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I Hold Fast My Righteousness

27 Then Job continued to lift up his [a](A)discourse and said,

“As God lives, (B)who has removed my justice,
And the Almighty, (C)who has embittered my soul,
For as long as breath is in me,
And the (D)spirit from God is in my nostrils,
My lips certainly will not speak unrighteousness,
Nor will (E)my tongue utter deceit.
Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
Till I breathe my last (F)I will not remove my integrity from me.
I (G)hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go.
My heart does not reproach any of my days.

“May my enemy be as the wicked
And the one who rises against me as the unjust.
For what is (H)the hope of the godless [b]when he is cut off,
When God requires (I)his [c]soul?
Will God (J)hear his cry
When (K)distress comes upon him?
10 Will he take (L)delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
11 I will instruct you in the [d]power of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Behold, all of you have seen it;
Why then do you speak with utter vanity?

13 “This is (M)the portion of a wicked man from God,
And the inheritance which the (N)ruthless receive from the Almighty.
14 Though his sons are many, [e]they are destined (O)for the sword;
And his (P)offspring will not be satisfied with bread.
15 His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
And [f]their (Q)widows will not be able to weep.
16 Though he piles up silver like dust
And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,
17 He may prepare it, (R)but the righteous will wear it,
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He has built his (S)house like the [g]moth,
Or as a hut which the watchman has made.
19 He lies down rich, but never [h]again;
He opens his eyes, and (T)it is no longer.
20 (U)Terrors overtake him like many waters;
A tempest steals him away (V)in the night.
21 The east (W)wind carries him away, and he goes,
And it whirls him (X)away from his place.
22 For it will hurl at him (Y)without sparing;
He will surely try to (Z)flee from its [i]power.
23 Men will clap their hands at him
And will (AA)hiss him from his place.

Footnotes

  1. Job 27:1 Lit proverb
  2. Job 27:8 Or though he gains
  3. Job 27:8 Or life
  4. Job 27:11 Lit hand
  5. Job 27:14 Lit the sword is for them
  6. Job 27:15 As in ancient versions; Heb his
  7. Job 27:18 Ancient versions spider’s web
  8. Job 27:19 As in ancient versions; Heb will be gathered
  9. Job 27:22 Lit hand

Job Maintains His Integrity

27 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:

As God lives, (A)who has taken away my justice,
And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
As long as my breath is in me,
And the breath of God in my nostrils,
My lips will not speak wickedness,
Nor my tongue utter deceit.
Far be it from me
That I should say you are right;
Till I die (B)I will not put away my integrity from me.
My righteousness I (C)hold fast, and will not let it go;
(D)My heart shall not [a]reproach me as long as I live.

“May my enemy be like the wicked,
And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
(E)For what is the hope of the hypocrite,
Though he may gain much,
If God takes away his life?
(F)Will God hear his cry
When trouble comes upon him?
10 (G)Will he delight himself in the Almighty?
Will he always call on God?

11 “I will teach you [b]about the hand of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Surely all of you have seen it;
Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?

13 “This(H) is the portion of a wicked man with God,
And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty:
14 (I)If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword;
And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15 Those who survive him shall be buried in death,
And (J)their[c] widows shall not weep,
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust,
And piles up clothing like clay—
17 He may pile it up, but (K)the just will wear it,
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He builds his house like a [d]moth,
(L)Like a [e]booth which a watchman makes.
19 The rich man will lie down,
[f]But not be gathered up;
He opens his eyes,
And he is (M)no more.
20 (N)Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A tempest steals him away in the night.
21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone;
It sweeps him out of his place.
22 It hurls against him and does not (O)spare;
He flees desperately from its [g]power.
23 Men shall clap their hands at him,
And shall hiss him out of his place.

Footnotes

  1. Job 27:6 reprove
  2. Job 27:11 Or by
  3. Job 27:15 Lit. his
  4. Job 27:18 So with MT, Vg.; LXX, Syr. spider (cf. 8:14); Tg. decay
  5. Job 27:18 Temporary shelter
  6. Job 27:19 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr. But shall not add (i.e., do it again); Vg. But take away nothing
  7. Job 27:22 Lit. hand