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Zophar Asks, Can You Find the Depths of God?

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

“Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,
And a (A)man of lips be in the right?
Shall your boasts silence men?
And shall you (B)mock and none rebuke?
(C)You have said, ‘My learning is pure,
And (D)I am innocent in your eyes.’
But would that God might speak,
And open His lips against you,
And tell you the secrets of wisdom!
For sound wisdom [a](E)has two sides.
Know then that God [b]forgets a part of (F)your iniquity.

(G)Can you find the depths of God?
Can you find the limits of the Almighty?
They are (H)high as [c]the heavens, what can you do?
Deeper than (I)Sheol, what can you know?
Its measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10 If He sweeps by or shuts up,
Or calls an assembly, (J)who can turn Him around?
11 For (K)He knows worthless men,
And He (L)sees wickedness, [d]so will He not carefully consider it?
12 [e](M)Yet an empty headed man will obtain a heart of wisdom,
And the [f]foal of a (N)wild donkey is born a man.

13 (O)If you would (P)set your heart right
And (Q)spread out your hand to Him,
14 If wickedness is in your hand, (R)put it far away,
And do not let unrighteousness dwell in your tents;
15 Then, indeed, you could (S)lift up your face without moral defect,
And you would be steadfast and (T)not fear.
16 For you would (U)forget your trouble,
As (V)waters that pass by, so you would remember it.
17 And your lifetime would (W)arise brighter than noonday;
Darkness would be like the morning.
18 Then you would trust, because there is hope;
And you would search around and rest securely.
19 You would (X)lie down and none would make you tremble,
And many would (Y)entreat your [g]favor.
20 But the (Z)eyes of the wicked will come to an end,
And escape will (AA)perish from them;
And their (AB)hope is (AC)the expiring of their soul.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:6 Lit is double
  2. Job 11:6 Lit causes to be forgotten for you
  3. Job 11:8 Lit the heights of heaven
  4. Job 11:11 Or even He does not consider
  5. Job 11:12 Lit A hollow man
  6. Job 11:12 Lit donkey
  7. Job 11:19 Lit face

Round One: Zophar’s Speech

11 Then Zophar the Na’amathite spoke up and responded:

Doesn’t this gush of words call for an answer?
Can this man’s bold talk be justified?
Should your empty words reduce men to silence?
Can you be allowed to scoff without anyone putting you in your place?
You say, “What I teach is untainted,
and I am pure in your eyes.”
Oh how I wish that God would speak up,
open his lips against you,
and show you the secret of wisdom,
because sound judgment must look at both sides.
Then you would know that God has even forgotten some of your guilt!

Can you explore the essence of God?
Can you find a limit to the perfections of the Almighty?
They are as high as the heavens. What can you do?
They are deeper than hell.[a] What can you know?
His dimensions are greater than the earth
and wider than the sea.
10 If God comes and arrests someone and puts him on trial,
who can overrule him?
11 Certainly he recognizes deceitful men for what they are.
He sees evil, and he recognizes it for what it is.

12 Before an empty-headed man gets understanding,
a wild donkey colt will be born as a man.

13 But you, if you make your heart steadfast,
and you spread out your hands to him,
14 if you put away the sin you are holding in your hand,
and you do not allow injustice to dwell in your tents,
15 then you will lift up your face and be blameless.
You will be solid and fearless.
16 You will certainly forget your trouble.
Your memory of it will be like water that has flowed away.
17 The rest of your life will be brighter than noon.
Darkness will become like morning.
18 You will be confident that there is hope.
When you look around, you will go to bed confidently.
19 You will lie down, and no one will make you tremble.
Many will seek your favor.
20 The eyes of the wicked will fail,
and their place of refuge will disappear.
Their hope will vanish with their dying breath.[b]

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:8 The Hebrew word sheol refers to the place where the dead are (the grave or hell) or to the condition of death.
  2. Job 11:20 Literally their hope is a breathing out of soul or life