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Job 11
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Job 11
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Zophar Speaks: Job’s Guilt Deserves Punishment
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
2 ‘Should a multitude of words go unanswered,
and should one full of talk be vindicated?
3 Should your babble put others to silence,
and when you mock, shall no one shame you?
4 For you say, “My conduct[a] is pure,
and I am clean in God’s[b] sight.”
5 But O that God would speak,
and open his lips to you,
6 and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!
For wisdom is many-sided.[c]
Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.
7 ‘Can you find out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?[d]
8 It is higher than heaven[e]—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 passes through, and imprisons,
and assembles for judgement, who can hinder him?
11 For he knows those who are worthless;
when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?
12 But a stupid person will get understanding,
when a wild ass is born human.[f]
13 ‘If you direct your heart rightly,
you will stretch out your hands towards him.
14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
and do not let wickedness reside in your tents.
15 Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish;
you will be secure, and will not fear.
16 You will forget your misery;
you will remember it as waters that have passed away.
17 And your life will be brighter than the noonday;
its darkness will be like the morning.
18 And you will have confidence, because there is hope;
you will be protected[g] and take your rest in safety.
19 You will lie down, and no one will make you afraid;
many will entreat your favour.
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail;
all way of escape will be lost to them,
and their hope is to breathe their last.’
Job 11
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Job 11
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Zophar Speaks
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
2 Should this stream of words(A) go unanswered
and such a talker[a] be acquitted?
3 Should your babbling put others to silence,
so that you can keep on ridiculing
with no one to humiliate you?
4 You have said, “My teaching(B) is sound,
and I am pure in Your sight.”
5 But if only God would speak
and declare His case[b] against you,
6 He would show you the secrets of wisdom,(C)
for true wisdom has two sides.
Know then that God has chosen to overlook some of your sin.(D)
7 Can you fathom the depths of God
or discover the limits of the Almighty?(E)
8 They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?
They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?(F)
9 Their measure is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.
10 If He passes by and throws someone in prison
or convenes a court, who can stop Him?(G)
11 Surely He knows which people are worthless.
If He sees iniquity, will He not take note of it?(H)
12 But a stupid man will gain understanding
as soon as a wild donkey is born a man!
13 As for you, if you redirect your heart
and lift up your hands to Him in prayer—
14 if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it,
and don’t allow injustice to dwell in your tents—
15 then you will hold your head high, free from fault.
You will be firmly established and unafraid.(I)
16 For you will forget your suffering,
recalling it only as waters that have flowed by.
17 Your life will be brighter than noonday;
its darkness[c] will be like the morning.(J)
18 You will be confident, because there is hope.(K)
You will look carefully about and lie down in safety.(L)
Job 11
New King James Version
Job 11
New King James Version
Zophar Urges Job to Repent
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should [a]a man full of talk be vindicated?
3 Should your empty talk make men [b]hold their peace?
And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?
4 For you have said,
(A)‘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 (B)God [c]exacts from you
Less than your iniquity deserves.
7 “Can(C) 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 [d]Sheol—what can you know?
9 Their measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10 “If(D) He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment,
Then who can [e]hinder Him?
11 For (E)He knows deceitful men;
He sees wickedness also.
Will He not then consider it?
12 For an (F)empty-headed man will be wise,
When a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.
13 “If you would (G)prepare your heart,
And (H)stretch out your hands toward Him;
14 If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away,
And (I)would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;
15 (J)Then surely you could lift up your face without spot;
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
16 Because you would (K)forget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away,
17 And your life (L)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 (M)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 (N)the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And they shall not escape,
And (O)their hope—[f]loss of life!”
Job 11
New International Version
Job 11
New International Version
Zophar
11 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:
2 “Are all these words to go unanswered?(B)
Is this talker to be vindicated?(C)
3 Will your idle talk(D) reduce others to silence?
Will no one rebuke you when you mock?(E)
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless(F)
and I am pure(G) in your sight.’
5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,(H)
that he would open his lips against you
6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,(I)
for true wisdom has two sides.
Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.(J)
7 “Can you fathom(K) the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher(L) than the heavens(M) above—what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths below(N)—what can you know?(O)
9 Their measure(P) is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.(Q)
10 “If he comes along and confines you in prison
and convenes a court, who can oppose him?(R)
11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;
and when he sees evil, does he not take note?(S)
12 But the witless can no more become wise
than a wild donkey’s colt(T) can be born human.[a](U)
13 “Yet if you devote your heart(V) to him
and stretch out your hands(W) to him,(X)
14 if you put away(Y) the sin that is in your hand
and allow no evil(Z) to dwell in your tent,(AA)
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;(AB)
you will stand firm(AC) and without fear.(AD)
16 You will surely forget your trouble,(AE)
recalling it only as waters gone by.(AF)
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,(AG)
and darkness will become like morning.(AH)
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your rest(AI) in safety.(AJ)
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,(AK)
and many will court your favor.(AL)
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,(AM)
and escape will elude them;(AN)
their hope will become a dying gasp.”(AO)
Footnotes
- Job 11:12 Or wild donkey can be born tame
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.