Zophar’s Counsel

How Wisdom Looks from the Inside

11 1-6 Now it was the turn of Zophar from Naamath:

“What a flood of words! Shouldn’t we put a stop to it?
    Should this kind of loose talk be permitted?
Job, do you think you can carry on like this and we’ll say nothing?
    That we’ll let you rail and mock and not step in?
You claim, ‘My doctrine is sound
    and my conduct impeccable.’
How I wish God would give you a piece of his mind,
    tell you what’s what!
I wish he’d show you how wisdom looks from the inside,
    for true wisdom is mostly ‘inside.’
But you can be sure of this,
    you haven’t gotten half of what you deserve.

7-12 “Do you think you can explain the mystery of God?
    Do you think you can diagram God Almighty?
God is far higher than you can imagine,
    far deeper than you can comprehend,
Stretching farther than earth’s horizons,
    far wider than the endless ocean.
If he happens along, throws you in jail
    then hauls you into court, can you do anything about it?
He sees through vain pretensions,
    spots evil a long way off—
    no one pulls the wool over his eyes!
Hollow men, hollow women, will wise up
    about the same time mules learn to talk.

Reach Out to God

13-20 “Still, if you set your heart on God
    and reach out to him,
If you scrub your hands of sin
    and refuse to entertain evil in your home,
You’ll be able to face the world unashamed
    and keep a firm grip on life, guiltless and fearless.
You’ll forget your troubles;
    they’ll be like old, faded photographs.
Your world will be washed in sunshine,
    every shadow dispersed by dawn.
Full of hope, you’ll relax, confident again;
    you’ll look around, sit back, and take it easy.
Expansive, without a care in the world,
    you’ll be hunted out by many for your blessing.
But the wicked will see none of this.
    They’re headed down a dead-end road
    with nothing to look forward to—nothing.”

Zophar

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:

“Are all these words to go unanswered?(B)
    Is this talker to be vindicated?(C)
Will your idle talk(D) reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?(E)
You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless(F)
    and I am pure(G) in your sight.’
Oh, how I wish that God would speak,(H)
    that he would open his lips against you
and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,(I)
    for true wisdom has two sides.
    Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.(J)

“Can you fathom(K) the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher(L) than the heavens(M) above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below(N)—what can you know?(O)
Their measure(P) is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.(Q)

10 “If he comes along and confines you in prison
    and convenes a court, who can oppose him?(R)
11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;
    and when he sees evil, does he not take note?(S)
12 But the witless can no more become wise
    than a wild donkey’s colt(T) can be born human.[a](U)

13 “Yet if you devote your heart(V) to him
    and stretch out your hands(W) to him,(X)
14 if you put away(Y) the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil(Z) to dwell in your tent,(AA)
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;(AB)
    you will stand firm(AC) and without fear.(AD)
16 You will surely forget your trouble,(AE)
    recalling it only as waters gone by.(AF)
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,(AG)
    and darkness will become like morning.(AH)
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest(AI) in safety.(AJ)
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,(AK)
    and many will court your favor.(AL)
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,(AM)
    and escape will elude them;(AN)
    their hope will become a dying gasp.”(AO)

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:12 Or wild donkey can be born tame