Job 27

1 Job continued his discourse:

Job began to speak again.

2 “As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice— the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—

“I promise you—as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,

3 as long as my breath is still within me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils,

for as long as I have life, while the breath of God remains in my nostrils—

4 my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit.

my lips will never speak lies, my tongue will never be dishonest.

5 I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die.

I will never agree that you are right; I will insist on my innocence until the day I die.

6 I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.

I'm convinced I'm right and will never give up believing this; my conscience will not condemn me as long as I live.

7 May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust.

May my enemy become like the wicked; may those who oppose me become like those who do evil.

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

For what hope do those who reject God have when he cuts them down, when God brings their lives to an end?

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

When times of trouble come to them, will God hear their cry for help?

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

Do they have a good relationship with the Almighty? Can they call on God at any time?

11 I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.

Let me explain God's power to you. I will not keep anything back that the Almighty has planned.

12 Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?

If all of you have recognized this, why do you talk such vain nonsense?

13 This is the wicked man’s portion from God— the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

This is what God provides as the destiny for the wicked, this is the inheritance that the ruthless will receive from the Almighty—

14 Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.

even if they have many children, they will experience violent deaths or die of starvation.

15 His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.

Those who survive will die from disease, and even their widows will not mourn for them.

16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,

Even though they pile up silver like dust, and clothes like heaps of clay,

17 what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

those who do good will wear the clothes and the innocent will divide the silver among them.

18 The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut set up by a watchman.

They build their houses like a moth; like some flimsy shelter made by a watchman.

19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone.

They go to bed rich, but never again! For when they wake up, it's all gone.

20 Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest sweeps him away in the night.

Waves of panic flood over them; in the night a whirlwind snatches them away.

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

The east wind picks them up and they're gone, carried away from where they were.

22 It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.

The wind blows at them with full force; they try desperately to escape.

23 It claps its hands at him and hisses him out of his place.

People clap their hands at them and hiss at them wherever they are.