12 You gave me life and mercy.

Your watchfulness has preserved my spirit.

13 But in your heart you hid these things.

I know this is what you did.

14 " 'If I sin, you watch me and will not free me from my guilt.

15 How terrible it will be for me if I'm guilty!

Even if I'm righteous, I dare not lift up my head.

I am filled with disgrace while I look on my misery.

16 Like a proud, ferocious lion you hunt me down.

You keep working your miracles against me.a 17 You keep finding new witnesses against me.

You keep increasing your anger toward me.

You keep bringing new armies against me.

18 " 'Why did you take me out of the womb?

I wish I had breathed my last breath before anyone had laid eyes on me.

19 Then it would be as if I had never existed, as if I had been carried from the womb to the tomb.

20 " 'Isn't my life short enough?

So stop this, and leave me alone.

Let me smile a little 21 before I go away to a land of darkness and gloom, 22 to a dismal land of long shadows and confusion where light is as bright as darkness.

I'll never return.'"

Zophar Speaks: Your Words Call for an Answer, Job 111 Then Zophar from Naama replied to Job, 2 "Shouldn't someone answer this flood of words?

Should a good public speaker be acquitted?

3 Should your empty talk silence others so that you can make fun of us without any shame?

4 You say, 'My teaching is morally correct,'

and, 'As you can see, I'm innocent.'

5 I only wish Eloah would speak and open his mouth to talk to you.

6 He would tell you the secrets of wisdom, because true wisdom is twice as great as your wisdom,b and you would know that Eloah forgets your sin.

God Can Do as He Pleases 7 "Can you discover Eloah's hidden secrets, or are you able to find Shadday's limits?

8 God's wisdom is higher than heaven.

What can you do?

It is deeper than the depths of hell.

What can you know?

9 It is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

10 If God comes along and imprisons someone and then calls a court into session, who can stop him?

11 He knows who the scoundrels are.

And when he sees sin, doesn't he pay attention to it?

12 But an empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born tame.

Confess Your Sin and Be Forgiven 13 "If you want to set your heart right, then pray to him.

14 If you're holding on to sin, put it far away, and don't let injustice live in your tent.

15 Then you will be able to show your face without being ashamed, and you will be secure and unafraid.

16 Then you will forget your misery and remember it like water that has flowed downstream.

17 Then your life will be brighter than the noonday sun.

The darkness in your life will become like morning.

18 You will feel confident because there's hope, and you will look around and rest in safety.

19 You will lie down with no one to frighten you, and many people will try to gain your favor.

20 But the wicked will lose their eyesight.

Their escape route will be closed.

Their only hope is to take their last breath."a Job Speaks: My Friends Have No Wisdom 121 Then Job replied to his friends, 2 "You certainly are wise people, and when you die, wisdom will die.

3 Like you, I have a mind.

I am not inferior to you.

But who doesn't know these things?

4 I am a laughingstock to my neighbors.

I am one who calls on Eloah and expects an answer.

A man of integrity, a man who is righteous, has become a laughingstock.

5 "A person who has an easy life has no appreciation for misfortune.

He thinks it is the fate of those who slip up.

6 But robbers' tents are prosperous, and there is security for those who provoke El, for those whose god is their power.b 7 "Instead, ask the animals, and they will teach you.

Ask the birds, and they will tell you.

8 Or speak with the earth, and it will teach you.

Even the fish will relate the story to you.

9 What creature doesn't know that Yahweh's hands made it?

10 The life of every living creature and the spirit in every human body are in his hands.

11 Doesn't the ear distinguish sounds and the tongue taste food?

Wisdom Comes from God 12 "Wisdom is with the ancient one.

The one who has had many days has insight.a 13 Elohim has wisdom and strength.

Advice and insight are his.

14 When he tears something down, it cannot be rebuilt.

When he puts someone in prison, that person cannot be freed.

15 When he holds back the waters, there is a drought.

When he releases them, they flood the earth.

16 "Elohim has power and priceless wisdom.

He owns both the deceiver and the person who is deceived.

17 He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools out of judges.

18 He loosens kings' belts and strips them of their pants.

19 He leads priests away barefoot and misleads those who serve in a temple.

20 He makes trusted advisers unable to speak and takes away the good judgment of respected leaders.

21 He pours contempt on influential people and unbuckles the belt of the mighty.

22 He uncovers mysteries hidden in the darkness and brings gloom into the light.

23 He makes nations important and then destroys them.

He makes nations large and leads them away.

24 He takes away the common sense of a country's leaders and makes them stumble about in a pathless wilderness.

25 They grope in the dark with no light, and he makes them stumble like drunks.

Job Continues: You Are Not Listening to Me 131 "My eye has certainly seen all of this!

My ear has heard and understood it.

2 After all, I know it as well as you do.

I am not inferior to you.

3 However, I want to speak to Shadday , and I wish to argue my case in front of El.

4 But you are smearing me with lies.

All of you are worthless physicians.

5 I wish you would keep silent.

For you, that would be wisdom.

6 Please listen to my argument, and pay attention to my plea.

Your Wisdom Misrepresents God 7 "Will you talk wickedly for El and talk deceitfully on his behalf?

8 Will you favor him as if you were arguing in court on El's behalf?

9 Will it go well when he cross-examines you?

Will you try to trick him as one mortal tricks another?

10 Will he really defend you if you secretly favor him?

11 Doesn't his majesty terrify you?

Doesn't the fear of him fall upon you?

12 "Your recollections are worthless proverbs.a Your answers are absolutely useless.b 13 Be quiet, because I want to speak.

Let whatever may happen to me happen!