My body burns with fever.

31 So my lyre is used for mourning and my flute for loud weeping.

Job Wonders What Sin He May Have Committed 311 "I have made an agreement with my eyes.

Then how can I look with lust at a virgin?

2 What would Eloah above do to me?

What would be my inheritance from Shadday on high?

3 Aren't there catastrophes for wicked people and disasters for those who do wrong?

4 Doesn't he see my ways and count all my steps?

5 "If I have walked with lies or my feet have run after deception, 6 then let Eloah weigh me on honest scales, and he will know I have integrity.

7 "If my steps have left the proper path, or my heart has followed the desire of my eyes, or my hands are stained with sin, 8 then let someone else eat what I have planted, and let my crops be uprooted.

9 "If I have been seduced by a woman or I have secretly waited near my neighbor's door, 10 then let my wife grind for another man, and let other men kneel over her.

11 That would be a scandal, and that would be a criminal offense.

12 It would be a fire that burns even in Abaddon.

It would uproot my entire harvest.

13 "If I have abused the rights of my servants, male or female, when they have disagreed with me, 14 then what could I do if El rises up?

If he examines me, how could I answer him?

15 Didn't he who made me in my mother's belly make them?

Didn't the same God form us in the womb?

16 "If I have refused the requests of the poor or made a widow's eyes stop looking for help, 17 or have eaten my food alone without letting the orphan eat any of it. . .

18 (From my youth the orphan grew up with me as though I were his father, and from my birth I treated the widow kindly.) 19 If I have seen anyone die because he had no clothes or a poor person going naked. . .

20 (If his body didn't bless me, or the wool from my sheep didn't keep him warm. . .) 21 If I have shaken my fist at an orphan because I knew that others would back me up in court, 22 then let my shoulder fall out of its socket, and let my arm be broken at the elbow.

23 "A disaster from El terrifies me.

In the presence of his majesty I can do nothing.

24 "If I put my confidence in gold or said to fine gold, 'I trust you'. . .

25 If I enjoyed being very rich because my hand had found great wealth. . .

26 If I saw the light shine or the moon move along in its splendor 27 so that my heart was secretly tempted, and I threw them a kiss with my hand, 28 then that, too, would be a criminal offense, and I would have denied El above.

29 "If I enjoyed the ruin of my enemy or celebrated when harm came to him 30 (even though I didn't speak sinfully by calling down a curse on his life). . .

31 "If the people who were in my tent had said, 'We wish we had never filled our stomachs with his food'. . .

32 (The visitor never spent the night outside, because I opened my door to the traveler.) 33 "If I have covered my disobedience like Adam and kept my sin to myself, 34 because I dreaded the large, noisy crowd and because the contempt of the local mobs terrified me so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside. . .

35 "If only I had someone who would listen to me!

Look, here is my signature!

Let Shadday answer me.

Let the prosecutor write his complaint on a scroll.

36 I would certainly carry it on my shoulder and place it on my head like a crown.

37 I would tell him the number of my steps and approach him like a prince.

38 "If my land has cried out against me, and its furrows have wept. . .

39 If I have eaten its produce without paying for it and made its owners breathe their last, 40 then let it grow thistles instead of wheat, and foul-smelling weeds instead of barley."

This is the end of Job's words.

Elihu Decides to Speak to Job 321 These three men stopped answering Job because Job thought he was righteous. 2 Then Elihu, son of Barachel, a descendant of Buz from the family of Ram, became very angry with Job because Job thought he was more righteous than Elohim. 3 Elihu was also very angry with Job's three friends because they had found no answer. They made it look as if Elohima were wrong. 4 Elihu waited as they spoke to Job because they were older than he was. 5 When Elihu saw that the three men had no further responses, he became very angry.

Elihu Speaks: The Reason for Elihu's Discourse 6 So Elihu, son of Barachel, the descendant of Buz, replied to Job, "I am young, and you are old.

That's why I refrained from speaking and was afraid to tell you what I know.

7 I thought, 'Age should speak, and experience should teach wisdom.'

8 However, there is in humans a Ruach , the breath of Shadday , that gives them understanding.

9 People do not become wise merely because they live long.

They don't understand what justice is merely because they're old.

10 "That is why I say, 'Listen to me!

Let me tell you what I know.'

11 I waited for you to speak.

I listened for you to share your understanding until you could find the right words.

12 I've paid close attention to you, but none of you refuted Job.

None of you has an answer to what he says.

13 So don't say, 'We've found wisdom.

Let El , not humans, defeat him.'

14 Job did not choose his words to refute me, so I won't answer him with your speeches.

15 "Job's friends have been overwhelmed and don't have any more answers.

They don't have another word to say.

16 Should I wait because they don't speak, because they stand there and don't have any more answers?

17 "I'll give my answer.

I'll tell you what I know.

18 I'm full of words.

The Ruach within me forces me to speak.

19 My belly is like a bottle of wine that has not been opened, like new wineskins that are ready to burst.

20 I must speak to get relief.

I must open my mouth and answer.

21 I won't be partial toward anyone or flatter anyone.

22 I don't know how to flatter.

If I did, my maker would soon carry me away.

Elihu Continues: Listen, Job 331 "Please, Job, listen to my words and consider everything I say.

2 I've opened my mouth.

The words are on the tip of my tongue.

3 My words are straight from the heart, and I sincerely speak the knowledge that is on my lips.

4 "The Ruach El has made me.

The breath of Shadday gives me life.

5 Answer me if you can.

Present your case to me, and take your stand.

6 Indeed, I stand in front of El as you do.

I, too, was formed from a piece of clay.

7 You certainly don't need to be terrified of me.

I won't put too much pressure on you.

God Doesn't Have to Answer You, Job 8 "But you spoke directly to me, and I listened to your words.

9 You said, 'I'm pure-without any rebellious acts against God.

I'm clean; I have no sin.

10 God is only looking for an excuse to attack me.

He considers me his enemy.

11 He puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.'

12 You aren't right about this!

I've got an answer for you: Eloah is greater than any mortal.

13 Why do you quarrel with him since he doesn't answer any questions?

Two Ways God Warns People 14 "El speaks in one way, even in two ways without people noticing it: 15 In a dream, a prophetic vision at night, when people fall into a deep sleep, when they sleep on their beds, 16 he opens people's ears and terrifies them with warnings.

17 He warns them to turn away from doing wrong and to stop being arrogant.a 18 He keeps their souls from the pit and their lives from crossing the River of Death.

19 In pain on their sickbeds, they are disciplined with endless aching in their bones 20 so that their whole being hates food and they lose their appetite for a delicious meal.

21 Their flesh becomes so thin that it can't be seen.

Their bones, not seen before, will be exposed.

22 Their souls approach the pit.

Their lives come close to those already dead.

A Third Way God Warns People 23 "If they have a messenger for them, a spokesman, one in a thousand, to tell people what is right for them, 24 then he will have pity on them and say, 'Free them from going into the pit.

I have found a ransom.'

25 Then their flesh will become softer than a child's.

They will go back to the days of their youth.

26 They will pray to Eloah, who will be pleased with them.