Job 11
Jubilee Bible 2000
11 ¶ Then Zophar, the Naamathite, answered and said,
2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified?
3 Should thy lies make men be silent? Shalt thou mock, and shall no man make thee ashamed?
4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean before thine eyes.
5 But oh, that God would speak and open his lips against thee
6 and that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For thou dost deserve double according to sound wisdom; and thou dost know that God has forgotten thee because of thine iniquity.
7 ¶ Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou come unto the perfection of the Almighty?
8 It is higher than the heavens; what canst thou do? It is deeper than Sheol; how canst thou know it?
9 The measure of it is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.
10 If he cuts off, or shuts up, or gathers together, then who can hinder him?
11 For he knows the vain men; and he sees the iniquity; will he not then understand it?
12 The vain man shall make himself understood, though man is born like a wild ass’s colt.
13 ¶ If thou would prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands toward him;
14 if there is any iniquity in thy hand and thou dost put it far away and dost not consent that wickedness dwell in thy habitations,
15 then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; thou shalt be strongly established and shalt not fear;
16 and thou shalt forget thy misery and remember it as waters that passed away;
17 and thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
18 And thou shalt trust because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig and sleep in safety;
19 thou shalt lie down, and no one shall make thee afraid; and many shall make requests unto thee.
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall consume themselves, and they shall have no refuge, and their hope shall be agony of the soul.
Job 11
English Standard Version
Zophar Speaks: You Deserve Worse
11 Then (A)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Should (B)a multitude of words go unanswered,
and a man full of talk be judged right?
3 Should your babble silence men,
and when you mock, shall no one shame you?
4 For (C)you say, ‘My (D)doctrine is pure,
and I am clean in God's[a] eyes.’
5 But oh, that God would speak
and open his lips to you,
6 and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!
For he is manifold in (E)understanding.[b]
Know then that God (F)exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.
7 (G)“Can you find out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?
8 It is (H)higher than heaven[c]—what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
9 Its measure is longer than the earth
and broader than the sea.
10 If he (I)passes through and (J)imprisons
and summons the court, who can (K)turn him back?
11 For he knows (L)worthless men;
when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?
12 But a stupid man will get understanding
when (M)a wild donkey's colt is (N)born a man!
13 “If you (O)prepare your heart,
you will (P)stretch out your hands toward him.
14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
and let not injustice dwell in your tents.
15 Surely then you will (Q)lift up your face without (R)blemish;
you will be secure and will not fear.
16 You will (S)forget your misery;
you will remember it as waters that have passed away.
17 And your life will be (T)brighter than the noonday;
its darkness will be like the morning.
18 And you will feel secure, because there is hope;
you will look around and (U)take your rest in security.
19 You will (V)lie down, and none will make you afraid;
many will (W)court your favor.
20 But (X)the eyes of the wicked will fail;
all way of escape will be lost to them,
and their hope is (Y)to breathe their last.”
Copyright © 2013, 2020 by Ransom Press International
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
