Job 11

1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said.

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

Shall a multitude of words not be answered? and is it so that a man full of talk shall be deemed in the right?

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

Thy inventions are to bring men to silence; and when thou utterest thy mocking no one is to cause thee to feel abashed!

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

For thou hast said [to God], My doctrine is pure, and I am become clean in thy eyes.

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

But oh that God would but 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 declare unto thee the secrets of wisdom; for it is double to that which is really in our possession: and thou wouldst experience that God overlooketh unto thee much of thy iniquity.

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

Canst thou find out the experience of God? or canst thou find [the way] unto the utmost limit of the Almighty?

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

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou effect? it is deeper than the nether world; what canst thou know? (Sheol h7585)

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

Longer than the earth is its measure, and broader than the sea.

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

If he pass by, and surrender [one to suffering], and call together an assembly, who can hinder him?

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

For he knoweth the men of vanity: he seeth the wrong-doer and him who considereth not;

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

And the heartless who acquireth intelligence, and him who is [like] the colt of the wild ass who is transformed into a man.

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

If thou truly direct [aright] thy heart, and spread 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 wrong be in thy hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tents.

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

For then canst thou lift up thy face free from blemish: yea, thou wilt stand steadfast, and needest not to fear;

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

Because thou wilt truly forget thy trouble, and as a waterflood that is passed away wilt thou remember it;

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

And brighter than the noon of day will thy earthly existence arise; and thy obscurity will be like thy 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 wilt feel trust, because there is hope: yea, thou wilt search about carefully, and thou wilt lie down in safety.

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

Also thou wilt stretch thyself out [to rest], with none to make thee afraid; and many will entreat thy favor.

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 the means of escape will vanish from them, and their [sole] hope shall be the breathing out of their soul.