Job 11
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite began speaking and said,
And Zophar the Naamathite answers and says:
2 “So many words be answered, shouldn't they? Or is a person proved right by doing a lot of talking?
“Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?
3 Should all your babbling force people to keep quiet? When you mock, shouldn't someone make you feel ashamed?
Your boastings make men keep silent, You scorn, and none is causing blushing!
4 You said, ‘What I teach is the pure truth,’ and ‘in God's eyes I am clean.’
And you say, My discourse [is] pure, And I have been clean in Your eyes.
5 If only God would speak up and tell you directly,
And yet, O that God had spoken! And opens His lips with you.
6 because then he would explain to you the secrets of wisdom. True wisdom has many sides to it. God's treatment of you is far better than your guilt deserves.
And declares to you secrets of wisdom, for counsel has foldings. And know that God forgets of your iniquity for you.
7 Can you find out the mysteries of God? Can you discover all the wisdom of the Almighty?
Do you find out God by searching? To perfection find out the Mighty One?
8 It is greater than the heavens—what can you do? It is deeper than Sheol—what can you know? (Sheol h7585)
Heights of the heavens—what [can] you do? Deeper than Sheol—what [can] you know? (Sheol h7585)
9 It extends farther than the earth, and wider than the sea.
Its measure [is] longer than earth, and broader than the sea.
10 If God comes and imprisons someone, or assembles the court for judgment, who can stop him?
If He passes on, and shuts up, and assembles, Who then reverses it?
11 For God knows who are deceivers—when he sees someone sin, he pays attention to it.
For He has known men of vanity, And He sees iniquity, And one does not consider [it]!
12 Stupid people will become wise when wild donkeys are born tame!
And empty man is bold, And man is born [as] the colt of a wild donkey.
13 But if you repent and spread out your hands to pray to him,
If you have prepared your heart, And have spread out your hands to Him,
14 if you get rid of your sins and don't let wickedness continue in your life,
If iniquity [is] in your hand, put it far off, And do not let perverseness dwell in your tents.
15 then you would be able to hold your head high in innocence, you will be firm and unafraid.
For then you lift up your face from blemish, And you have been firm, and do not fear.
16 You will forget your misery, remembering it only as water under the bridge.
For you forget misery, As waters passed away you remember.
17 Your life will shine brighter than the noonday sun; even darkness will be like the morning.
And age rises above the noon, You fly—you are as the morning.
18 You will have confidence because there is hope; you will be protected and rest in safety.
And you have trusted because there is hope, And searched—in confidence you lie down,
19 You will lie down to sleep with no one to frighten you, and many will come asking for your favor.
And you have rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have begged [at] your face;
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail, they will not be able to escape, and their only hope is in death.”
And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge has perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!”
