Job’s Ninth Speech: A Response to Bildad

1 ThenJob answered and said,

2 “How youhave helped one who has no power!

How youhave assisted the arm that has no strength!

3 How youhave advised one who has no wisdom!

And what sound wisdom youhave made known in abundance!

4 With whose helphave youuttered words,

and whose breath has come forth from you?

5 “The spirits of the dead tremble

below the waters and their inhabitants.

6 Sheol is naked before him,

and there is no covering for Abaddon.

7 He stretches out the north over emptiness;

he hangs the earth over nothing.

8 He ties up the water in its clouds,

and the cloud is not torn open beneath it.

9 He covers the face of the full moon;

he spreads his cloud over it.

10 He has described a circleon the face of the water

between light and darkness.

11 “The pillars of heaven tremble,

and they are astounded at his rebuke.

12 By his power he stilled the sea,

and by his understanding he struck down Rahab.

13 By his breath the heavens were made clear;

his hand pierced the fleeing snake.

14 Look, these are the outer fringes of his ways,

and how faint is the wordthat we hear of him!

Butwho can understand the thunder of his power?”