Job 27

1 And Job again took up his discourse, and said,

And Job again took up the word and said,

2 As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty, who has vexed my soul.

By the life of God, who has taken away my right; and of the Ruler of all, who has made my soul bitter;

3 (For my life is yet whole in me. And the spirit of God is in my nostrils.)

(For all my breath is still in me, and the spirit of God is my life; )

4 Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, nor shall my tongue utter deceit.

Truly, there is no deceit in my lips, and my tongue does not say what is false.

5 Far be it from me that I should justify you. Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

Let it be far from me! I will certainly not say that you are right! I will come to death before I give up my righteousness.

6 I hold fast my righteousness, and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

I will keep it safe, and will not let it go: my heart has nothing to say against any part of my life.

7 Let my enemy be as the wicked, and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.

Let my hater be like the evil man, and let him who comes against me be as the sinner.

8 For what is the hope of the profane, though he gets him gain, when God takes away his soul?

For what is the hope of the sinner when he is cut off, when God takes back his soul?

9 Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?

Will his cry come to the ears of God when he is in trouble?

10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty, and call upon God at all times?

Will he take delight in the Ruler of all, and make his prayer to God at all times?

11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God. That which is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

I will give you teaching about the hand of God; I will not keep secret from you what is in the mind of the Ruler of all.

12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it. Why then have ye become altogether vain?

Truly, you have all seen it yourselves; why then have you become completely foolish?

13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty.

This is the punishment of the evil-doer from God, and the heritage given to the cruel by the Ruler of all.

14 If his sons be multiplied, it is for the sword. And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

If his children are increased, it is for the sword; and his offspring have not enough bread.

15 Those who remain of him shall be buried in death, and his widows shall make no lamentation.

When those of his house who are still living come to their end by disease, they are not put into the earth, and their widows are not weeping for them.

16 Though he heaps up silver as the dust, and prepares raiment as the clay,

Though he may get silver together like dust, and make ready great stores of clothing;

17 he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

He may get them ready, but the upright will put them on, and he who is free from sin will take the silver for a heritage.

18 He builds his house as the moth, and as a booth which the keeper makes.

His house has no more strength than a spider's thread, or a watchman's tent.

19 He lies down rich, but he shall not be gathered to his fathers. He opens his eyes, and he is not.

He goes to rest full of wealth, but does so for the last time: on opening his eyes, he sees it there no longer.

20 Terrors overtake him like waters. A tempest steals him away in the night.

Fears overtake him like rushing waters; in the night the storm-wind takes him away.

21 The east wind carries him away, and he departs, and it sweeps him out of his place.

The east wind takes him up and he is gone; he is forced violently out of his place.

22 For God shall hurl at him, and not spare. He would gladly flee out of his hand.

God sends his arrows against him without mercy; he goes in flight before his hand.

23 Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

Men make signs of joy because of him, driving him from his place with sounds of hissing.