Job 26
1 Job replied [to Bildad], saying this [sarcastically]:
Then Job made answer and said,
2 “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]
How have you given help to him who has no power! how have you been the salvation of the arm which has no strength!
3 (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]
How have you given teaching to him who has no wisdom, and fully made clear true knowledge!
4 Who helped you to say all those [great/wise] things? Who inspired you to speak like you did?”
To whom have your words been said? and whose spirit came out from you?
5 “[Because] the spirits of dead people [are afraid], [they] tremble in the waters that are deep under the earth.
The shades in the underworld are shaking; the waters and those living in them.
6 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)
The underworld is uncovered before him, and Destruction has no veil. (Sheol h7585)
7 God stretched out the earth over the huge empty space and caused the earth to have nothing [to support it].
By his hand the north is stretched out in space, and the earth is hanging on nothing.
8 He fills the thick/dense clouds with water and prevents that water from bursting the clouds.
By him the waters are shut up in his thick clouds, and the cloud does not give way under them.
9 He causes clouds to (obscure/prevent us from seeing) the moon.
By him the face of his high seat is veiled, and his cloud stretched out over it.
10 He separated the light from the darkness and put the horizon to mark the place where the night ends and the daytime begins.
By him a circle is marked out on the face of the waters, to the limits of the light and the dark.
11 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.
The pillars of heaven are shaking, and are overcome by his sharp words.
12 With his power he calmed the sea; with his skill/wisdom he destroyed Rahab, the huge sea monster.
By his power the sea was made quiet; and by his wisdom Rahab was wounded.
13 With his breath he caused the sky to be bright/clear; with his hand he killed the great dragon in the sea.
By his wind the heavens become bright: by his hand the quickly moving snake was cut through.
14 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]’”
See, these are only the outskirts of his ways; and how small is that which comes to our ears about him! But the thunder of his acts of power is outside all knowledge.
