"I am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely. My bitter soul must complain.I will say to God, 'Don't simply condemn me -- tell me the charges you are bringing against me.What do you gain by oppressing me?Why do you reject me, the work of your own hands, while smiling on the schemes of the wicked?. . . Although you know I am not guilty, no one can rescue me from your hands.You formed me wit...  Read More

"God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with Him or take Him to trial.If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together.The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of His punishment.Then I could speak to Him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength."Job 9:32-35. These words of Job speak to the deepest needs of h...  Read More

. . . But how can a person be declared innocent in God's sight?If someone wanted to take God to court, would it be possible to answer Him even once in a thousand times?For God is so wise and so mighty.Who has ever challenged Him successfully?Without warning, He moves the mountains, overturning them in His anger.He shakes the earth from its place, and its foundations tremble.If He commands it, the ...  Read More

"Can papyrus reeds grow tall without a marsh?Can marsh grass flourish without water?  While they are still flowering, not ready to be cut, they begin to wither more quickly than grass. The same happens to all who forget God.The hopes of the godless evaporate.Their confidence hangs by a thread.They are leaning on a spider's web.They cling to their home for security, but it won't last. . . The godle...  Read More

Is not all human life a struggle?Our lives are like that of a hired hand; like a worker who longs for the shade,Like a servant waiting to be paid.I, too, have been assigned months of futility, Long and weary nights of misery.Lying in bed, I think, 'When will it be morning?'But the night drags on and I toss till dawn. My body is covered with maggots and scabs.My skin breaks open, oozing with pus. ....  Read More

One should be kind to a fainting friend, but you accuse me without any fear of the Almighty.My brothers, you have proved as unreliable as a seasonal brook. . . when the hot weather arrives, the water disappears. . . The caravans turn aside to be refreshed, but there is nothing to drink, so they die. . . They count on it but are disappointed. . . You, too, have given no help. . . Honest words can b...  Read More