1 July - 7 July
Job 29
1 Job continued his discourse:
2 "How I long for the months gone by,
for the days when God watched over me,
3 when his lamp shone upon my head
and by his light I walked through darkness!
4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
when God's intimate friendship blessed my house,
5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children were around me,
6 when my path was drenched with cream
and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.
7 "When I went to the gate of the city
and took my seat in the public square,
8 the young men saw me and stepped aside
and the old men rose to their feet;
9 the chief men refrained from speaking
and covered their mouths with their hands;
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me,
12 because I rescued the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to assist him.
13 The man who was dying blessed me;
I made the widow's heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness as my clothing;
justice was my robe and my turban.
15 I was eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy;
I took up the case of the stranger.
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
and snatched the victims from their teeth.
18 "I thought, 'I will die in my own house,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.
19 My roots will reach to the water,
and the dew will lie all night on my branches.
20 My glory will remain fresh in me,
the bow ever new in my hand.'
21 "Men listened to me expectantly,
waiting in silence for my counsel.
22 After I had spoken, they spoke no more;
my words fell gently on their ears.
23 They waited for me as for showers
and drank in my words as the spring rain.
24 When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it;
the light of my face was precious to them. [a]
25 I chose the way for them and sat as their chief;
I dwelt as a king among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.
Footnotes:
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Job 29:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain
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Job 30
1 "But now they mock me,
men younger than I,
whose fathers I would have disdained
to put with my sheep dogs.2 Of what use was the strength of their hands to me,
since their vigor had gone from them?3 Haggard from want and hunger,
they roamed [a] the parched land
in desolate wastelands at night.4 In the brush they gathered salt herbs,
and their food [b] was the root of the broom tree.5 They were banished from their fellow men,
shouted at as if they were thieves.6 They were forced to live in the dry stream beds,
among the rocks and in holes in the ground.7 They brayed among the bushes
and huddled in the undergrowth.8 A base and nameless brood,
they were driven out of the land.9 "And now their sons mock me in song;
I have become a byword among them.10 They detest me and keep their distance;
they do not hesitate to spit in my face.11 Now that God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me,
they throw off restraint in my presence.12 On my right the tribe [c] attacks;
they lay snares for my feet,
they build their siege ramps against me.13 They break up my road;
they succeed in destroying me—
without anyone's helping them. [d]14 They advance as through a gaping breach;
amid the ruins they come rolling in.15 Terrors overwhelm me;
my dignity is driven away as by the wind,
my safety vanishes like a cloud.16 "And now my life ebbs away;
days of suffering grip me.17 Night pierces my bones;
my gnawing pains never rest.18 In his great power God becomes like clothing to me [e] ;
he binds me like the neck of my garment.19 He throws me into the mud,
and I am reduced to dust and ashes.20 "I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer;
I stand up, but you merely look at me.21 You turn on me ruthlessly;
with the might of your hand you attack me.22 You snatch me up and drive me before the wind;
you toss me about in the storm.23 I know you will bring me down to death,
to the place appointed for all the living.24 "Surely no one lays a hand on a broken man
when he cries for help in his distress.25 Have I not wept for those in trouble?
Has not my soul grieved for the poor?26 Yet when I hoped for good, evil came;
when I looked for light, then came darkness.27 The churning inside me never stops;
days of suffering confront me.28 I go about blackened, but not by the sun;
I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.29 I have become a brother of jackals,
a companion of owls.30 My skin grows black and peels;
my body burns with fever.31 My harp is tuned to mourning,
and my flute to the sound of wailing.Footnotes:
8 - 14 July
Job 31
1 "I made a covenant with my eyes
not to look lustfully at a girl.
2 For what is man's lot from God above,
his heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Is it not ruin for the wicked,
disaster for those who do wrong?
4 Does he not see my ways
and count my every step?
5 "If I have walked in falsehood
or my foot has hurried after deceit-
6 let God weigh me in honest scales
and he will know that I am blameless-
7 if my steps have turned from the path,
if my heart has been led by my eyes,
or if my hands have been defiled,
8 then may others eat what I have sown,
and may my crops be uprooted.
9 "If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door,
10 then may my wife grind another man's grain,
and may other men sleep with her.
11 For that would have been shameful,
a sin to be judged.
12 It is a fire that burns to Destruction [a] ;
it would have uprooted my harvest.
13 "If I have denied justice to my menservants and maidservants
when they had a grievance against me,
14 what will I do when God confronts me?
What will I answer when called to account?
15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?
16 "If I have denied the desires of the poor
or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,
17 if I have kept my bread to myself,
not sharing it with the fatherless-
18 but from my youth I reared him as would a father,
and from my birth I guided the widow-
19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,
or a needy man without a garment,
20 and his heart did not bless me
for warming him with the fleece from my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
knowing that I had influence in court,
22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder,
let it be broken off at the joint.
23 For I dreaded destruction from God,
and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.
24 "If I have put my trust in gold
or said to pure gold, 'You are my security,'
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,
the fortune my hands had gained,
26 if I have regarded the sun in its radiance
or the moon moving in splendor,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed
and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,
28 then these also would be sins to be judged,
for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.
29 "If I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune
or gloated over the trouble that came to him-
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin
by invoking a curse against his life-
31 if the men of my household have never said,
'Who has not had his fill of Job's meat?'-
32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,
for my door was always open to the traveler-
33 if I have concealed my sin as men do, [b]
by hiding my guilt in my heart
34 because I so feared the crowd
and so dreaded the contempt of the clans
that I kept silent and would not go outside
35 ("Oh, that I had someone to hear me!
I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;
let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,
I would put it on like a crown.
37 I would give him an account of my every step;
like a prince I would approach him.)-
38 "if my land cries out against me
and all its furrows are wet with tears,
39 if I have devoured its yield without payment
or broken the spirit of its tenants,
40 then let briers come up instead of wheat
and weeds instead of barley."
The words of Job are ended.
Footnotes:
Job 32
Elihu
1 So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 3 He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. [a] 4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he. 5 But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.
6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:
"I am young in years,
and you are old;
that is why I was fearful,
not daring to tell you what I know.
7 I thought, 'Age should speak;
advanced years should teach wisdom.'
8 But it is the spirit [b] in a man,
the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.
9 It is not only the old [c] who are wise,
not only the aged who understand what is right.
10 "Therefore I say: Listen to me;
I too will tell you what I know.
11 I waited while you spoke,
I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,
12 I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.
13 Do not say, 'We have found wisdom;
let God refute him, not man.'
14 But Job has not marshaled his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your arguments.
15 "They are dismayed and have no more to say;
words have failed them.
16 Must I wait, now that they are silent,
now that they stand there with no reply?
17 I too will have my say;
I too will tell what I know.
18 For I am full of words,
and the spirit within me compels me;
19 inside I am like bottled-up wine,
like new wineskins ready to burst.
20 I must speak and find relief;
I must open my lips and reply.
21 I will show partiality to no one,
nor will I flatter any man;
22 for if I were skilled in flattery,
my Maker would soon take me away.
Footnotes:
15 - 21 July
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Job 33
1 "But now, Job, listen to my words;
pay attention to everything I say.2 I am about to open my mouth;
my words are on the tip of my tongue.3 My words come from an upright heart;
my lips sincerely speak what I know.4 The Spirit of God has made me;
the breath of the Almighty gives me life.5 Answer me then, if you can;
prepare yourself and confront me.6 I am just like you before God;
I too have been taken from clay.7 No fear of me should alarm you,
nor should my hand be heavy upon you.8 "But you have said in my hearing—
I heard the very words-9 'I am pure and without sin;
I am clean and free from guilt.10 Yet God has found fault with me;
he considers me his enemy.11 He fastens my feet in shackles;
he keeps close watch on all my paths.'12 "But I tell you, in this you are not right,
for God is greater than man.13 Why do you complain to him
that he answers none of man's words [a] ?14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though man may not perceive it.15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men
as they slumber in their beds,16 he may speak in their ears
and terrify them with warnings,17 to turn man from wrongdoing
and keep him from pride,18 to preserve his soul from the pit, [b]
his life from perishing by the sword. [c]19 Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain
with constant distress in his bones,20 so that his very being finds food repulsive
and his soul loathes the choicest meal.21 His flesh wastes away to nothing,
and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.22 His soul draws near to the pit, [d]
and his life to the messengers of death. [e]23 "Yet if there is an angel on his side
as a mediator, one out of a thousand,
to tell a man what is right for him,24 to be gracious to him and say,
'Spare him from going down to the pit [f] ;
I have found a ransom for him'-25 then his flesh is renewed like a child's;
it is restored as in the days of his youth.26 He prays to God and finds favor with him,
he sees God's face and shouts for joy;
he is restored by God to his righteous state.27 Then he comes to men and says,
'I sinned, and perverted what was right,
but I did not get what I deserved.28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, [g]
and I will live to enjoy the light.'29 "God does all these things to a man—
twice, even three times-30 to turn back his soul from the pit, [h]
that the light of life may shine on him.31 "Pay attention, Job, and listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.32 If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak up, for I want you to be cleared.33 But if not, then listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."Footnotes:
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Job 33:13 Or that he does not answer for any of his actions
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Job 33:18 Or preserve him from the grave
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Job 33:18 Or from crossing the River
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Job 33:22 Or He draws near to the grave
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Job 33:22 Or to the dead
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Job 33:24 Or grave
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Job 33:28 Or redeemed me from going down to the grave
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Job 33:30 Or turn him back from the grave
22 - 28 July
Job 34
1 Then Elihu said:
2 "Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me, you men of learning.3 For the ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right;
let us learn together what is good.5 "Job says, 'I am innocent,
but God denies me justice.6 Although I am right,
I am considered a liar;
although I am guiltless,
his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.'7 What man is like Job,
who drinks scorn like water?8 He keeps company with evildoers;
he associates with wicked men.9 For he says, 'It profits a man nothing
when he tries to please God.'10 "So listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to do evil,
from the Almighty to do wrong.11 He repays a man for what he has done;
he brings upon him what his conduct deserves.12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,
that the Almighty would pervert justice.13 Who appointed him over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?14 If it were his intention
and he withdrew his spirit [a] and breath,15 all mankind would perish together
and man would return to the dust.16 "If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.17 Can he who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn the just and mighty One?18 Is he not the One who says to kings, 'You are worthless,'
and to nobles, 'You are wicked,'19 who shows no partiality to princes
and does not favor the rich over the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands?20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;
the people are shaken and they pass away;
the mighty are removed without human hand.21 "His eyes are on the ways of men;
he sees their every step.22 There is no dark place, no deep shadow,
where evildoers can hide.23 God has no need to examine men further,
that they should come before him for judgment.24 Without inquiry he shatters the mighty
and sets up others in their place.25 Because he takes note of their deeds,
he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.26 He punishes them for their wickedness
where everyone can see them,27 because they turned from following him
and had no regard for any of his ways.28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
so that he heard the cry of the needy.29 But if he remains silent, who can condemn him?
If he hides his face, who can see him?
Yet he is over man and nation alike,30 to keep a godless man from ruling,
from laying snares for the people.31 "Suppose a man says to God,
'I am guilty but will offend no more.32 Teach me what I cannot see;
if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.'33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
when you refuse to repent?
You must decide, not I;
so tell me what you know.34 "Men of understanding declare,
wise men who hear me say to me,35 'Job speaks without knowledge;
his words lack insight.'36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
for answering like a wicked man!37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
scornfully he claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God."Footnotes:
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Job 34:14 Or Spirit
29 July - 4 Aug
Job 35
1 Then Elihu said:
2 "Do you think this is just?
You say, 'I will be cleared by God. [a] '3 Yet you ask him, 'What profit is it to me, [b]
and what do I gain by not sinning?'4 "I would like to reply to you
and to your friends with you.5 Look up at the heavens and see;
gaze at the clouds so high above you.6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
If your sins are many, what does that do to him?7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,
or what does he receive from your hand?8 Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself,
and your righteousness only the sons of men.9 "Men cry out under a load of oppression;
they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.10 But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,11 who teaches more to us than to [c] the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than [d] the birds of the air?'12 He does not answer when men cry out
because of the arrogance of the wicked.13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.14 How much less, then, will he listen
when you say that you do not see him,
that your case is before him
and you must wait for him,15 and further, that his anger never punishes
and he does not take the least notice of wickedness. [e]16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;
without knowledge he multiplies words."Footnotes:
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