Does not the ear itself test out words as the palate tastes food? (Job 12:11)
Job chapters 12 to 14: Job is indignant: “For a fact you men are the people, And with you wisdom will die out!” (Job 12: 2). He does not allow himself to be destabilized by the false accusations against himself and also against the memory of his ten deceased children: “I too have a heart as well as you. I am not inferior to you, And with whom are there not things like these? One who is a laughingstock to his fellowman I become, One calling to God that he should answer him. A laughingstock is the righteous, unblamable one” (Job 12:3,4).
“And Job proceeded to answer and say:
2 “For a fact YOU men are the people,
And with YOU wisdom will die out!
3 I too have a heart as well as YOU.
I am not inferior to YOU,
And with whom are there not things like these?
4 [One who is] a laughingstock to his fellowman I become,
One calling to God that he should answer him.
A laughingstock is the righteous, unblamable one.
5 In thought, the carefree one has contempt for extinction itself;
It is made ready for those of wobbling feet.
6 The tents of the despoilers are unworried,
And the ones enraging God have the safety
Belonging to one who has brought a god in his hand.
7 However, ask, please, the domestic animals, and they will instruct you;
Also the winged creatures of the heavens, and they will tell you.
8 Or show your concern to the earth, and it will instruct you;
And the fishes of the sea will declare it to you.
9 Who among all these does not well know
That the hand of Jehovah itself has done this,
10 In whose hand is the soul of everyone alive
And the spirit of all flesh of man?
11 Does not the ear itself test out words
As the palate tastes food?
12 Is there not wisdom among the aged
And understanding [in] length of days?
13 With him there are wisdom and mightiness;
He has counsel and understanding.
14 Look! He tears down, that there may be no building up;
He makes it shut to man, that it may not be opened up.
15 Look! He puts a restraint upon the waters and they dry up;
And he sends them, and they change the earth.
16 With him there are strength and practical wisdom;
To him belong the one making a mistake and the one leading astray;
17 He is making counselors go barefoot,
And he makes judges themselves go crazy.
18 The bonds of kings he actually loosens,
And he binds a belt upon their hips.
19 He is making priests walk barefoot,
And permanently seated ones he subverts;
20 He is removing speech from the faithful ones,
And the sensibleness of old men he takes away;
21 He is pouring out contempt upon nobles,
And the girdle of powerful ones he actually weakens;
22 He is uncovering deep things from the darkness,
And he brings forth to the light deep shadow;
23 Making the nations grow great, that he may destroy them;
Spreading out the nations, that he may lead them away;
24 Taking away the heart of the head ones of the people of the land,
That he may make them wander about in an empty place, where there is no way.
25 They grope in darkness, where there is no light,
That he may make them wander about like a drunken man.
13 “Look! All this my eye has seen,
My ear has heard and considers it.
2 What YOU men know I myself well know also;
I am not inferior to YOU.
3 However, I, for my part, would speak to the Almighty himself,
And in arguing with God I would find delight.
4 On the other hand, YOU men are smearers of falsehood;
All of YOU are physicians of no value.
5 If only YOU would absolutely keep silent,
That it might prove to be wisdom on YOUR part!
6 Hear, please, my counterarguments,
And to the pleadings of my lips pay attention.
7 Will YOU men speak unrighteousness for God himself,
And for him will YOU speak deceit?
8 Will YOU be treating him with partiality,
Or for the [true] God will YOU contend at law?
9 Would it be good that he sound YOU out?
Or as one trifles with mortal man will YOU trifle with him?
10 He will positively reprove YOU
If in secrecy YOU try to show partiality;
11 Will not his very dignity make YOU start up with fright,
And the very dread of him fall upon YOU?
12 YOUR memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes;
YOUR shield bosses are as shield bosses of clay.
13 KEEP silent before me, that I myself may speak.
Then let come upon me whatever it may be!
14 Why do I carry my flesh in my teeth
And place my own soul in my palm?
15 Even if he would slay me, would I not wait?
I would only argue to his face for my own ways.
16 He would also be my salvation,
For before him no apostate will come in.
17 HEAR my word clear through,
And let my declaration be in YOUR ears.
18 Look! Please, I have presented a case of justice;
I well know that I myself am in the right.
19 Who is the one that will contend with me?
For now were I to become silent I should simply expire!
20 Only two things do not do to me;
In that case I shall not conceal myself just on your account;
21 Put your own hand far away from upon me,
And the fright of you — may it not terrify me.
22 Either call that I myself may answer;
Or may I speak, and you return me answer.
23 In what way do I have errors and sins?
Make me to know my own revolt and my own sin.
24 Why do you conceal your very face
And regard me as an enemy of yours?
25 Will you make a mere leaf driven about quiver,
Or keep chasing after mere dry stubble?
26 For you keep writing against me bitter things
And you make me possess [the consequences of] the errors of my youth.
27 You also keep my feet put in the stocks,
And you watch all my paths;
For the soles of my feet you mark your own line.
28 And he is like something rotten that wears out;
Like a garment that a moth actually eats up.
14 “Man, born of woman,
Is short-lived and glutted with agitation.
2 Like a blossom he has come forth and is cut off,
And he runs away like the shadow and does not keep existing.
3 Yes, upon this one you have opened your eye,
And me you bring into judgment with you.
4 Who can produce someone clean out of someone unclean?
There is not one.
5 If his days are decided,
The number of his months is with you;
A decree for him you have made that he may not go beyond.
6 Turn your gaze from upon him that he may have rest,
Until he finds pleasure as a hired laborer does in his day.
7 For there exists hope for even a tree.
If it gets cut down, it will even sprout again,
And its own twig will not cease to be.
8 If its root grows old in the earth
And in the dust its stump dies,
9 At the scent of water it will sprout
And it will certainly produce a bough like a new plant.
10 But an able-bodied man dies and lies vanquished;
And an earthling man expires, and where is he?
11 Waters do disappear from a sea,
And a river itself drains off and dries up.
12 Man also has to lie down and does not get up.
Until heaven is no more they will not wake up,
Nor will they be aroused from their sleep.
13 O that in Sheʹol you would conceal me,
That you would keep me secret until your anger turns back,
That you would set a time limit for me and remember me!
14 If an able-bodied man dies can he live again?
All the days of my compulsory service I shall wait,
Until my relief comes.
15 You will call, and I myself shall answer you.
For the work of your hands you will have a yearning.
16 For now you keep counting my very steps;
You watch for nothing but my sin.
17 Sealed up in a bag is my revolt,
And you apply glue over my error.
18 However, a mountain itself, falling, will fade away,
And even a rock will be moved away from its place.
19 Water certainly rubs away even stones;
Its outpouring washes off earth’s dust.
So you have destroyed the very hope of mortal man.
20 You overpower him forever so that he goes away;
You are disfiguring his face so that you send him away.
21 His sons get honored, but he does not know [it];
And they become insignificant, but he does not consider them.
22 Only his own flesh while upon him will keep aching,
And his own soul while within him will keep mourning”” (Job chapter 12 to 14).
Why did God allow suffering and wickedness?
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