Job 11

1 Then answered Zophar the Na'amathite, and said.

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 If thou truly direct [aright] thy heart, and spread out thy hands toward him: —

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

14 If wrong be in thy hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tents.

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

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

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

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

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

17 And brighter than the noon of day will thy earthly existence arise; and thy obscurity will be like thy morning.

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

18 And thou wilt feel trust, because there is hope: yea, thou wilt search about carefully, and thou wilt lie down in safety.

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

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

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.

20 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.

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