8. Did you overhear the plans God made?Does human wisdom belong to you alone?
9. There is nothing you know that we don't know.
10. We learnt our wisdom from grey-haired people —those born before your father.
11. God offers you comfort; why still reject it?We have spoken for him with calm, even words.
12. But you are excited and glare at us in anger.
13. You are angry with God and denounce him.
14. Can any human being be really pure?Can anyone be right with God?
15. Why, God does not trust even his angels;even they are not pure in his sight.
16. And people drink evil as if it were water;yes, they are corrupt; they are worthless.
17. Now listen, Job, to what I know.
18. Those who are wise have taught me truthswhich they learnt from their ancestors,and they kept no secrets hidden.
19. Their land was free from foreigners;there was no one to lead them away from God.
20. The wicked who oppress otherswill be in torment as long as they live.
21. Voices of terror will scream in their ears,and robbers attack when they think they are safe.
22. They have no hope of escaping from darkness,for somewhere a sword is waiting to kill them,
23. and vultures are waiting to eat their corpses.They know their future is dark;
24. disaster, like a powerful king,is waiting to attack them.