Job 26
1 Then Job answered:
Job replied [to Bildad], saying this [sarcastically]:
2 “How you have helped the powerless and saved the arm that is feeble!
“I am a very weak and helpless man; and (you [certainly] have not helped me [SAR] very much!/[do you think that] you have helped me [SAR] very much?) [RHQ]
3 How you have counseled the unwise and provided fully sound insight!
(You certainly have counseled me well—I, who am not wise at all./[Do you think that] you have counseled me well—I, who am not wise at all?) [RHQ] ([I’m sure you think that] you have given a lot of very good advice to me. [RHQ]
4 To whom have you uttered these words? And whose spirit spoke through you?
Who helped you to say all those [great/wise] things? Who inspired you to speak like you did?”
5 The dead tremble— those beneath the waters and those who dwell in them.
“[Because] the spirits of dead people [are afraid], [they] tremble in the waters that are deep under the earth.
God knows all about [those who are in] the place of the dead; there is nothing down there that prevents God from seeing what is there. (Sheol h7585)
7 He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth upon nothing.
God stretched out the earth over the huge empty space and caused the earth to have nothing [to support it].
8 He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their own weight.
He fills the thick/dense clouds with water and prevents that water from bursting the clouds.
9 He covers the face of the full moon, spreading over it His cloud.
He causes clouds to (obscure/prevent us from seeing) the moon.
10 He has inscribed a horizon on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.
He separated the light from the darkness and put the horizon to mark the place where the night ends and the daytime begins.
11 The foundations of heaven quake, astounded at His rebuke.
When [he is angry, it is as though] he rebukes the pillars that hold up the sky. They are (shocked/very fearful), and they tremble.
12 By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab.
With his power he calmed the sea; with his skill/wisdom he destroyed Rahab, the huge sea monster.
13 By His breath the skies were cleared; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
With his breath he caused the sky to be bright/clear; with his hand he killed the great dragon in the sea.
14 Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”
But those events show only a small amount of his power; [it is as though] we are hearing only whispers of his powerful voice. When we hear thunder, [we say, ] ‘(Who can really understand [how great] his power [is]/No one can [really] understand [how great] his power [is]!) [RHQ]’”
