Job 27
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Job Maintains His Integrity
27 Job again took up his discourse and said:(A)
2 “As God lives, who has taken away my right,
and the Almighty,[a] who has made my soul bitter,(B)
3 as long as my breath is in me
and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
4 my lips will not speak falsehood,
and my tongue will not utter deceit.(C)
5 Far be it from me to say that you are right;
until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.(D)
6 I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go;
my heart will not reproach me as long as I live.(E)
7 “May my enemy be like the wicked,
and may my opponent be like the unrighteous.
8 For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts them off,
when God takes away their lives?(F)
9 Will God hear their cry
when trouble comes upon them?(G)
10 Will they take delight in the Almighty?[b]
Will they call upon God at all times?(H)
11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God;
that which is with the Almighty[c] I will not conceal.
12 All of you have seen it yourselves;
why then have you become altogether vain?
13 “This is the portion of the wicked with God
and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty:[d](I)
14 If their children are multiplied, it is for the sword,
and their offspring have not enough to eat.(J)
15 Those who survive them the pestilence buries,
and their widows make no lamentation.(K)
16 Though they heap up silver like dust
and pile up clothing like clay,(L)
17 they may pile it up, but the just will wear it,
and the innocent will divide the silver.(M)
18 They build their houses like nests,
like booths made by sentinels of the vineyard.
19 They go to bed with wealth but will do so no more;
they open their eyes, and it is gone.(N)
20 Terrors overtake them like a flood;
in the night a whirlwind carries them off.(O)
21 The east wind lifts them up, and they are gone;
it sweeps them out of their place.(P)
22 It[e] hurls at them without pity;
they flee from its[f] power in headlong flight.(Q)
23 It[g] claps its[h] hands at them
and hisses at them from its[i] place.(R)
Job 27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
27 Job continued his discourse, saying:
2 As God lives, who has deprived me of justice,(A)
and the Almighty who has made me bitter,(B)
3 as long as my breath is still in me
and the breath from God remains in my nostrils,(C)
4 my lips will not speak unjustly,
and my tongue will not utter deceit.
5 I will never affirm that you are right.
I will maintain my integrity[a](D) until I die.
6 I will cling to my righteousness and never let it go.
My conscience(E) will not accuse me as long as I live!
7 May my enemy be like the wicked
and my opponent like the unjust.
8 For what hope does the godless man(F) have when he is cut off,
when God takes away his life?(G)
9 Will God hear his cry
when distress comes on him?
10 Will he delight(H) in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
11 I will teach you about God’s power.
I will not conceal what the Almighty has planned.[b]
12 All of you have seen this for yourselves,
why do you keep up this empty talk?(I)
13 This is a wicked man’s lot(J) from God,
the inheritance the ruthless receive from the Almighty.
14 Even if his children increase, they are destined for the sword;
his descendants will never have enough food.
15 Those who survive him will be buried by the plague,
yet their widows will not weep for them.(K)
16 Though he piles up silver like dust
and heaps up a wardrobe like clay—
17 he may heap it up, but the righteous will wear it,
and the innocent will divide up his silver.(L)
18 The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon
or a booth set up by a watchman.(M)
19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
when he opens his eyes, it is gone.
20 Terrors overtake him like a flood;(N)
a storm(O) wind sweeps him away at night.
21 An east wind picks him up, and he is gone;
it carries him away from his place.
22 It blasts at him without mercy,
while he flees desperately from its grasp.
23 It claps(P) its hands at him
and scorns him from its place.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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