< Job 11 >

1 And Zophar the Naamathite answers and says:
Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,
2 “Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips 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 Your boastings make men keep silent, You scorn, and none is causing blushing!
Be not a speaker of many words; for is there none to answer you?
4 And you say, My discourse [is] pure, And I have been clean in Your eyes.
For say not, I am pure in my works, and blameless before him.
5 And yet, O that God had spoken! And opens His lips with you.
But oh that the Lord would speak to you, and open his lips to you!
6 And declares to you secrets of wisdom, for counsel has foldings. And know that God forgets of your iniquity for you.
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 Do you find out God by searching? To perfection find out the Mighty One?
Will you find out the traces of the Lord? or have you come to the end [of that] which the Almighty has made?
8 Heights of the heavens—what [can] you do? Deeper than Sheol—what [can] you 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 Its measure [is] longer than earth, and broader than the sea.
Or longer than the measure of the earth, or the breadth of the sea.
10 If He passes on, and shuts up, and assembles, Who then reverses it?
And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What have you done?
11 For He has known men of vanity, And He sees iniquity, And one does not consider [it]!
For he knows the works of transgressors; and when he sees wickedness, he will not overlook [it].
12 And empty man is bold, And man is born [as] the colt of a wild donkey.
But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman [is] like an ass in the desert.
13 If you have prepared your heart, And have spread out your hands to Him,
For if you have made your heart pure, and lift up [your] hands towards him;
14 If iniquity [is] in your hand, put it far off, And do not let perverseness dwell in your 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 you lift up your face from blemish, And you have been firm, and do not fear.
For thus shall your countenance shine again, as pure water; and you shall dive yourself of uncleanness, and shall not fear.
16 For you forget misery, As waters passed away you remember.
And you shall forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and you shall not be scared.
17 And age rises above the noon, You fly—you are as the morning.
And your prayer [shall be] as the morning star, and life shall arise to you [as] from the noonday.
18 And you have trusted because there is hope, And searched—in confidence you lie down,
And you shall be confident, because you have hope; and peace shall dawn to you from out of anxiety and care.
19 And you have rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have begged [at] your face;
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 And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge has perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!”
But safety shall fail them; for their hope is destruction, and the eyes of the ungodly shall waste away.

< Job 11 >