< Job 27 >

1 Job also added to this, using figures of speech, and he said:
And Job again took up his measure, and said: —
2 As God lives, who has taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who has led my soul to bitterness,
As GOD liveth who hath taken away my right, even the Almighty, who hath embittered my soul;
3 as long as my breath remains in me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils,
All the while my inspiration is in me, and the spirit of GOD is in my nostrils,
4 my lips will not speak iniquity, nor will my tongue devise lies.
Verily my lips shall not speak perversity, nor shall, my tongue, utter deceit.
5 Far be it from me that I should judge you to be right, for, until I expire, I will not withdraw from my innocence.
Far be it from me! that I should justify, you, —Even until I breathe my last, will I not let go mine integrity from me:
6 I will not forsake my justification, which I have just begun to grasp, for my heart does not find blame for me in my whole life.
On my righteousness, have I taken fast hold, and will not give it up, My heart shall not reproach any of my days.
7 Let the impious be as my enemy, and the sinful, as my adversary.
Let mine enemy be a veritably lawless one! And, he that lifteth himself up against me, one veritably perverse!
8 For what hope is there for the hypocrite, if he greedily plunders and God does not free his soul?
For what shall be the hope of the impious, though he graspeth with greed, when GOD shall draw forth his soul?
9 Will God pay attention to his cry, when anguish overcomes him?
His outcry, will GOD hear, when there cometh upon him distress?
10 Or will he take delight in the Almighty and call upon God at all times?
Verily, in the Almighty, he will not find delight, nor call on GOD continually!
11 I will teach you through the hand of God, what the Almighty holds, and I will not conceal it.
I would teach you, by the hand of GOD, That which is with the Almighty, will I not conceal.
12 Behold, you know all this, and so why do you speak vain things without a reason?
Lo! ye, have, all of you, seen, Wherefore, then, is it, that ye are utterly without purpose?
13 This is the portion of the impious man with God, and the inheritance of the violent, which they will receive from the Almighty.
This, is the portion of a lawless man with GOD, That, the heritage of tyrants—from the Almighty, he shall receive.
14 If his sons should happen to increase, they will be for the sword, and his grandsons will not be satisfied with bread.
If his children be multiplied, for them, [there is] the sword, and, his offspring, shall not be filled with bread;
15 Whatever will remain of him will be buried in the ruins, and his widows will not weep.
His survivors, by pestilence, shall come to the grave, and, his widows, shall not weep;
16 If he will amass silver as if it were dirt and fabricate garments as if they were clay,
Though he heap up silver like, dust, and, like a pile, he prepare clothing,
17 then yes, he will gather, but the just will be clothed with it and the innocent will divide the silver.
He may prepare, but, the righteous, shall put on, and, the silver, shall the innocent apportion.
18 He has built his house like a moth, and he has made a makeshift shelter like a sentry.
He hath built, like a moth, his house, —like a hut, which a watcher hath made.
19 When he falls asleep, the rich man will leave him with nothing; he will open his eyes and find nothing.
The rich man, shall lie down, and not do it again, his eyes, hath he opened, and then is not.
20 Destitution will surround him like water; a storm will overwhelm him in the night.
There shall reach him—like waters—terrors, By night, a storm-wind hath stolen him away;
21 A burning wind will pick him up and carry him away, and, like a whirlwind, it will rush him from his place.
An east wind shall lift him up, and he shall depart, and it shall sweep him away out of his place;
22 And it will hurl over him and will not spare him; fleeing from its power, he will go into exile.
And He will cast upon him and not spare, Out of his hand, shall he, swiftly flee;
23 He will clasp his hands over himself, and he will hiss at himself, while considering his situation.
He shall clap over him his hands, and shall hiss him forth out of his place.

< Job 27 >