Job 27

1 And Job further continued and said in his parable,

And Job continued taking up his parable, and said,

2 [As] God lives, who has thus judge me; and the Almighty, who has embittered my soul;

As God liveth, who hath removed justice from me; and by the Almighty, who hath embittered my soul:

3 verily, while my breath is yet in [me], and the breath of God which remains to me is in my nostrils,

All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

4 my lips shall not speak evil words, neither shall my soul meditate unrighteous thoughts.

Shall my lips not speak any wrong, nor shall my tongue utter deceit.

5 Far be it from me that I should justify you till I die; for I will not let go my innocence,

Far be it from me that I should justify you; till I depart hence will I not allow [any one] to take my integrity away from me.

6 but keeping fast to [my] righteousness I will by no means let it go: for I am not conscious to myself of having done any thing amiss.

I have laid fast hold on my righteousness, and I will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me [for my conduct] during all my life.

7 Nay rather, but let mine enemies be as the overthrow of the ungodly, and they that rise up against me, as the destruction of transgressors.

Like the wicked is [therefore] my enemy, and he that riseth up against me like a wrong-doer.

8 For what is the hope of the ungodly, that he holds to it? will he indeed trust in the Lord [and] be saved?

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, when he hath gained unjust wealth, when God casteth forth his soul?

9 Will God hear his prayer? or, when distress has come upon him,

Will God hear his cry, when distress cometh upon him?

10 has he any confidence before him? or will [God] hear him as he calls upon him?

Or can he find delight in the Almighty? can he call on God at all times?

11 Yet now I will tell you what is in the hand of the Lord: I will not lie concerning the things which are with the Almighty.

I will instruct you concerning what is in the hand of God: [the way] which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

12 Behold, ye all know that ye are adding vanity to vanity.

Lo! ye yourselves have all beheld it: why is it then that ye deal in such vanities?

13 This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of oppressors shall come upon them from the Almighty.

This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the portion of tyrants, which they shall receive from the Almighty.

14 And if their children be many, they shall be for slaughter: and if they grow up, they shall beg.

If his children be multiplied, it is only for the sword; and his offspring will not be satisfied with bread.

15 And they that survive of him shall utterly perish, and no one shall pity their widows.

Those of his that are left to escape will be buried by death; and his widows will not be able to weep.

16 Even if he should gather silver as earth, and prepare gold as clay;

Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare garments [as plentifully] as the clay:

17 All these things shall the righteous gain, and the truehearted shall possess his wealth.

He may prepare, but the righteous will clothe himself [therewith], and the silver the innocent will divide.

18 And his house is gone like moths, and like a spider's web.

He buildeth his house like the moth, and like a hut that a keeper hath made.

19 The rich man shall lie down, and shall not continue: he has opened his eyes, and he is not.

Rich will he lie down, but will not be gathered [into the grave]: one openeth his eyes, and he is no more.

20 Pains have come upon him as water, and darkness has carried him away by night.

Like a flood will terror overtake him, in the night a tempest will steal him away.

21 And a burning wind shall catch him, and he shall depart, and it shall utterly drive him out of his place.

The east wind will lift him up, and he must be gone; and it hurleth him like a storm out of his place.

22 And [God] shall cast [trouble] upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

And [God] will cast [evil] upon him, and bare no pity: out of his hand [his wealth] will surely escape.

23 He shall cause [men] to clap their hands against them, and shall hiss him out of his place.

Men will clap their hands over him, and will hiss after him out of his place.