Job’s final word to his friends
1And Job continued his discourse:
2‘As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,
the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,
3as long as I have life within me,
the breath of God in my nostrils,
4my lips will not say anything wicked,
and my tongue will not utter lies.
5I will never admit you are in the right;
till I die, I will not deny my integrity.
6I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it;
my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.
7‘May my enemy be like the wicked,
my adversary like the unjust!
8For what hope have the godless when they are cut off,
when God takes away their life?
9Does God listen to their cry
when distress comes upon them?
10Will they find delight in the Almighty?
Will they call on God at all times?
11‘I will teach you about the power of God;
the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal.
12You have all seen this yourselves.
Why then this meaningless talk?
13‘Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:
14However many his children, their fate is the sword;
his offspring will never have enough to eat.
15The plague will bury those who survive him,
and their widows will not weep for them.
16Though he heaps up silver like dust
and clothes like piles of clay,
17what he lays up the righteous will wear,
and the innocent will divide his silver.
18The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon,
like a hut made by a watchman.
19He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
when he opens his eyes, all is gone.
20Terrors overtake him like a flood;
a tempest snatches him away in the night.
21The east wind carries him off, and he is gone;
it sweeps him out of his place.
22It hurls itself against him without mercy
as he flees headlong from its power.
23It claps its hands in derision
and hisses him out of his place.’
1Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,27.1 continued: Heb. added to take up 2As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;27.2 vexed…: Heb. made my soul bitter 3All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;27.3 the spirit…: that is, the breath which God gave him 4My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. 5God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. 6My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.27.6 so long…: Heb. from my days
7Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous. 8For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? 9Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? 10Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
11I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.27.11 by…: or, being in the hand, etc 12Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain? 13This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty. 14If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. 15Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep. 16Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; 17He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. 18He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh. 19The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not. 20Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night. 21The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place. 22For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.27.22 he…: Heb. in fleeing he would flee 23Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.
