Job 27

1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Job continued his discourse:

2 [As] God liveth, [who] hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, [who] hath vexed my soul;

“As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice— the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—

3 All the while my breath [is] in me, and the spirit of God [is] in my nostrils;

as long as my breath is still within me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils,

4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit.

5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die.

6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach [me] so long as I live.

I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.

7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust.

8 For what [is] the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?

Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?

10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

Will he delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?

11 I will teach you by the hand of God: [that] which [is] with the Almighty will I not conceal.

I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.

12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen [it; ] why then are ye thus altogether vain?

Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?

13 This [is] the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, [which] they shall receive of the Almighty.

This is the wicked man’s portion from God— the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

14 If his children be multiplied, [it is] for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.

15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.

His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.

16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;

Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,

17 He may prepare [it], but the just shall put [it] on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth [that] the keeper maketh.

The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut set up by a watchman.

19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he [is] not.

He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone.

20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.

Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest sweeps him away in the night.

21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.

The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.

22 For [God] shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.

23 [Men] shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

It claps its hands at him and hisses him out of his place.