Job 27
1 And Job again took up the word and said,
And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: —
2 By the life of God, who has taken away my right; and of the Ruler of all, who has made my soul bitter;
God liveth! He turned aside my judgment, And the Mighty — He made my soul bitter.
3 (For all my breath is still in me, and the spirit of God is my life; )
For all the while my breath [is] in me, And the spirit of God in my nostrils.
4 Truly, there is no deceit in my lips, and my tongue does not say what is false.
My lips do not speak perverseness, And my tongue doth not utter deceit.
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.
Pollution to me — if I justify you, Till I expire I turn not aside mine integrity from me.
6 I will keep it safe, and will not let it go: my heart has nothing to say against any part of my life.
On my righteousness I have laid hold, And I do not let it go, My heart doth not reproach me while I live.
7 Let my hater be like the evil man, and let him who comes against me be as the sinner.
As the wicked is my enemy, And my withstander as the perverse.
8 For what is the hope of the sinner when he is cut off, when God takes back his soul?
For what [is] the hope of the profane, When He doth cut off? When God doth cast off his soul?
9 Will his cry come to the ears of God when he is in trouble?
His cry doth God hear, When distress cometh on him?
10 Will he take delight in the Ruler of all, and make his prayer to God at all times?
On the Mighty doth he delight himself? Call God at all times?
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.
I shew you by the hand of God, That which [is] with the Mighty I hide not.
12 Truly, you have all seen it yourselves; why then have you become completely foolish?
Lo, ye — all of you — have seen, And why [is] this — ye are altogether vain?
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] the portion of wicked man with God, And the inheritance of terrible ones From the Mighty they receive.
14 If his children are increased, it is for the sword; and his offspring have not enough bread.
If his sons multiply — for them [is] a sword. And his offspring [are] not satisfied [with] bread.
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.
His remnant in death are buried, And his widows do not weep.
16 Though he may get silver together like dust, and make ready great stores of clothing;
If he heap up as dust silver, And as clay prepare clothing,
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.
He prepareth — and the righteous putteth [it] on, And the silver the innocent doth apportion.
18 His house has no more strength than a spider's thread, or a watchman's tent.
He hath built as a moth his house, And as a booth a watchman hath made.
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.
Rich he lieth down, and he is not gathered, His eyes he hath opened, and he is not.
20 Fears overtake him like rushing waters; in the night the storm-wind takes him away.
Overtake him as waters do terrors, By night stolen him away hath a whirlwind.
21 The east wind takes him up and he is gone; he is forced violently out of his place.
Take him up doth an east wind, and he goeth, And it frighteneth him from his place,
22 God sends his arrows against him without mercy; he goes in flight before his hand.
And it casteth at him, and doth not spare, From its hand he diligently fleeth.
23 Men make signs of joy because of him, driving him from his place with sounds of hissing.
It clappeth at him its hands, And it hisseth at him from his place.
