III. Job’s Search for Wisdom (28:1-28)
No Known Road to Wisdom 128:1 “Surely 2 there is a mine 3 for silver,
and a place where gold is refined. 4
13:1 “Indeed, my eyes have seen all this, 6
my ears have heard and understood it.
13:2 What you know, 7 I 8 know also;
I am not inferior 9 to you!
13:3 But I wish to speak 10 to the Almighty, 11
and I desire to argue 12 my case 13 with God.
13:4 But you, however, are inventors of lies; 14
all of you are worthless physicians! 15
13:5 If only you would keep completely silent! 16
For you, that would be wisdom. 17
13:6 “Listen now to my argument, 18
and be attentive to my lips’ contentions. 19
13:7 Will you speak wickedly 20 on God’s behalf? 21
Will you speak deceitfully for him?
13:8 Will you show him partiality? 22
Will you argue the case 23 for God?
13:9 Would it turn out well if he would examine 24 you?
Or as one deceives 25 a man would you deceive him?
13:10 He would certainly rebuke 26 you
if you secretly 27 showed partiality!
13:11 Would not his splendor 28 terrify 29 you
and the fear he inspires 30 fall on you?
13:12 Your maxims 31 are proverbs of ashes; 32
your defenses 33 are defenses of clay. 34
13:13 “Refrain from talking 35 with me so that 36 I may speak;
then let come to me 37 what may. 38
13:14 Why 39 do I put myself in peril, 40
and take my life in my hands?
13:15 Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; 41
I will surely 42 defend 43 my ways to his face!
13:16 Moreover, this will become my deliverance,
for no godless person would come before him. 44
13:17 Listen carefully 45 to my words;
let your ears be attentive to my explanation. 46
13:18 See now, 47 I have prepared 48 my 49 case; 50
I know that I am right. 51
13:19 Who 52 will contend with me?
If anyone can, I will be silent and die. 53
13:20 Only in two things spare me, 54 O God, 55
and then I will not hide from your face:
13:21 Remove 56 your hand 57 far from me
and stop making me afraid with your terror. 58
13:22 Then call, 59 and I will answer,
or I will speak, and you respond to me.
13:23 How many are my 60 iniquities and sins?
Show me my transgression and my sin. 61
13:24 Why do you hide your face 62
and regard me as your enemy?
13:25 Do you wish to torment 63 a windblown 64 leaf
and chase after dry chaff? 65
13:26 For you write down 66 bitter things against me
and cause me to inherit the sins of my youth. 67
13:27 And you put my feet in the stocks 68
and you watch all my movements; 69
you put marks 70 on the soles of my feet.
13:28 So I 71 waste away like something rotten, 72
like a garment eaten by moths.