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Zophar Speaks to Job

11 Then Zophar from Naamah answered Job and said,

“This flood of words should be answered!
    Does all this talking make Job right?
Do you think we don’t have
    an answer for you?
Do you think no one will warn you
    when you laugh at God?
You say to God,
    ‘My arguments are right,
    and you can see I am pure.’
I wish God would answer you
    and tell you that you are wrong.
He could tell you the secret of wisdom.
    He would tell you that every story has two sides.
You can be sure of this:
    God is not punishing you as much as he should.

“Do you think you really understand God?
    Do you completely understand God All-Powerful?
That knowledge is higher than the heavens
    and deeper than the place of death.
So what can you do?
    How can you learn it all?
It is greater than the earth
    and bigger than the seas.

10 “If God decides to arrest you and take you to court,
    no one could stop him.
11 God knows who is worthless.
    When he sees evil, he remembers it.
12 A wild donkey cannot give birth to a man,
    and a stupid person will never become wise.
13 Prepare your heart to serve only God.
    Lift your arms and pray to him.
14 Put away the sin that you still hold on to.
    Don’t keep evil in your tent.
15 If you will do that, you could look to God without shame.
    You can stand strong and not be afraid.
16 Then you can forget your troubles,
    like water that has already passed by.
17 Your life will be brighter than the sunshine at noon.
    Life’s darkest hours will shine like the morning sun.
18 You will feel safe because there is hope.
    God will protect you and give you rest.
19 You will lie down without fear of anyone.
    Many people will come to you for help.
20 Evil people might look for help,
    but they will not escape their troubles.
    Their hope leads only to death.”

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

11 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

12 For vain men would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.