."

31Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?

"Nobody tells such a man to his face that he is wrong. Nobody pays him back."

32Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.

"He is carried to his grave. People watch over his tomb."

33The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

"The soft dirt of the valley rests gently on him. Crowds walk behind him. Countless people went before him."

34How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?

"So how can your words comfort me? Your answers are simply not true."

1Then Job answered and said,

Then Job answered his friends. He said:

2Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

Even today my complaint is bitter. God's hand presses hard on me while I groan.

3Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

I wish I knew where to find God. Then I could go to where he sits.

4I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would lay out my case in front of him. I would give all my reasons.

5I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

I would hear the answer he gave me. I would understand what he said.

6Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

Would he use his great power to argue me down? No. He would give me strength.

7There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

There an honest person could reason with God. My judge would set me free for good.

8Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

Look, I go forward, but God is not there. I go back, but I cannot find him.

9On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

He is working off to the left, but I cannot see him. He turns to the right, and I still cannot see him.

10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

But God knows the way I have walked. When he has tested me, I will come out like gold.

11My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

My feet have stayed in his tracks. I kept to his way and did not turn aside.

12Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

I have not turned away from what he commands. I love his words more than my daily food.

13But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

But God does not change his mind. Who can turn him? He does what he wants.

14For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

He is doing what he decided for me. He has many more plans like that.

15Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

So I am shaken when he is near. When I think about it, I am afraid of him.

16For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

God has made my heart weak. The Almighty, the all-powerful God, has filled me with fear.

17Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

Still, the darkness has not cut me off. He has not hidden the thick dark from my face.

1Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Job kept on speaking. He said:

2As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;

I promise this by the living God. He has not given me justice. The Almighty, a name for God that means he is stronger than anything, has made me feel bitter.

3All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

As long as I can still breathe, and God's breath is in my nose,

4My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

my lips will not say evil things. My tongue will not tell any lies.

5God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

I will never say that you three are right. I will stay honest until the day I die.

6My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

I will hold on to doing what is right. I will not let go of it. My own heart will not accuse me as long as I live.

7Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

Let my enemy be treated like a wicked man. Let the one who fights me be treated like a man who does wrong.

8For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

Think about a man who does not care about God. What hope does he have when God takes his life away?

9Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?

Will God listen to him when he cries out in trouble?

10Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

Will he be glad about the Almighty? Will he pray to God all the time?

11I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

I will teach you about God's power. I will not hide what the Almighty does.

12Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?

You have all seen this yourselves. So why do you keep saying such empty things?

13This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.

This is what God hands out to a wicked man. This is what cruel people get from the Almighty.

14If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

He may have many children, but they will die in war. His children will never have enough food.

15Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.

The ones who are left will die of sickness and be buried. Their wives will not even cry for them.

16Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;

He may pile up silver like dust. He may stack up clothes like heaps of clay.

17He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

He may pile them up, but good people will wear those clothes. Honest people will share out his silver.

18He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.

The house he builds is thin like a moth's cocoon. It is flimsy like a little hut a guard puts up.

19The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.

He goes to bed rich, but it will not happen again. He opens his eyes, and everything is gone.

20Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.

Fears rush over him like a flood. A big storm carries him off in the night.

21The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.

The east wind picks him up, and he is gone. It sweeps him away from his home.

22For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

It hits him hard and shows him no mercy. He tries hard to escape from its power.

23Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

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

1Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Job kept on speaking. He said:

2Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

I wish I could have back the months that are gone. God took care of me then.

3When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

His lamp shone above my head. His light helped me walk through the dark.

4As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

Those were my best years. God was my friend. He watched over my tent.

5When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

God, the All-Powerful One, was still with me. My children were all around me.

6When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

My steps were washed with cream. The rock poured out streams of oil for me.

7When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

I would walk out to the city gate. I took my seat in the open square.

8The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.

The young men saw me and stepped back. The old men stood up to show respect.

9The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

The leaders stopped talking. They put their hands over their mouths.

10The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

Important men went quiet. Their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

11When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

Everyone who heard me said good things about me. Everyone who saw me spoke well of me.

12Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

I did this because I saved poor people who cried for help. I helped children with no father and no one to help them.

13The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

Dying men thanked me. I made the heart of a widow sing. A widow is a woman whose husband has died.

14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

I put on doing what is right, and it covered me like clothes. Being fair was my robe and my turban.

15I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

I was eyes for people who could not see. I was feet for people who could not walk.

16I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

I was like a father to people in need. I looked into the troubles of people I did not know.

17And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

I broke the teeth of cruel people. I pulled what they had grabbed out of their mouths.

18Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

So I thought, I will die safe at home. My days will be as many as grains of sand.

19My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

My roots will spread down to the water. Dew will rest on my branches all night.

20My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

My good name will always feel new. My bow will stay strong in my hand.

21Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

People listened to me and waited. They stayed quiet to hear my advice.

22After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

When I finished, no one had more to say. My words settled on them gently, like dew.

23And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

They waited for me the way people wait for rain. They drank in my words like spring showers.

24If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

If I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it. A kind look from me meant a lot.

25I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

I chose the path they should take. I sat as their leader. I lived like a king among his soldiers. I comforted people who were sad.

24If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;

Have I trusted my gold to keep me safe? Did I call fine gold my security?

25If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;

Have I been proud because I was so rich? Was I proud of all my hands had gained?

26If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

Have I looked at the sun shining bright? Have I watched the moon move in its glow?

27And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

Did my heart get pulled toward them in secret? Did my hand throw them a kiss?

28This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

That too is a sin that judges must punish. It would mean saying no to God above.

29If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

Have I been glad when someone who hated me was ruined? Did I cheer when trouble found him?

30Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

No. I never let my mouth sin that way. I never asked for my enemy to die.

31If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

Every man in my house could say the same thing. Everyone at my table ate until he was full.

32The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

No stranger ever had to sleep out in the street. My door was always open to travelers.

33If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:

Have I covered up my sins the way Adam did? Did I keep my wrongs hidden in my heart?

34Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

Was I so afraid of the crowd? Did families laughing at me scare me into staying quiet indoors?

35Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

I wish someone would listen to me! Here is my name signed to it. Let the Almighty answer me. Let the one who blames me write down the charge.

36Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

I would carry that paper on my shoulder. I would wear it like a crown.

37I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

I would tell God about every step I took. I would walk up to him like a prince.

38If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

Does my own land cry out against me? Do its plowed rows weep about how I treated them?

39If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

Have I eaten its food without paying for it? Have I broken the hearts of the farmers there?

40Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

If I did, let thorny weeds grow where wheat should be. Let stinkweed grow instead of barley. These are the last words of Job.