- Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said, How long will it be before you make an end of words? Mark and afterward we will speak. Why are we counted as beasts and reputed vile in your sight? He tears himself in his anger. Shall the earth be forsaken for you? And shall the rock be removed out of his place?
- Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. The steps of his strength shall be distressed, and his own counsel shall cast him down. For he is cast into a net by his own feet and he walks upon a snare. The trap shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him. The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.
- Terrors shall make him afraid on every side and shall drive him to his feet. His strength shall be famished, and destruction ready at his side. It shall devour the strength of his skin, even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength. His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors. It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his. Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation. His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.
- His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street. He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. He shall neither have son nor grandson among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings. They that come after him shall be astonished at his day, as they that went before were frightened. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knows not God.
- Then Job answered and said, How long will you vex my soul and break me in pieces with words? These ten times have you reproached me. You are not ashamed that you make yourselves strangers to me. And be it indeed that I have erred, my error remains with myself. If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me and plead against me my reproach, know now that God has overthrown me and has encompassed me with his net.
- Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard. I cry aloud, but there is no judgment. He has walled up my way that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my paths. He has stripped me of my glory and taken the crown from my head. He has destroyed me on every side and I am gone, and my hope has he removed like a tree. He has also kindled his wrath against me and he counts me unto him as one of his enemies. His troops come together and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
- He has put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintances are truly estranged from me. My kinsfolk have failed and my familiar friends have forgotten me. They that dwell in my house and my maids count me for a stranger. I am a foreigner in their sight. I called my servant and he gave me no answer. I entreated him with my mouth. My breath is strange to my wife, though I entreated for the children’s sake of my own body. Yea, young children despised me. I arose and they spoke against me. All my intimate friends abhorred me, and they whom I loved are turned against me. My bone cleaves to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped by the skin of my teeth.
- Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me. Why do you persecute me as God and are not satisfied with my flesh?
- Oh that my words were now written. Oh that they were printed in a book, that they were engraved with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever. For I know my redeemer lives and he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me.
- But you should say, Why do we persecute him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? Be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.
Chapter 7