Job 10-11
New King James Version
Job: I Would Plead with God
10 “My (A)soul loathes my life;
I will [a]give free course to my complaint,
(B)I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Show me why You contend with me.
3 Does it seem good to You that You should oppress,
That You should despise the work of Your hands,
And smile on the counsel of the wicked?
4 Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or (C)do You see as man sees?
5 Are Your days like the days of a mortal man?
Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,
6 That You should seek for my iniquity
And search out my sin,
7 Although You know that I am not wicked,
And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?
8 ‘Your(D) hands have made me and fashioned me,
An intricate unity;
Yet You would (E)destroy me.
9 Remember, I pray, (F)that You have made me like clay.
And will You turn me into dust again?
10 (G)Did You not pour me out like milk,
And curdle me like cheese,
11 Clothe me with skin and flesh,
And knit me together with bones and sinews?
12 You have granted me life and favor,
And Your care has preserved my spirit.
13 ‘And these things You have hidden in Your heart;
I know that this was with You:
14 If I sin, then (H)You mark me,
And will not acquit me of my iniquity.
15 If I am wicked, (I)woe to me;
(J)Even if I am righteous, I [b]cannot lift up my head.
I am full of disgrace;
(K)See my misery!
16 If my head is exalted,
(L)You hunt me like a fierce lion,
And again You show Yourself awesome against me.
17 You renew Your witnesses against me,
And increase Your indignation toward me;
Changes and war are ever with me.
18 ‘Why(M) then have You brought me out of the womb?
Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!
19 I would have been as though I had not been.
I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 (N)Are not my days few?
Cease! (O)Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,
21 Before I go to the place from which I shall not return,
(P)To the land of darkness (Q)and the shadow of death,
22 A land as dark as darkness itself,
As the shadow of death, without any order,
Where even the light is like darkness.’ ”
Zophar Urges Job to Repent
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should [c]a man full of talk be vindicated?
3 Should your empty talk make men [d]hold their peace?
And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?
4 For you have said,
(R)‘My doctrine is pure,
And I am clean in your eyes.’
5 But oh, that God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
6 That He would show you the secrets of wisdom!
For they would double your prudence.
Know therefore that (S)God [e]exacts from you
Less than your iniquity deserves.
7 “Can(T) you search out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than [f]Sheol—what can you know?
9 Their measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10 “If(U) He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment,
Then who can [g]hinder Him?
11 For (V)He knows deceitful men;
He sees wickedness also.
Will He not then consider it?
12 For an (W)empty-headed man will be wise,
When a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.
13 “If you would (X)prepare your heart,
And (Y)stretch out your hands toward Him;
14 If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away,
And (Z)would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;
15 (AA)Then surely you could lift up your face without spot;
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
16 Because you would (AB)forget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away,
17 And your life (AC)would be brighter than noonday.
Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
18 And you would be secure, because there is hope;
Yes, you would dig around you, and (AD)take your rest in safety.
19 You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid;
Yes, many would court your favor.
20 But (AE)the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And they shall not escape,
And (AF)their hope—[h]loss of life!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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