Job 11

1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, and said,

2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man of much talk be justified?

Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified?

3 Should thy fictions make men hold their peace? and shouldest thou mock, and no one make [thee] ashamed?

Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mock, shall no man make thee ashamed?

4 For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

For thou say, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

But O that God would speak, and open his lips against thee,

6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, how that they are the double of what is realised; and know that God passeth by [much] of thine iniquity!

and that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacts of thee less than thine iniquity deserves.

7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

Can thou find out God by searching? Can thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

8 [It is as] the heights of heaven; what wilt thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know? (Sheol h7585)

It is high as heaven; what can thou do? Deeper than Sheol; what can thou know? (Sheol h7585)

9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

The measure of it is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

10 If he pass by, and shut up, and call to judgment, who can hinder him?

If he passes through, and shuts up, and all to judgment, then who can hinder him?

11 For he knoweth vain men, and seeth wickedness when [man] doth not consider it;

For he knows false men. He also sees iniquity. Will he not then consider it?

12 Yet a senseless man will make bold, though man be born [like] the foal of a wild ass.

But vain man is void of understanding. Yea, man is born as a wild donkey's colt.

13 If thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands toward him,

If thou set thy heart aright, and stretch out thy hands toward him,

14 If thou put far away the iniquity which is in thy hand, and let not wrong dwell in thy tents;

if iniquity is in thy hand, put it far away, and let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents.

15 Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear:

Surely then thou shall lift up thy face without spot. Yea, thou shall be steadfast, and shall not fear.

16 For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;

For thou shall forget thy misery. Thou shall remember it as waters that are passed away.

17 And life shall arise brighter than noonday; though thou be enshrouded in darkness, thou shalt be as the morning,

And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday. Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

18 And thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about [thee], thou shalt take rest in safety.

And thou shall be secure, because there is hope. Yea, thou shall search about thee, and shall take thy rest in safety.

19 Yea, thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; and many shall seek thy favour.

Also thou shall lie down, and none shall make thee afraid. Yea, many shall correspond with thee.

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and [all] refuge shall vanish from them, and their hope [shall be] the breathing out of life.

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall have no way to flee. And their hope shall be the giving up of the spirit.