Job 27

1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:

Job continued his discourse:

2 As God liveth, who hath rejected my cause, And the Almighty, who hath afflicted my soul;

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

3 As long as 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 Never shall my lips speak falsehood, Nor my tongue utter deceit.

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

5 God forbid that I should acknowledge you to be just: To my last breath will I assert my integrity.

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

6 I will hold fast my innocence, and not let it go; My heart reproacheth me for no part of my life.

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

7 May 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 wicked, when God cutteth off his web, And taketh away his life?

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

9 Will he listen to his cry, When trouble cometh upon him?

Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?

10 Can he delight himself in the Almighty, And call at all times upon God?

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

11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God; That which is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

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

12 Behold, ye yourselves have all seen it; Why then do ye cherish such vain thoughts?

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

13 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, —The inheritance which oppressors receive from 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 of them that escape shall be buried by Death, And their widows shall not bewail them.

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

16 Though he heap up silver as dust, And procure raiment as clay, —

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

17 He may procure, but the righteous shall wear it, And the innocent shall share the silver.

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

18 He buildeth his house like the moth, Or like the shed which the watchman maketh.

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

19 The rich man lieth down, and is not buried; In the twinkling of an eye he is no more.

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

20 Terrors pursue him like a flood; 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 perisheth; Yea, it sweepeth him away from his place.

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

22 God sendeth his arrows at him, and doth not spare; He would fain escape from His hand.

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

23 Men clap their hands at him, And hiss him away from his place.

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