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Zophar’s First Response to Job

11 Then[a] Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

“Should an abundance of words go unanswered,
or a man full of talk[b] be vindicated?[c]
Should your loose talk put people to silence?
And when you mock, shall no one put you to shame?[d]
For you say, ‘My teaching is pure,
and I am clean in your sight.’
But,[e] O that[f] God might speak,
and that he would open his lips to you,
and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom,
for insight has many sides.[g]
And know that God on your behalf[h] has forgotten some of[i] your guilt.
“Can you find out the essence of God,
or can you find out the ultimate limits[j] of Shaddai?
It is higher than the heaven;[k] what can you do?
It is deeper than Sheol; what can you know?
Its measure is longer than the earth
and broader than the sea.
10 “If he passes through and imprisons someone[l]
and summons the assembly,[m] then[n] who can hinder him?
11 For he knows those who are worthless;[o]
when he sees[p] iniquity, he will not consider it.[q]
12 But[r] an empty-headed person[s] will get understanding
when[t] a wild donkey’s colt is born as a human being.
13 “If you yourself[u] direct your heart
and stretch out your hands to him—
14 if iniquity[v] is in your hand, put it far away,
and you must not let wickedness reside in your tents—
15 surely then you will lift up your face without[w] blemish,
and you will be firmly established and will not fear.[x]
16 For you yourself[y] will forget your misery;
you will remember it as water that has flowed past.
17 And your life will be brighter than noon;[z]
its darkness will be like the morning.
18 And you will have confidence because there is hope;
and you will be well protected—you will sleep in safety.[aa]
19 And you will lie down, and no one will make you afraid;[ab]
and many will entreat your favor.[ac]
20 But[ad] the eyes of the wicked will fail;
and refuge will be lost to them,
and their hope is to breathe their last breath.”[ae]

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:1 Hebrew “And”
  2. Job 11:2 Literally “a man of lips”
  3. Job 11:2 Hebrew “should he be vindicated”
  4. Job 11:3 Literally “And you will mock there is not putting to shame”
  5. Job 11:5 Hebrew “And but”
  6. Job 11:5 Literally “who shall give”
  7. Job 11:6 Literally “double to sound wisdom”
  8. Job 11:6 Literally “for you”
  9. Job 11:6 Literally “from”
  10. Job 11:7 Literally “up to the limit”
  11. Job 11:8 Literally “heights of heaven”
  12. Job 11:10 Hebrew “and he imprisons”
  13. Job 11:10 Literally “and he summons”
  14. Job 11:10 Hebrew “and”
  15. Job 11:11 Literally “men of worthlessness”
  16. Job 11:11 Literally “And he will see”
  17. Job 11:11 Literally “and he will not consider”
  18. Job 11:12 Hebrew “And”
  19. Job 11:12 Literally “a man hollowed out”
  20. Job 11:12 Hebrew “and”
  21. Job 11:13 Emphatic personal pronoun
  22. Job 11:14 See v. 11, where the same word is used
  23. Job 11:15 Hebrew “from”
  24. Job 11:15 Hebrew “and not will you fear”
  25. Job 11:16 Emphatic personal pronoun
  26. Job 11:17 Literally “And from noon lifespan will arise”
  27. Job 11:18 Literally “you will lie down securely”
  28. Job 11:19 Literally “there is not making afraid”
  29. Job 11:19 Literally “and they will appease/implore your faces many”
  30. Job 11:20 Hebrew “And”
  31. Job 11:20 Literally “the expiring of soul”