Job 11

1 Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

But Zophar the Naamathite, responding, said:

2 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.

Will he who speaks much, not also listen? Or will a talkative man be justified?

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

Will men be silent only for you? And when you have mocked others, will no one refute you?

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

For you said: “My word is pure, and I am clean in your sight.”

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

Yet I wish that God would speak with you, and would open his lips to you,

6 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.

so that he might reveal to you the secrets of wisdom, and how intricate his law is, and that you would understand how much less he requires of you than your iniquity deserves.

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

By chance, will you comprehend the footsteps of God and reach all the way to the perfection of the Almighty?

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

He is higher than heaven, and what will you do? He is deeper than hell, but how will you know? (Sheol h7585)

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

His measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

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

If he overturns all things, or packs them together, who will contradict him?

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

For he knows the vanity of men, and when he sees iniquity, does he not evaluate it?

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

A vain man is lifted up in arrogance, and he thinks that he is born free like a wild ass’s colt.

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

But you have fortified your heart and extended your hands to him.

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

If you would send away from you the iniquity that is in your hand, and not let injustice remain in your tabernacle,

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

then you would be able to lift up your face without blemish, and you would be steadfast and unafraid.

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

Misery, likewise, you would forget, or would remember only like waters that have passed by.

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

And brightness, like that of midday, will rise upon you until evening, and when you would think yourself consumed, you will rise up like the morning star.

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

And, when hope has been set before you, you will have faith, and, when buried, you will sleep secure.

19 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.

You will rest, and there will be nothing to make you afraid, and many will make requests before your face.

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

But the eyes of the impious will fade away, and the path to escape will perish before them, for the abomination of the soul is their hope.