Job 27

1 And Job again took up the word and said,

Job began to speak again.

2 By the life of God, who has taken away my right; and of the Ruler of all, who has made my soul bitter;

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

3 (For all my breath is still in me, and the spirit of God is my life; )

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

4 Truly, there is no deceit in my lips, and my tongue does not say what is false.

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

5 Let it be far from me! I will certainly not say that you are right! I will come to death before I give up my righteousness.

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

6 I will keep it safe, and will not let it go: my heart has nothing to say against any part of my life.

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 Let my hater be like the evil man, and let him who comes against me be as the sinner.

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 sinner when he is cut off, when God takes back his soul?

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

9 Will his cry come to the ears of God when he is in trouble?

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

10 Will he take delight in the Ruler of all, and make his prayer to God at all times?

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

11 I will give you teaching about the hand of God; I will not keep secret from you what is in the mind of the Ruler of all.

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

12 Truly, you have all seen it yourselves; why then have you become completely foolish?

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

13 This is the punishment of the evil-doer from God, and the heritage given to the cruel by the Ruler of all.

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

14 If his children are increased, it is for the sword; and his offspring have not enough bread.

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

15 When those of his house who are still living come to their end by disease, they are not put into the earth, and their widows are not weeping for them.

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

16 Though he may get silver together like dust, and make ready great stores of clothing;

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

17 He may get them ready, but the upright will put them on, and he who is free from sin will take the silver for a heritage.

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

18 His house has no more strength than a spider's thread, or a watchman's tent.

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

19 He goes to rest full of wealth, but does so for the last time: on opening his eyes, he sees it there no longer.

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

20 Fears overtake him like rushing waters; in the night the storm-wind takes him away.

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

21 The east wind takes him up and he is gone; he is forced violently out of his place.

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

22 God sends his arrows against him without mercy; he goes in flight before his hand.

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

23 Men make signs of joy because of him, driving him from his place with sounds of hissing.

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