Job 11

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 Are all these words to go unanswered? and is a man seen to be right because he is full of talk?

He that speaks much, should also hear on the other side: or does the fluent speaker think himself to be righteous? blessed [is] the short lived offspring of woman.

3 Are your words of pride to make men keep quiet? and are you to make sport, with no one to put you to shame?

Be not a speaker of many words; for is there none to answer you?

4 You may say, My way is clean, and I am free from sin in your eyes.

For say not, I am pure in my works, and blameless before him.

5 But if only God would take up the word, opening his lips in argument with you;

But oh that the Lord would speak to you, and open his lips to you!

6 And would make clear to you the secrets of wisdom, and the wonders of his purpose!

Then shall he declare to you the power of wisdom; for it shall be double of that which is with you: and then shall you know, that a just recompence of your sins has come to you from the Lord.

7 Are you able to take God's measure, to make discovery of the limits of the Ruler of all?

Will you find out the traces of the Lord? or have you come to the end [of that] which the Almighty has made?

8 They are higher than heaven; what is there for you to do? deeper than the underworld, and outside your knowledge; (Sheol h7585)

Heaven [is] high; and what will you do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what do you know? (Sheol h7585)

9 Longer in measure than the earth, and wider than the sea.

Or longer than the measure of the earth, or the breadth of the sea.

10 If he goes on his way, shutting a man up and putting him to death, who may make him go back from his purpose?

And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What have you done?

11 For in his eyes men are as nothing; he sees evil and takes note of it.

For he knows the works of transgressors; and when he sees wickedness, he will not overlook [it].

12 And so a hollow-minded man will get wisdom, when a young ass of the field gets teaching.

But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman [is] like an ass in the desert.

13 But if you put your heart right, stretching out your hands to him;

For if you have made your heart pure, and lift up [your] hands towards him;

14 If you put far away the evil of your hands, and let no wrongdoing have a place in your tent;

if there is any iniquity in your hands, put if far from you, and let not unrighteousness lodge in your habitation.

15 Then truly your face will be lifted up, with no mark of sin, and you will be fixed in your place without fear:

For thus shall your countenance shine again, as pure water; and you shall dive yourself of uncleanness, and shall not fear.

16 For your sorrow will go from your memory, like waters flowing away:

And you shall forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and you shall not be scared.

17 And your life will be brighter than day; though it is dark, it will become like the morning.

And your prayer [shall be] as the morning star, and life shall arise to you [as] from the noonday.

18 And you will be safe because there is hope; after looking round, you will take your rest in quiet;

And you shall be confident, because you have hope; and peace shall dawn to you from out of anxiety and care.

19 Sleeping with no fear of danger; and men will be desiring to have grace in your eyes;

For you shall be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against you; and many shall charge, and make supplication to you.

20 But the eyes of the evil-doers will be wasting away; their way of flight is gone, and their only hope is the taking of their last breath.

But safety shall fail them; for their hope is destruction, and the eyes of the ungodly shall waste away.