Job 11

1 Then responded Zophar the Naamathite, and said: —

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

2 Should, the multitude of words, not be answered? Or should, a man full of talk, be 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 Shall, thy pratings, cause men to hold their peace? When thou hast mocked, shall there be none to put thee to shame?

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

4 Since thou hast said, Right is my doctrine, and pure am I in his eyes.

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

5 But, in very deed, oh that GOD would speak, that he would open his lips with thee:

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

6 That he would declare to thee the secrets of wisdom, for they are double to that which actually is, —Know then that GOD could bring into forgetfulness for thee, a portion of thine 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 The hidden depth of GOD canst thou discover? Or, unto the furthest limit of the Almighty, canst thou attain?

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

8 The heights of the heavens, what canst thou do? Depths deeper than hades, 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 the measure thereof, and broader than the sea.

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

10 If he sweep on, or shut up, or call together, Who then shall hinder him?

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

11 For, he, knoweth men of falsity, and seeth iniquity, and him that doth not diligently consider.

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

12 But, an empty person, will get sense, when, a wild ass’s colt, is born 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, hast prepared thy heart, and wilt spread forth, unto him, thy hands—

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

14 If, iniquity, be in thy hand, Put it far away, and let there not dwell in thy tents perversity,

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

15 Surely, then, shalt thou lift up thy face free from blemish, and shalt be established, and 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, now, shalt thou forget, sorrow, Like waters passed away, shalt thou remember it.

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

17 Above high noon, shall rise life’s continuance, Darkness, like a morning, shall appear,

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

18 And thou shalt he confident, that there is hope, and, when thou hast searched, securely shalt thou 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 shalt rest, with none to put thee in terror, —and many shall entreat thy favour.

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 lawless, shall fail, —and, place of refuge, shall have vanished from them, and, their hope, be a breathing out of life.

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