Job 27

1 Job again took up his parable, and said,

And Job continued taking up his parable, and said,

2 “As God lives, who has taken away my right, the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter

As God liveth, who hath removed justice from me; and by the Almighty, who hath embittered my soul:

3 (for the length of my life is still in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils);

All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

4 surely my lips will not speak unrighteousness, neither will my tongue utter deceit.

Shall my lips not speak any wrong, nor shall my tongue utter deceit.

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

Far be it from me that I should justify you; till I depart hence will I not allow [any one] to take my integrity away from me.

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

I have laid fast hold on my righteousness, and I will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me [for my conduct] during all my life.

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

Like the wicked is [therefore] my enemy, and he that riseth up against me like a wrong-doer.

8 For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, when he hath gained unjust wealth, when God casteth forth his soul?

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

Will God hear his cry, when distress cometh upon him?

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

Or can he find delight in the Almighty? can he call on God at all times?

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

I will instruct you concerning what is in the hand of God: [the way] which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

12 Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves; why then have you become altogether vain?

Lo! ye yourselves have all beheld it: why is it then that ye deal in such vanities?

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

This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the portion of tyrants, which they shall receive from the Almighty.

14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword. His offspring will not be satisfied with bread.

If his children be multiplied, it is only for the sword; and his offspring will not be satisfied with bread.

15 Those who remain of him will be buried in death. His widows will make no lamentation.

Those of his that are left to escape will be buried by death; and his widows will not be able to weep.

16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare clothing as the clay;

Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare garments [as plentifully] as the clay:

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

He may prepare, but the righteous will clothe himself [therewith], and the silver the innocent will divide.

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

He buildeth his house like the moth, and like a hut that a keeper hath made.

19 He lies down rich, but he will not do so again. He opens his eyes, and he is not.

Rich will he lie down, but will not be gathered [into the grave]: one openeth his eyes, and he is no more.

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

Like a flood will terror overtake him, in the night a tempest will steal him away.

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

The east wind will lift him up, and he must be gone; and it hurleth him like a storm out of his place.

22 For it hurls at him, and does not spare, as he flees away from his hand.

And [God] will cast [evil] upon him, and bare no pity: out of his hand [his wealth] will surely escape.

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

Men will clap their hands over him, and will hiss after him out of his place.