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Zophar Speaks: Job’s Guilt Deserves Punishment

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:

“Should a multitude of words go unanswered,
    and should one full of talk be vindicated?(A)
Should your babble put others to silence,
    and when you mock, shall no one shame you?(B)
For you say, ‘My conduct[a] is pure,
    and I am clean in God’s[b] sight.’(C)
But O that God would speak
    and open his lips to you
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.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 11.4 Gk: Heb teaching
  2. 11.4 Heb your
  3. 11.6 Meaning of Heb uncertain

Zophar Accuses Job

11 Zophar from Naamath had this to say:

“Shouldn’t a multitude of words be answered,
    or a person who talks too much[a] be vindicated?
Will your irrational babble silence people,
    and when you mock them,
        will you escape without being shamed?[b]
You’ve said, ‘My teaching is flawless;
    I’m clean[c] in God’s[d] sight.’

“But what if God were to speak?
    What if he were[e] to talk[f] with you,
and disclose his wise secrets?
After all, there’s so much more[g] to understanding.
    So be aware that God will exact from you
        less than your sin deserves.”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 11:2 Or a talker
  2. Job 11:3 MT has without being humiliated
  3. Job 11:4 Or pure
  4. Job 11:4 Lit. your
  5. Job 11:5 The Heb. lacks What if he were
  6. Job 11:5 Lit. open his lips against
  7. Job 11:6 Lit. double