Do you really think that one who hates justice can govern? And will you declare guilty the supremely righteous One,

Therefore, he knows their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.

For he adds transgression to his sin; in our midst he claps his hands, and multiplies his words against God.”

The godless at heart nourish anger, they do not cry out even when he binds them.

He delivers the afflicted by their afflictions, he reveals himself to them by their suffering.

Get ready for a difficult task like a man; I will question you and you will inform me!

to satisfy a devastated and desolate land, and to cause it to sprout with vegetation?

Do you count the months they must fulfill, and do you know the time they give birth?

Can you count on it to bring in your grain, and gather the grain to your threshing floor?

It paws the ground in the valley, exulting mightily, it goes out to meet the weapons.

“Get ready for a difficult task like a man. I will question you and you will inform me!

While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”

After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.

I am a laughingstock to my friends, I, who called on God and whom he answered – a righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock!

“But there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.

You may say, ‘God stores up a man’s punishment for his children!’ Instead let him repay the man himself so that he may know it!

The womb forgets him, the worm feasts on him, no longer will he be remembered. Like a tree, wickedness will be broken down.

He entreats God, and God delights in him, he sees God’s face with rejoicing, and God restores to him his righteousness.

He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the potentates.

Does God listen to his cry when distress overtakes him?