Job 11

1 Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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].

7 Will you find out the traces of the Lord? or have you come to the end [of that] which the Almighty has made?

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

8 Heaven [is] high; and what will you do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what do you know? (Sheol h7585)

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

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

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

10 And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What have you done?

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

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

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

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

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

13 For if you have made your heart pure, and lift up [your] hands towards him;

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

14 if there is any iniquity in your hands, put if far from you, and let not unrighteousness lodge in your habitation.

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

15 For thus shall your countenance shine again, as pure water; and you shall dive yourself of uncleanness, and shall not fear.

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

16 And you shall forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and you shall not be scared.

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

17 And your prayer [shall be] as the morning star, and life shall arise to you [as] from the noonday.

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

18 And you shall be confident, because you have hope; and peace shall dawn to you from out of anxiety and care.

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

19 For you shall be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against you; and many shall charge, and make supplication to you.

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

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

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.