Job 11-14

1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

2“Should this stream of words go unanswered and such a speaker be vindicated?

3Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?

4You have said, ‘My doctrine is sound, and I am pure in Your sight.’

5But if only God would speak and open His lips against you,

6and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.

7Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

8They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

9Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

10If He comes along to imprison you, or convenes a court, who can stop Him?

11Surely He knows the deceit of men. If He sees iniquity, does He not take note?

12But a witless man can no more become wise than the colt of a wild donkey can be born a man!

13As for you, if you direct your heart and lift up your hands to Him,

14if you put away the iniquity in your hand, and allow no injustice to dwell in your tents,

15then indeed you will lift up your face without blemish; you will stand firm and unafraid.

16For you will forget your misery, recalling it only as waters gone by.

17Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.

18You will be secure, because there is hope, and you will look around and lie down in safety.

19You will lie down without fear, and many will court your favor.

20But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; they will hope for their last breath.”

1Then Job answered:

2“Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!

3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?

4I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.

5The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.

7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.

8Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.

9Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.

11Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?

12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.

13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.

14What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.

15If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.

16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.

18He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.

19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.

20He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.

21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.

22He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.

23He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.

24He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.

25They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.

1“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.

2What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

3Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.

4You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.

5If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!

6Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.

7Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?

8Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?

9Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him as you would deceive a man?

10Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.

11Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?

12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.

13Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.

14Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands?

15Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.

16Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.

17Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.

18See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.

19Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.

20Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:

21Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.

22Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.

23How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.

24Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?

25Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?

26For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.

27You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet.

28So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.

1“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.

2Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.

3Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?

4Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!

5Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,

6look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.

7For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.

8If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,

9at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.

10But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?

11As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,

12so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.

13If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!

14When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.

15You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.

16For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.

17My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.

18But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,

19as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.

20You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.

21If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware.

22He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”