< Job 27 >

1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
And Job continued his parable and said,
2 As God liveth, who hath rejected my cause, And the Almighty, who hath afflicted my soul;
[As] God liveth, who hath taken away my right, and the Almighty, who hath embittered my soul,
3 As long as my breath is in me, And the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
4 Never shall my lips speak falsehood, Nor my tongue utter deceit.
My lips shall not speak unrighteousness, nor my tongue utter deceit!
5 God forbid that I should acknowledge you to be just: To my last breath will I assert my integrity.
Be it far from me that I should justify you; till I die I will not remove my blamelessness from me.
6 I will hold fast my innocence, and not let it go; My heart reproacheth me for no part of my life.
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart reproacheth [me] not one of my days.
7 May mine enemy be as the wicked, And he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous!
Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.
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 ungodly, when [God] cutteth him off, when God taketh away his soul?
9 Will he listen to his cry, When trouble cometh upon him?
Will God hear his cry when distress cometh upon him?
10 Can he delight himself in the Almighty, And call at all times upon God?
Doth he delight himself in the Almighty? will he at all times call upon God?
11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God; That which is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
I will teach you concerning the hand of God; what is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
12 Behold, ye yourselves have all seen it; Why then do ye cherish such vain thoughts?
Behold, ye yourselves have all seen [it]; and why are ye thus altogether vain?
13 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, —The inheritance which oppressors receive from the Almighty.
This is the portion of the wicked man with God, and the heritage of the violent, which they receive from the Almighty: —
14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword, and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread;
15 Those of them that escape shall be buried by Death, And their widows shall not bewail them.
Those that remain of him shall be buried by death, and his widows shall not weep.
16 Though he heap up silver as dust, And procure raiment as clay, —
Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare clothing as the clay;
17 He may procure, but the righteous shall wear it, And the innocent shall share the silver.
He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on; and the innocent shall divide the silver.
18 He buildeth his house like the moth, Or like the shed which the watchman maketh.
He buildeth his house as the moth, and as a booth that a keeper maketh.
19 The rich man lieth down, and is not buried; In the twinkling of an eye he is no more.
He lieth down rich, but will do so no more; he openeth his eyes, and he is not.
20 Terrors pursue him like a flood; A tempest stealeth him away in the night.
Terrors overtake him like waters; a whirlwind stealeth 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 carrieth him away and he is gone; and as a storm it hurleth him out of his place.
22 God sendeth his arrows at him, and doth not spare; He would fain escape from His hand.
And [God] shall cast upon him and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
23 Men clap their hands at him, And hiss him away from his place.
[Men] shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

< Job 27 >