Study Desk

"The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

"Behold, I belong to God, like you; I too have been formed out of the clay.

"Behold, let me respond to you, you are not right in this, For God is greater than mankind.

"Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it.

Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him, So that he may see His face with joy, And He will restore His righteousness to that person.

"Behold, God does all these things for a man two or three times,

"For Job has said, 'I am righteous, But God has taken away my right;

"For he has said, 'It is of no use to a man When he becomes friends with God.'

"Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, And from the Almighty to do wrong.

"God certainly will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

"For He does not need to consider a person further, That he should go before God in judgment.

"For has anyone said to God, 'I have endured punishment; I will not offend anymore;

"Shall God repay on your terms, because you have rejected His? For you must choose, and not I; Therefore declare what you know.

'For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.'"

"But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night,

"God certainly will not listen to an empty cry, Nor will the Almighty regard it.

"Behold, God is mighty but does not reject anyone; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

"Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him?

"Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; The number of His years is unsearchable.

"God thunders wondrously with His voice, Doing great things which we do not comprehend.