Job 27
1 And Job continued taking up his parable, and said,
Job resumed speaking and he said,
2 As God liveth, who hath removed justice from me; and by the Almighty, who hath embittered my soul:
“As surely as God lives, who has taken away my justice, the Almighty, who made my life bitter,
3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
while my life is yet in me, and the breath from God is in my nostrils, this is what I will do.
4 Shall my lips not speak any wrong, nor shall my tongue utter deceit.
My lips will not speak wickedness, neither will my tongue speak deceit;
5 Far be it from me that I should justify you; till I depart hence will I not allow [any one] to take my integrity away from me.
I will never admit that you three are right; until I die I will never deny my integrity.
6 I have laid fast hold on my righteousness, and I will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me [for my conduct] during all my life.
I hold fast to my righteousness and will not let it go; my thoughts will not reproach me so long as I live.
7 Like the wicked is [therefore] my enemy, and he that riseth up against me like a wrong-doer.
Let my enemy be like a wicked man; let him who rises up against me be like an unrighteous man.
8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, when he hath gained unjust wealth, when God casteth forth his soul?
For what is the hope of a godless man when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life?
9 Will God hear his cry, when distress cometh upon him?
Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?
10 Or can he find delight in the Almighty? can he call on God at all times?
Will he delight himself in the Almighty and call upon God at all times?
11 I will instruct you concerning what is in the hand of God: [the way] which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
I will teach you concerning the hand of God; I will not conceal the thoughts of the Almighty.
12 Lo! ye yourselves have all beheld it: why is it then that ye deal in such vanities?
See, all of you have seen this yourselves; why then have you spoken all this nonsense?
13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the portion of tyrants, which they shall receive from the Almighty.
This is the portion of a wicked man with God, the heritage of the oppressor that he receives from the Almighty:
14 If his children be multiplied, it is only for the sword; and his offspring will not be satisfied with bread.
If his children multiply, it is for the sword; his offspring will never have enough food.
15 Those of his that are left to escape will be buried by death; and his widows will not be able to weep.
Those who survive him will be buried by plague, and their widows will make no lament for them.
16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare garments [as plentifully] as the clay:
Though the wicked man heaps up silver like the dust, and heaps up clothing like clay,
17 He may prepare, but the righteous will clothe himself [therewith], and the silver the innocent will divide.
he may heap up clothing, but righteous people will put it on, and innocent people will divide up the silver among themselves.
18 He buildeth his house like the moth, and like a hut that a keeper hath made.
He builds his house like a spider, like a hut that a guard makes.
19 Rich will he lie down, but will not be gathered [into the grave]: one openeth his eyes, and he is no more.
He lies down in bed rich, but he will not keep doing so; he opens his eyes, and everything is gone.
20 Like a flood will terror overtake him, in the night a tempest will steal him away.
Terrors overtake him like waters; a storm takes him away in the night.
21 The east wind will lift him up, and he must be gone; and it hurleth him like a storm out of his place.
The east wind carries him away, and he leaves; it sweeps him out of his place.
22 And [God] will cast [evil] upon him, and bare no pity: out of his hand [his wealth] will surely escape.
It throws itself at him and does not stop; he tries to flee out of its hand.
23 Men will clap their hands over him, and will hiss after him out of his place.
It claps its hands at him in mockery; it hisses him out of his place.
