Job 27

1 Job continued his discourse:

Job resumed speaking and he said,

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

“As surely as God lives, who has taken away my justice, the Almighty, who made my life bitter,

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

while my life is yet in me, and the breath from God is in my nostrils, this is what I will do.

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

My lips will not speak wickedness, neither will my tongue speak deceit;

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

I will never admit that you three are right; until I die I will never deny my integrity.

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

I hold fast to my righteousness and will not let it go; my thoughts will not reproach me so long as I live.

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

Let my enemy be like a wicked man; let him who rises up against me be like an unrighteous man.

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 a godless man when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life?

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

Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?

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

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

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

I will teach you concerning the hand of God; I will not conceal the thoughts of the Almighty.

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

See, all of you have seen this yourselves; why then have you spoken all this nonsense?

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

This is the portion of a wicked man with God, the heritage of the oppressor that he receives from the Almighty:

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

If his children multiply, it is for the sword; his offspring will never have enough food.

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

Those who survive him will be buried by plague, and their widows will make no lament for them.

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

Though the wicked man heaps up silver like the dust, and heaps up clothing like clay,

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

he may heap up clothing, but righteous people will put it on, and innocent people will divide up the silver among themselves.

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

He builds his house like a spider, like a hut that a guard makes.

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

He lies down in bed rich, but he will not keep doing so; he opens his eyes, and everything is gone.

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

Terrors overtake him like waters; a storm takes him away in the night.

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

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

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

It throws itself at him and does not stop; he tries to flee out of its hand.

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

It claps its hands at him in mockery; it hisses him out of his place.