< Job 26 >
1 Job replied [to Bildad], saying this [sarcastically]:
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]
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]
4 Who helped you to say all those [great/wise] things? Who inspired you to speak like you did?”
5 “[Because] the spirits of dead people [are afraid], [they] tremble in the waters that are deep under the earth.
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 )
7 God stretched out the earth over the huge empty space and caused the earth to have nothing [to support it].
8 He fills the thick/dense clouds with water and prevents that water from bursting the clouds.
9 He causes clouds to (obscure/prevent us from seeing) the moon.
10 He separated the light from the darkness and put the horizon to mark the place where the night ends and the daytime begins.
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.
12 With his power he calmed the sea; with his skill/wisdom he destroyed Rahab, the huge sea monster.
13 With his breath he caused the sky to be bright/clear; with his hand he killed the great dragon in the sea.
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]’”
