² Should all these words go unanswered
    or a wordy man be justified?
³ Will your idle talk silence everyone;
    will you mock and not be put to shame?
⁴ You’ve said, “My teaching is pure,
    and I’m clean in God’s^[a] eyes.”

⁵ But oh, that God would speak,
    open his lips against you
⁶     and tell you secrets of wisdom;
        for sound insight has two sides.
Know that God lets some of your sin be forgotten.
⁷ Can you find the secret of God
    or find the extent of the Almighty?
⁸ They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?
    Deeper than the underworld^[b]—what can you know?
⁹ Its measurement is longer than the earth
    and broader than the sea.
¹⁰ If God passes by, imprisons someone, and calls a trial,
    who can stop him?
¹¹ He knows worthless people,
    sees sin, and certainly^[c] takes note.
¹² A stupid person becomes intelligent
    when a wild ass of a person is born tame.^[d]

² Surely you are the people,
    and wisdom will die with you.
³ I am also intelligent;
    I’m not inferior to you.
    Who isn’t like these people?^[a]
4 I’m a joke to friends
        who called to God and he answered;
    the innocent and blameless one is a joke,
⁵     a torch^[b] of contempt to one who is idle,
    a fixed point for slipping feet.

² Will the wise respond with windy knowledge
    and fill their belly with the east wind?
³ Will they argue with a word that has no benefit
    and with unprofitable words?
⁴ You are truly making religion ineffective
    and restraining meditation before God.
⁵ Your mouth multiplies your sins a thousand times;
    you opt for a clever tongue.
⁶ Your mouth condemns you, not I;
    your lips argue against you.
⁷ Were you born the first Adam,
    brought forth before the hills?
⁸ Did you listen in God’s council;
    is wisdom limited to you?
⁹ What do you know that we don’t know;
    what do you understand that isn’t among us?

² I’ve heard many things like these.
    All of you are sorry comforters.
³ Will windy talk ever cease;
    what bothers you that you must argue?
⁴ In your situation I could speak like you;
    I could put words together to oppose you,
    shake my head over you.
⁵ I could heap up words, strengthen you with my speech;
    my trembling lips would be held in check.
⁶ If I speak, my pain is not eased;
    if I hold back, what have I lost?