Job’s Reply
1Job replied,
2“Listen carefully to what I’m saying.
Let that be the comfort you people give me.
3Put up with me while I speak.
After I’ve spoken, you can make fun of me!
4“I’m not arguing with mere human beings.
So why shouldn’t I be angry and uneasy?
5Look at me and be shocked.
Put your hand over your mouth and stop talking!
6When I think about these things, I’m terrified.
My whole body trembles.
7Why do sinful people keep on living?
The older they grow, the richer they get.
8They see their children grow up around them.
They watch their family grow larger.
9Their homes are safe.
They don’t have to be afraid.
God isn’t punishing them.
10Every time their bulls mate, their cows become pregnant.
And the calves don’t die before they are born.
11Sinful people send their children out like a flock of lambs.
Their little ones dance around.
12They sing to the music of tambourines and lyres.
They have a good time while flutes are being played.
13Those who are evil spend their years living well.
They go down to their graves in peace.
14But they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
We don’t want to know how you want us to live.
15Who is the Mighty One? Why should we serve him?
What would we get if we prayed to him?’
16But they aren’t in control of their own success.
So I don’t pay any attention to their plans.
17“How often are their lamps blown out?
How often does trouble come on them?
How often does God punish them when he’s angry?
18How often are they like straw blowing in the wind?
How often are they like tumbleweeds swept away by a storm?
19People say, ‘God stores up the punishment of evil people for their children.’
But let God punish the evil people themselves.
Then they’ll learn a lesson from it.
20Let their own eyes see how they are destroyed.
Let them drink the wine of the Mighty One’s anger.
21What do they care about the families they leave behind?
What do they care about them
when their lives come to an end?
22“Can anyone teach God anything?
After all, he judges even the angels in heaven.
23Some people die while they are still very strong.
They are completely secure. They have an easy life.
24They are well fed.
Their bodies are healthy.
25Others die while their spirits are bitter.
They’ve never enjoyed anything good.
26Side by side they lie in the dust of death.
The worms in their graves cover all of them.
27“I know exactly what you people are thinking.
I know you are planning to do bad things to me.
28You are saying to yourselves,
‘Where is the great man’s house now?
Where are the tents where his evil family lived?’
29Haven’t you ever asked questions of those who travel?
Haven’t you paid any attention to their stories?
30They’ll tell you that sinful people
are spared from the day of trouble.
They’ll say that those people
are saved from the day when God will judge.
31Who speaks against them for the way they act?
Who pays them back for what they’ve done?
32Their bodies will be carried to their graves.
Guards will watch over their tombs.
33The soil in the valley will be pleasant
to those who have died.
Many people will walk along behind their bodies.
Many others will walk in front of them.
34“So how can you comfort me with your speeches?
They don’t make any sense at all.
Your answers are nothing but lies!”
Nagsalita si Job
1Sumagot si Job, 2“Pakinggan ninyo akong mabuti upang mapasaya rin ninyo ako. 3Makinig kayo habang nagsasalita ako at kapag akoʼy tapos na, tuyain ninyo ako kung gusto ninyo.
4“Ang hinaing koʼy hindi laban sa tao kundi sa Dios. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit maikli ang pasensya ko. 5Tingnan ninyo ako. Sa nakita ninyo sa akin makakapagsalita pa ba kayo? 6Kung iisipin ko ang mga nangyayari sa akin, manginginig ako sa takot.
7“Bakit patuloy na nabubuhay ang mga masama? Tumatanda sila at nagiging maunlad. 8Nakikita nila ang paglaki ng kanilang mga anak at apo. 9Namumuhay sila sa kanilang tahanan na ligtas sa panganib at walang kinatatakutan. Hindi sila pinaparusahan ng Dios. 10Walang tigil ang panganganak ng kanilang mga baka at hindi ito nakukunan. 11Marami silang anak, parang kawan ng tupa sa dami.21:11 Marami … sa dami: o, Pinaglalaro nila ang kanilang mga anak tulad ng mga tupa. Nagsasayawan sila, 12nag-aawitan, at nagkakatuwaan sa tugtog ng tamburin, alpa at plauta. 13Namumuhay sila sa kasaganaan at payapang namamatay. 14Pero sinasabi nila sa Dios, ‘Pabayaan mo kami! Ayaw naming malaman ang iyong mga pamamaraan. 15Sino kang Makapangyarihan na dapat naming paglingkuran? At ano ba ang mapapala namin kung mananalangin kami sa iyo?’ 16Pero ang totoo, ang pag-unlad nilaʼy hindi galing sa sarili nilang pagsisikap. Kaya anuman ang ipapayo ng masasamang taong ito ay hindi ko tatanggapin.
17“Pero madalang ang taong masasama na namamatay. Bihirang dumating sa kanila ang kahirapan o parusang ipinapadala ng Dios dahil sa kanyang galit. 18Bihira nilang maranasan ang mapalayas tulad ng ipa na tinatangay ng malakas na hangin. 19Sinasabi ninyo na kapag hindi sila parurusahan ng Dios ang mga anak nila ang parurusahan. Pero sa ganang akin, ang nagkasala ang siyang dapat parusahan ng Dios para maranasan nila 20at makita ang kanilang kapahamakan. Matikman sana nila ang galit ng Makapangyarihang Dios. 21Kapag patay na sila, hindi na nila malalaman ang mga nangyayari sa kanilang sambahayan.
22“Matuturuan ba ng tao ang Dios, na siya ngang pinakamataas na hukom? 23May mga taong namamatay sa gitna ng kasaganaan at panatag na kalagayan, 24at malusog na pangangatawan. 25May mga tao ring namamatay sa kahirapan, at hindi nakaranas ng kahit kaunting kaginhawahan sa buhay. 26Pero pareho rin silang ililibing sa lupa at kakainin ng mga uod.
27“Alam ko kung ano ang nasa isip ninyo. Alam ko kung ano ang binabalak ninyo laban sa akin. 28Sasabihin ninyo sa akin ang tungkol sa mga taong mayaman na nawasak ang tahanan dahil sa kanilang kasamaan. 29Pero tanungin mo ang mga dumadaan at pakinggan ang sinasabi nila. Sapagkat sasabihin nila sa inyo na 30palaging naliligtas ang masasamang tao sa araw ng pagpaparusa ng Dios. 31Walang hayagang sumasaway sa taong masama. Walang gumaganti sa masama niyang ginawa. 32-33At kapag namatay siya at inihatid sa kanyang huling hantungan, marami ang nakikipaglibing. Tinatanggap ng lupa ang katawan niya at binibigyan ng kapahingahan. Binabantayan pa ang kanyang libingan.
34“Kaya paano ninyo ako maaaliw sa pamamagitan ng mga salita ninyong walang kabuluhan? Ang mga sinasabi ninyoʼy walang katotohanan!”
