Job 11

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —

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

Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?

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

Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

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

And thou sayest, 'Pure [is] my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.'

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

And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

6 and 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.

And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, [Some] of thine iniquity.

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

By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

8 They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know? (Sheol h7585)

Heights of the heavens! — what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! — what knowest thou? (Sheol h7585)

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

Longer than earth [is] its measure, And broader than the sea.

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

If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?

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

For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider [it]!

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

And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

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

If thou — thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

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

If iniquity [is] in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.

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

For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

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

For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

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

And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest — as the morning thou art.

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

And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched — in confidence thou liest down,

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

And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

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

And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!