Sofars första tal

11 Då tog Sofar från Naama till orda och sade:

Skall ett sådant ordflöde stå oemotsagt
och en sådan mångordig man få rätt?
Skall ditt tomma prat få män att tiga,
skall du håna utan att någon får dig att skämmas?
Du säger: "Min undervisning är ren,
och utan fläck är jag inför dina ögon".
Om ändå Gud ville tala
    och öppna sin mun mot dig,
uppenbara för dig visdomens hemligheter,
ty han äger förstånd i dubbelt mått.
Då skulle du inse att Gud kan låta din missgärning vara glömd.

Kan du utforska Guds djuphet?
    Kan du utröna den Allsmäktiges fullkomlighet?
Hög som himlen är den - vad kan du göra?
Djupare än dödsriket är den - vad kan du förstå?
Dess längd sträcker sig längre än jorden,
och bredden överträffar havet.
10 Om han far fram och fängslar någon,
och kallar till doms - vem kan hindra honom?
11 Ty han känner lögnens män
    och ser ondskan,
skulle han inte bry sig om det?
12 Om en dåre kan få förstånd
    då kan en vildåsna födas till människa.

13 Om du rätt bereder ditt hjärta
    och sträcker ut dina händer till honom,
14 om du skaffar undan dina händers fördärv
och ej låter orättfärdighet bo i dina tält,
15 då skall du lyfta upp ditt ansikte utan skam,
du står trygg och har inget att frukta.
16 Ty du skall glömma ditt elände,
    minnas det likt bortrunnet vatten.
17 Ditt liv skall stråla klarare än middagsljuset,
och mörkret skall vara som morgonljuset.
18 Du skall vara trygg, ty det finns hopp.
Du skall se dig omkring och trygg gå till vila.
19 Du skall lägga dig utan att någon förskräcker dig,
och många skall söka vinna din gunst.
20 Men de ogudaktigas ögon skall tyna bort,
för dem skall ingen tillflykt finnas,
deras hopp skall vara att få ge upp andan.

Zophar

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:

“Are all these words to go unanswered?(B)
    Is this talker to be vindicated?(C)
Will your idle talk(D) reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?(E)
You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless(F)
    and I am pure(G) in your sight.’
Oh, how I wish that God would speak,(H)
    that he would open his lips against you
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)

“Can you fathom(K) the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
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)
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

  1. Job 11:12 Or wild donkey can be born tame

Zophar Urges Job to Repent

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should [a]a man full of talk be vindicated?
Should your empty talk make men [b]hold their peace?
And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?
For you have said,
(A)‘My doctrine is pure,
And I am clean in your eyes.’
But oh, that God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
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.

“Can(C) you search out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than [d]Sheol—what can you know?
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!”

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:2 Lit. a man of lips
  2. Job 11:3 be silent
  3. Job 11:6 Lit. forgets some of your iniquity for you
  4. Job 11:8 The abode of the dead
  5. Job 11:10 restrain
  6. Job 11:20 Lit. the breathing out of life

Zophar Speaks: You Deserve Worse

11 Then (A)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Should (B)a multitude of words go unanswered,
    and a man full of talk be judged right?
Should your babble silence men,
    and when you mock, shall no one shame you?
For (C)you say, ‘My (D)doctrine is pure,
    and I am clean in God's[a] eyes.’
But oh, that God would speak
    and open his lips to you,
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.

(G)“Can you find out the deep things of God?
    Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?
It is (H)higher than heaven[c]—what can you do?
    Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
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.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:4 Hebrew your
  2. Job 11:6 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  3. Job 11:8 Hebrew The heights of heaven