Then Job’s second friend started to talk to Job. He said, You must have done something wrong
because
God doesn’t let bad things happen unless we do something wrong, like following the bad ones. God
can’t do anything bad.
If your kids did a bad thing, then pray for them
to the only One who has all the power.
If you hadn’t done a bad thing, God would wake up and help you and make things really good for
you at your house. He would make you very great.
Listen to our fathers who lived a long time ago. We haven’t been here very many days in this
world at all.
The path of the ones who forget God is cut off very fast.
What they trust in is as weak as a spider’s web.
God will not let bad happen to those who follow Him and He won’t help the bad ones at
all.
He will fill your mouth with laughing
and your heart with singing.
Everyone who hates you will be embarrassed and be nothing.
Job answered his second friend and said, I know what you say is true but how can man be right
with God? He is so big and so great.
He knows everything and has all the power.
If we turn away from Him, it will not be good for us.
He moves the mountains and flips them over when He is angry.
He can shake the whole world.
He tells the sun and stars what to do.
He spreads out the heavens
and walks on the waves of the sea.
He makes pictures with the stars and leads them all perfectly across the sky in the
heavens.
We can’t count all the great things He does. Who can stop Him from doing what He wants? Who can
ask Him, what do you think you’re doing?
I am too small and know too little to answer Him, but I know this: He destroys the good and the
bad.
My days run away so fast and nothing good happens in them. There is no one to answer me and
settle this trouble.
I am so tired of my life. I will talk to God and ask Him why this happened. I will say, You know,
God, that I am not following the bad one or doing bad things.
Your hands made me, and now you destroy me?
You were so good to me and Your being with me kept me alive. I know it.
I am so confused. I don’t understand. Now You hunt me like a lion. Why did you even make me at
all?
I wish I were dead, that I’d never even been made.
Stop all this trouble; leave me alone. Let me have a little comfort and quiet before I
die.