Job 11

1 THEN answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

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

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.

3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

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

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

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

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

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

6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

Then shall he declare to thee the power of wisdom; for it shall be double of that which is with thee: and then shalt thou know, that a just recompence of thy sins has come to thee from the Lord.

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

Wilt thou find out the traces of the Lord? or hast thou come to the end [of that] which the Almighty has made?

8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? (Sheol h7585)

Heaven [is] high; and what wilt thou do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what dost thou know? (Sheol h7585)

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

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

10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What hast thou done?

11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

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

12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.

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

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

For if thou hast made thine heart pure, and liftest up [thine] hands towards him;

14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

if there is any iniquity in thy hands, put if far from thee, and let not unrighteousness lodge in thy habitation.

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

For thus shall thy countenance shine again, as pure water; and thou shalt divest thyself of uncleanness, and shalt not fear.

16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

And thou shalt forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and thou shalt not be scared.

17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

And thy prayer [shall be] as the morning star, and life shall arise to thee [as] from the noonday.

18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

And thou shalt be confident, because thou hast hope; and peace shall dawn to thee from out of anxiety and care.

19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

For thou shalt be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against thee; and many shall charge, and make supplication to thee.

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

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