Job 26
1 Job replied [to Bildad], saying this [sarcastically]:
Then responded Job, 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 hast thou given help to one of no-strength? given victory to an arm of no-power?
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 hast thou given counsel to one of no-wisdom? or, effective wisdom, abundantly made known?
4 Who helped you to say all those [great/wise] things? Who inspired you to speak like you did?”
Whom hast thou taught speech? Whose inspiration hath come from thee?
5 “[Because] the spirits of dead people [are afraid], [they] tremble in the waters that are deep under the earth.
The shades, tremble, beneath the waters and their inhabitants;
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)
Naked is hades before him, and there is no covering to destruction; (Sheol h7585)
7 God stretched out the earth over the huge empty space and caused the earth to have nothing [to support it].
Who stretcheth out the north over emptiness, hangeth the earth upon nothingness;
8 He fills the thick/dense clouds with water and prevents that water from bursting the clouds.
Who bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent beneath them;
9 He causes clouds to (obscure/prevent us from seeing) the moon.
Who shutteth-in the face of the throne, he spreadeth over it his cloud;
10 He separated the light from the darkness and put the horizon to mark the place where the night ends and the daytime begins.
A, boundary, hath he encircled on the face of the waters, as far as where light ends in darkness;
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 the heavens, are shaken, and are terrified at his rebuke:
12 With his power he calmed the sea; with his skill/wisdom he destroyed Rahab, the huge sea monster.
By his strength, hath he excited the sea, and, by his skill, hath he shattered the Crocodile:
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 spirit, hath he arched the heavens, His hand hath pierced the fleeing serpent.
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]’”
Lo! these, are the fringes of his way, and what a whisper of a word hath been heard of him! But, the thunder of his might, who could understand?
