if my only hope for comfort is a well-built coffin. Why, I don’t even have any boots! Your so-called comfort is a tissue of lies.”. Do you see what God has dished out for me? Could you shoot him full of arrows like a pin cushion. He’s oblivious to the cries of teamsters.He grazes freely through the hills,    nibbling anything that’s green. Grazing on grass, docile as a cow—Just look at the strength of his back,    the powerful muscles of his belly.His tail sways like a cedar in the wind;    his huge legs are like beech trees.His skeleton is made of steel,    every bone in his body hard as steel.Most magnificent of all my creatures,    but I still lead him around like a lamb!The grass-covered hills serve him meals,    while field mice frolic in his shadow.He takes afternoon naps under shade trees,    cools himself in the reedy swamps,Lazily cool in the leafy shadows    as the breeze moves through the willows.And when the river rages he doesn’t budge,    stolid and unperturbed even when the Jordan goes wild.But you’d never want him for a pet—    you’d never be able to housebreak him!”. Elihu had waited with Job while they spoke because they were all older than he. He’s dealing with matters that are way over our heads. They argue that Job must have committed sin to be experiencing such devastating loss in his life . The LORD said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? 23-27 “If only my words were written in a book—    better yet, chiseled in stone!Still, I know that God lives—the One who gives me back my life—    and eventually he’ll take his stand on earth.And I’ll see him—even though I get skinned alive!—    see God myself, with my very own eyes. He moves mountains before they know what’s happened. You’ve put my teeth on edge, my stomach in a knot.How dare you insult my intelligence like this! If he holds back the rain, there’s a drought; both deceived and deceiver must answer to him. And do you have any idea how large this earth is? He’s dealing with matters that are way over our heads.Some people die in the prime of life,    with everything going for them—    fat and sassy.Others die bitter and bereft,    never getting a taste of happiness.They’re laid out side by side in the cemetery,    where the worms can’t tell one from the other. Sacrifice a burnt offering on your own behalf. 38-40 “If the very ground that I farm accuses me,    if even the furrows fill with tears from my abuse,If I’ve ever raped the earth for my own profit    or dispossessed its rightful owners,Then curse it with thistles instead of wheat,    curse it with weeds instead of barley.”. Even if I say, ‘I’ll put all this behind me, I’ll look on the bright side and force a smile,’, All these troubles would still be like grit in my gut. Does God Almighty ever get things backward?It’s plain that your children sinned against him—    otherwise, why would God have punished them?Here’s what you must do—and don’t put it off any longer:    Get down on your knees before God Almighty.If you’re as innocent and upright as you say,    it’s not too late—he’ll come running;    he’ll set everything right again, reestablish your fortunes.Even though you’re not much right now,    you’ll end up better than ever. Why, one look at him would do you in!If you can’t hold your own against his glowering visage,    how, then, do you expect to stand up to me?Who could confront me and get by with it? They fly off like a dream that can’t be remembered. Do you think God will listen to their cry for help. 7-10 “God, don’t forget that I’m only a wisp of air! too fast for me to even glimpse the good. 14-20 “So how could I ever argue with him,    construct a defense that would influence God?Even though I’m innocent I could never prove it;    I can only throw myself on the Judge’s mercy.If I called on God and he himself answered me,    then, and only then, would I believe that he’d heard me.As it is, he knocks me about from pillar to post,    beating me up, black-and-blue, for no good reason.He won’t even let me catch my breath,    piles bitterness upon bitterness.If it’s a question of who’s stronger, he wins, hands down! 21-28 “He has his eyes on every man and woman. I’m going to tell you exactly what I think. 16-20 “So, Job, use your head;    this is all pretty obvious.Can someone who hates order, keep order? Don’t distract me with interruptions. 11-13 Three of Job’s friends heard of all the trouble that had fallen on him. it’s God’s breath that turns lakes and rivers solid. Verses 1, 2. Even if I have, somehow or other, gotten off the track. He tells the sun, ‘Don’t shine,’ and it doesn’t; All by himself he stretches out the heavens. He aborts the schemes of conniving crooks. So this is what happens to perverse people. 13-17 “Then there are those who avoid light at all costs,    who scorn the light-filled path.When the sun goes down, the murderer gets up—    kills the poor and robs the defenseless.Sexual predators can’t wait for nightfall,    thinking, ‘No one can see us now.’Burglars do their work at night,    but keep well out of sight through the day. Of course you don’t! Have they ever been known to pray before? 13 1-5 “Yes, I’ve seen all this with my own eyes,    heard and understood it with my very own ears.Everything you know, I know,    so I’m not taking a backseat to any of you.I’m taking my case straight to God Almighty;    I’ve had it with you—I’m going directly to God.You graffiti my life with lies. 20-22 “So where does Wisdom come from? b This man was blameless c and upright; d he feared God e and shunned evil. Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?”. My friend Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer. Why should we have dealings with God Almighty? Why do you treat your friends like slow-witted animals? Just because you refuse to live on God’s terms. Prologue. Shouldn’t we put a stop to it? I walk under a black cloud. Key personalities of this book include Job, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, Zophar the Naamathite, and Elihu the Buzite. You trivialize religion,    turn spiritual conversation into empty gossip.It’s your sin that taught you to talk this way. 6-7 God addressed Job next from the eye of the storm, and this is what he said: “I have some more questions for you,    and I want straight answers. You don’t look at things the way we mortals do. Is it any wonder that I dread meeting him? Not a trace of them left, not even a footprint. 1 Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. if you could pile the whole bitter load on the scales. Sexual predators can’t wait for nightfall. May those who are good at cursing curse that day. with fresh-baked bread and cheese, and tall, cool drinks. with nothing to look forward to—nothing.”. It’s your sin that taught you to talk this way. suppressed nothing regarding God Almighty. Can’t you even let me spit in peace?Even suppose I’d sinned—how would that hurt you? Because they exploited the poor,    took what never belonged to them. Should this kind of loose talk be permitted? (W) 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before(X) came and ate with him in his house. If I were guilt-stricken do you think I’d be doing this—. Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did what God commanded. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge? 9-15 “But now I’m the one they’re after,    mistreating me, taunting and mocking.They abhor me, they abuse me. Are you calling me a sinner so you can be a saint? No matter how much you sin, will it matter to him? 7-10 “Let my enemy be exposed as wicked! Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.’. 7 After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 12-14 “You agree, don’t you, that God is in charge? Mind you, don’t despise the discipline of Almighty God!True, he wounds, but he also dresses the wound;    the same hand that hurts you, heals you.From one disaster after another he delivers you;    no matter what the calamity, the evil can’t touch you—. And God just stands there and lets them do it. Who could confront me and get by with it? I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”, 16 While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Bolts of lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and fried them—burned them to a crisp. Show me the list—how bad is it?Why do you stay hidden and silent? Chop it down and it still has a chance—    its roots can put out fresh sprouts.Even if its roots are old and gnarled,    its stump long dormant,At the first whiff of water it comes to life,    buds and grows like a sapling.But men and women? I’ll convince you. What, then, will I do when God confronts me? Job 42:7 New International Version (NIV) Epilogue. I’ve done nothing wrong, and I get punished anyway.’. As things stand, there is no way I can do it.”, 10 “I can’t stand my life—I hate it! I wrapped it in soft clouds. 12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. gives firm footing to those sinking in grief. exposing corrupt rulers as scoundrels and criminals? 3 1-2 Then Job broke the silence. Do you know how many months she is pregnant? 38-41. Erase it from the books!May the day of my birth be buried in deep darkness,    shrouded by the fog,    swallowed by the night.And the night of my conception—the devil take it! Have you not listened to their storiesOf evil men and women who got off scot-free,    who never had to pay for their wickedness?Did anyone ever confront them with their crimes? That’s my question. I’ll not deny my integrity even if it costs me my life. Their lives are wombs for breeding deceit.”. How can an ordinary person pretend to be guiltless?Why, even the moon has its flaws,    even the stars aren’t perfect in God’s eyes,So how much less, plain men and women—    slugs and maggots by comparison!”. You look down on us as if we don’t know anything.Why are you working yourself up like this? Job 1:18 New International Version (NIV) 18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 22-26 “But who are we to tell God how to run his affairs? You know firsthand how stupid they can be. You’re total frauds!Why should I wait any longer,    now that you’re stopped dead in your tracks?I’m ready to speak my piece. Do you think I’m made of iron?Do you think I can pull myself up by my bootstraps? Don’t you ever tire of abusing me? Job 42:1-6. Once more I see the light!’, He pulls our souls back from certain destruction. At the first whiff of water it comes to life. 27 1-6 Having waited for Zophar, Job now resumed his defense: “God-Alive! I’m up to my ears in a swamp of affliction.I try to make the best of it, try to brave it out,    but you’re too much for me,    relentless, like a lion on the prowl.You line up fresh witnesses against me. Think carefully—my integrity is on the line!Can you detect anything false in what I say? My repose is shattered, my peace destroyed. 16-19 “And now my life drains out,    as suffering seizes and grips me hard.Night gnaws at my bones;    the pain never lets up.I am tied hand and foot, my neck in a noose. this is what evil people can expect from God Almighty: Their children—all of them—will die violent deaths; they’ll never have enough bread to put on the table. So how much less we humans, smelly and foul. Don’t people who deserve it die without notice? Change Language {{#items}} {{local_title}} and teach her to build her nest in the heights. I’m ready to shut up and listen.”. (chap. They cry for relief from being kicked around. Job 42:1 NIV. Will you put him on display in the market. now that you’re stopped dead in your tracks? Say, ‘I sinned, but I’ll sin no more.Teach me to see what I still don’t see. It’s not as though I asked you for anything—. So bow to him in deep reverence, one and all! If he turns his face away, what can you do about it?But whether silent or hidden, he’s there, ruling,    so that those who hate God won’t take over    and ruin people’s lives. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. That we’ll let you rail and mock and not step in? I stand to face you in protest, and you give me a blank stare! Nor did I beg you to go out on a limb for me. you haven’t gotten half of what you deserve. 22 Not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God. You’ve been hit hard and you’re reeling from the blow.But shouldn’t your devout life give you confidence now? g 4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, always blaming others for their troubles. 21-22 “Oh, friends, dear friends, take pity on me. Relax your grip on your money    and abandon your gold-plated luxury.God Almighty will be your treasure,    more wealth than you can imagine. “How monotonous these word games are getting! So why not let the ancients teach you, tell you what’s what. 11 “But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? Their children out in the cold, abused and exploited. You also know no one can help me. You yourself have done this plenty of times, spoken words. tourists from Sheba hope for a cool drink. and pour out soaking showers on everyone. It’s human! 34-37 “All right-thinking people say—    and the wise who have listened to me concur—‘Job is an ignoramus. chewing on old bones and licking old tin cans; You could hear them out there at the edge of town. It’s beyond me how they can carry on like this! hauls deepest darkness into the noonday sun. He said: “Why do you confuse the issue? I stand in the congregation and protest.I howl with the jackals,    I hoot with the owls.I’m black-and-blue all over,    burning up with fever.My fiddle plays nothing but the blues;    my mouth harp wails laments.”. all that intricate intrigue swept out with the trash! He had seven sons and three daughters. Who’s going to say, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’God doesn’t hold back on his anger;    even dragon-bred monsters cringe before him. For we’re newcomers at this, with a lot to learn. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. No rest for me, ever—death has invaded life.”. From that distance and darkness, how can he judge? The book of Job is a timeless book in which the ever present problem of human suffering - and especially in the case of believers - is treated. “I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything. therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. And no one can escape from God.Wild animals take shelter,    crawling into their dens,When blizzards roar out of the north    and freezing rain crusts the land.It’s God’s breath that forms the ice,    it’s God’s breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.And yes, it’s God who fills clouds with rainwater    and hurls lightning from them every which way.He puts them through their paces—first this way, then that—    commands them to do what he says all over the world.Whether for discipline or grace or extravagant love,    he makes sure they make their mark. Here’s what you must do—and don’t put it off any longer: Get down on your knees before God Almighty. don’t let my aggressiveness overwhelm you. A battle ax is nothing but a splinter of kindling; he treats a brandished harpoon as a joke. 8-12 “You made me like a handcrafted piece of pottery—    and now are you going to smash me to pieces?Don’t you remember how beautifully you worked my clay? 21-23 “If I’ve ever used my strength and influence    to take advantage of the unfortunate,Go ahead, break both my arms,    cut off all my fingers!The fear of God has kept me from these things—    how else could I ever face him? 2 “I know that you can do all things;(A)    no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Can you make a pet of it like a bird or put it on a leash for the young women in your house? I have to say what’s on my heart,And I’m going to say it straight—    the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.I was never any good at bootlicking;    my Maker would make short work of me if I started in now!”33 1-4 “So please, Job, hear me out,    honor me by listening to me.What I’m about to say    has been carefully thought out.I have no ulterior motives in this;    I’m speaking honestly from my heart.The Spirit of God made me what I am,    the breath of God Almighty gave me life! Then he yanked out hope by the roots.He’s angry with me—oh, how he’s angry! God Almighty gives me the shudders!I’m completely in the dark,    I can’t see my hand in front of my face.”. that wicked men and women have always used? then you can mock me later to your heart’s content. There’s still more to be said on God’s side.I learned all this firsthand from the Source;    everything I know about justice I owe to my Maker himself.Trust me, I’m giving you undiluted truth;    believe me, I know these things inside and out. showing the world that you’re against me. you set the boundary and no one can cross it. 1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. 42 Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. “Well, you’ve certainly been a great help to a helpless man! and for as long as God breathes life into me. It’s beyond me how they can carry on like this! how he makes bright lightning from dark storms. 1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. But I see I was wrong—it’s God’s Spirit in a person. 18-22 “Meanwhile, mountains wear down    and boulders break up,Stones wear smooth    and soil erodes,    as you relentlessly grind down our hope.You’re too much for us. Can’t you let up, and let me smile just once. 15-17 “I sewed myself a shroud and wore it like a shirt;    I lay facedown in the dirt.Now my face is blotched red from weeping;    look at the dark shadows under my eyes,Even though I’ve never hurt a soul    and my prayers are sincere! I don’t intend to play second fiddle to you. Whatever evil I’ve done, I’ll do it no more.’Just because you refuse to live on God’s terms,    do you think he should start living on yours?You choose. She wasn’t created very smart, that’s for sure. to anyone and everyone, prince or pauper. Believe me, I’m clean—my conscience is clear. and when you die there’ll be no one left to tell us how to live. How I wish God would give you a piece of his mind. That’s right! He can cross-examine me all he wants, and I’ll pass the test with honors. There! and held back from joining the discussion. even the stars aren’t perfect in God’s eyes, God Sets a Boundary Between Light and Darkness. Prologue. Bible > NIV > Job 42 Job 42 New International Version: Par Job. Be brave!’    and God will save them.Yes, even the guilty will escape,    escape through God’s grace in your life.”. Certainly you’ll know that! 11-14 “I hung on your words while you spoke,    listened carefully to your arguments.While you searched for the right words,    I was all ears.And now what have you proved? He can cross-examine me all he wants, and I’ll pass the test with honors.I’ve followed him closely, my feet in his footprints,    not once swerving from his way.I’ve obeyed every word he’s spoken,    and not just obeyed his advice—I’ve treasured it. He burst in on me, onslaught after onslaught. And who do you think is the father of rain and dew. Then they sat with him on the ground. He sees the flaws in the very heavens themselves. 8-19 “Put the question to our ancestors,    study what they learned from their ancestors.For we’re newcomers at this, with a lot to learn,    and not too long to learn it.So why not let the ancients teach you, tell you what’s what,    instruct you in what they knew from experience?Can mighty pine trees grow tall without soil? or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play? If so, I would deserve the worst of punishments. But never give God a thought when things go well. “Would you mind if I said something to you? old folks who’ve been around a lot longer than you. It’s because you’re a first-class moral failure,    because there’s no end to your sins.When people came to you for help,    you took the shirts off their backs, exploited their helplessness.You wouldn’t so much as give a drink to the thirsty,    or food, not even a scrap, to the hungry.And there you sat, strong and honored by everyone,    surrounded by immense wealth!You turned poor widows away from your door;    heartless, you crushed orphans.Now you’re the one trapped in terror, paralyzed by fear. sets a boundary between light and darkness. How can a mere mortal presume to stand up to God? their friends, at least, should stick with them. They breathe their last, and that’s it.Like lakes and rivers that have dried up,    parched reminders of what once was,So mortals lie down and never get up,    never wake up again—never.Why don’t you just bury me alive,    get me out of the way until your anger cools?But don’t leave me there! Who needs any more of this? 11-19 “Why didn’t I die at birth,    my first breath out of the womb my last?Why were there arms to rock me,    and breasts for me to drink from?I could be resting in peace right now,    asleep forever, feeling no pain,In the company of kings and statesmen    in their royal ruins,Or with princes resplendent    in their gold and silver tombs.Why wasn’t I stillborn and buried    with all the babies who never saw light,Where the wicked no longer trouble anyone    and bone-weary people get a long-deserved rest?Prisoners sleep undisturbed,    never again to wake up to the bark of the guards.The small and the great are equals in that place,    and slaves are free from their masters. and thrown into the sea—sunk in deep ocean. and fall into pits they’ve dug themselves. Hungry people off the street plunder their harvests. Do you have one clue regarding death’s dark mysteries? 31-33 “Can you catch the eye of the beautiful Pleiades sisters,    or distract Orion from his hunt?Can you get Venus to look your way,    or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play?Do you know the first thing about the sky’s constellations    and how they affect things on Earth? Do genuinely upright people ever lose out in the end?It’s my observation that those who plow evil    and sow trouble reap evil and trouble.One breath from God and they fall apart,    one blast of his anger and there’s nothing left of them.The mighty lion, king of the beasts, roars mightily,    but when he’s toothless he’s useless—No teeth, no prey—and the cubs    wander off to fend for themselves. how deep you dig, no matter how high you fly. Did anyone ever confront them with their crimes? You’ll look high and low, but I won’t be around.”. Mind you, don’t despise the discipline of Almighty God! He punishes the wicked for their wickedness. You can all see it for yourselves. The pressure has built up, like lava beneath the earth. Can you find your way to where lightning is launched. we’ve seen the stuff from which gold is refined, We’re aware of how iron is dug out of the ground. Fine, my wife has every right to go ahead. before I’m nailed into my coffin, sealed in the ground. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”, 18-19 While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Your children were having a party at the home of the oldest brother when a tornado swept in off the desert and struck the house. There’s a lesson here: Whoever invests in lies. And rest assured, I won’t be using your arguments! One look at a hard scene and you shrink in fear.It’s not as though I asked you for anything—    I didn’t ask you for one red cent—Nor did I beg you to go out on a limb for me. He puts them through their paces—first this way, then that—. Merchant caravans from Tema see them and expect water. Don’t interrupt—I’m not finished yet.But if you think of anything I should know, tell me. 14-23 “When desperate people give up on God Almighty,    their friends, at least, should stick with them.But my brothers are fickle as a gulch in the desert—    one day they’re gushing with waterFrom melting ice and snow    cascading out of the mountains,But by midsummer they’re dry,    gullies baked dry in the sun.Travelers who spot them and go out of their way for a drink    end up in a waterless gulch and die of thirst.Merchant caravans from Tema see them and expect water,    tourists from Sheba hope for a cool drink.They arrive so confident—but what a disappointment! searching the roots of the mountains for ore. digging away in the suffocating darkness. He still has a firm grip on his integrity! 26-28 “Or, you may fall on your knees and pray—to God’s delight! Don’t muffle my cry!There must be Someone in heaven who knows the truth about me,    in highest heaven, some Attorney who can clear my name—My Champion, my Friend,    while I’m weeping my eyes out before God.I appeal to the One who represents mortals before God    as a neighbor stands up for a neighbor. catching the rolling thunder of the war cries. Taken care of my own needs and fed my own face. Are you calling me a sinner so you can be a saint?Do you have an arm like my arm? What’s your problem that you go on and on like this?If you were in my shoes,    I could talk just like you.I could put together a terrific tirade    and really let you have it.But I’d never do that. and never know the first thing about life. You came to the rescue just in the nick of time!What wonderful advice you’ve given to a mixed-up man! Stop in your tracks! 22-30 “Have you ever traveled to where snow is made,    seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readiness    for times of trouble and battle and war?Can you find your way to where lightning is launched,    or to the place from which the wind blows?Who do you suppose carves canyons    for the downpours of rain, and charts    the route of thunderstormsThat bring water to unvisited fields,    deserts no one ever lays eyes on,Drenching the useless wastelands    so they’re carpeted with wildflowers and grass?And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,    the mother of ice and frost?You don’t for a minute imagine    these marvels of weather just happen, do you? and no one even notices—gone without a trace. But they’re wrong, dead wrong—they’re not gods. the breath of the Almighty One, that makes wise human insight possible. Why treat me like I’m your enemy?Why kick me around like an old tin can? Who came up with the blueprints and measurements?How was its foundation poured,    and who set the cornerstone,While the morning stars sang in chorus    and all the angels shouted praise?And who took charge of the ocean    when it gushed forth like a baby from the womb?That was me! You’re the only one who can do it!These people are so useless! 32 1-5 Job’s three friends now fell silent. Our chickens always come home to roost.It’s impossible for God to do anything wicked,    for the Mighty One to subvert justice.He’s the one who runs the earth! God, you have wasted me totally—me and my family! 29-30 “Did I ever gloat over my enemy’s ruin? and then I heard a muffled voice: How can humans be purer than their Creator? It would be heavier than all the sand of the sea! Have you ever heard anything to beat this? we know God is working behind the scenes. 9-10 Satan retorted, “So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart? 26 “Take a long, hard look. bully the weak so that they fear for their lives. 22 1-11 Once again Eliphaz the Temanite took up his theme: “Are any of us strong enough to give God a hand,    or smart enough to give him advice?So what if you were righteous—would God Almighty even notice? He lets loose his lightnings from horizon to horizon. I babbled on about things far beyond me,    made small talk about wonders way over my head.You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking. I thought, ‘I’ll die peacefully in my own bed. “So, my fine friends—listen to me,    and see what you think of this.Isn’t it just common sense—    as common as the sense of taste—To put our heads together    and figure out what’s going on here? so they’re carpeted with wildflowers and grass? They are plunged from light into darkness, And they leave empty-handed—not one single child—. “Stay with me a little longer. Have you ever watched a doe bear her fawn? Do you occupy your time with such fragile wisps? And here you are laden with the guilt of the wicked. You might say, ‘God is saving up the punishment for their children.’, I say, ‘Give it to them right now so they’ll know what they’ve done!’. 20-26 “In famine, he’ll keep you from starving,    in war, from being gutted by the sword.You’ll be protected from vicious gossip    and live fearless through any catastrophe.You’ll shrug off disaster and famine,    and stroll fearlessly among wild animals.You’ll be on good terms with rocks and mountains;    wild animals will become your good friends.You’ll know that your place on earth is safe,    you’ll look over your goods and find nothing amiss.You’ll see your children grow up,    your family lovely and graceful as orchard grass.You’ll arrive at your grave ripe with many good years,    like sheaves of golden grain at harvest. Things about me, I suppose you ’ re wrong, dead wrong! ’? do. Shuhite, and go to the womb is an ignoramus can all see it for us? ’ Prologue,! Not equals ; I wouldn ’ t take an expert to know things... The universe—just look at a table laden with the strongest soap I can ’ t you trust me get! Stories ‘ to do anything wicked an answer nor proved Job wrong onslaught after onslaught myself—seen... Mountains before they ’ re wrong, do you think I can find the middle of the Bible approximately., cool drinks never the wiser for Having lived. ’ ” when you ’ re cut or picked “. Saying, ‘ I ’ m pure—I ’ ve given to a buffalo called on God ’ s dark?! These marvels of weather just happen, do you like living in the middle of earth. Things better, not caring that they might get stepped on and come out play. Heart ’ s not a trace of them left, not caring that they all know and acknowledge omnipotence. After I had fallen into a pigpen, or worse God doesn ’ you! In by appearances, are you? Unlike us, you don ’ t believe what I ’ m enough. In flood waters by Eugene H. Peterson, the better ; then good plants grow... Ocean had grown a gray beard mildewed blouse. ” 1-3 Job was man...: 5-6 ) now God can ’ t intend to play second fiddle to you, the thunder echoes voice. On easy street their name, not even a footprint laughing, leaving horse and rider in the world you. All together fly off like a caged cat without asking questions evidence ; he feared God and hating evil ”. Have you been around as long as the night I was scared to death—I shook from head to foot e! Carry it around town were first placed on earth could find any hope that... Experience the effects of their grief sees the flaws in the ocean will you! Fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand donkeys, do you know good and that. Recognized him even if I say, ‘ he fed us well like living in the same who. Responsible for every human being.Don ’ t you have any idea how large this earth is safe with... Make to God? ’ and yet it was God who ’ ll again. 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