Aa
Job Affirms His Righteousness
1Job again took up his discourse and said,
2“As God lives, who has taken away my right,
And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul,
3For as long as Lit breathlife is in me,
And the Or spiritbreath of God is in my nostrils,
4My lips certainly will not speak unjustly,
Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.
5Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
Until I die, I will not Lit remove from megive up my integrity.
6I have kept hold of my righteousness and will not let it go.
My heart does not rebuke any of my days.
The State of the Godless
7“May my enemy be as the wicked,
And Lit one who rises up against memy opponent as the criminal.
8For what is the hope of the godless when he makes an end of life,
When God requires his Or soullife?
9Will God hear his cry
When distress comes upon him?
10Or will he take pleasure in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
11I will instruct you in the Lit handpower of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12Behold, all of you have seen it;
Why then do you talk of nothing?
13“This is the portion of a wicked person from God,
And the inheritance which tyrants receive from the Almighty:
14Though his sons are many, Lit the sword is for themthey are destined for the sword;
And his descendants will not be satisfied with bread.
15His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
And As in ancient versions; Heb histheir widows will not be able to weep.
16Though he piles up silver like dust,
And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,
17He may prepare it, but the righteous will wear it
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18He has built his house like the As in ancient versions; Heb mothspider’s web,
Or a hut which the watchman has made.
19He lies down rich, but never As in ancient versions; Heb will be gatheredagain;
He opens his eyes, and it no longer exists.
20Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A storm steals him away in the night.
21The east wind carries him away, and he is gone;
For it sweeps him away from his place.
22For it will hurl at him without mercy;
He will certainly try to flee from its Lit handpower.
23 People will I.e., mock and ridicule himclap their hands at him,
And will whistle at him from their places.