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27 Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:

As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who hath brought my soul to bitterness,

As long as breath remaineth in me, and the spirit of God in my nostrils,

My lips shall not speak iniquity, neither shall my tongue contrive lying.

God forbid that I should judge you to be just: till I die I will not depart from my innocence.

My justification, which I have begun to hold, I will not forsake: for my heart doth not reprehend me in all my life.

Let my enemy be as the ungodly, and my adversary as the wicked one.

For what is the hope of the hypocrite if through covetousness he take by violence, and God deliver not his soul?

Will God hear his cry, when distress shall come upon him?

10 Or can he delight himself in the Almighty, and call upon God at all times?

11 I will teach you by the hand of God, what the Almighty hath, and I will not conceal it.

12 Behold you all know it, and why do you speak vain things without cause?

13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the inheritance of the violent, which they shall receive of the Almighty.

14 If his sons be multiplied, they shall be for the sword, and his grandsons shall not be filled with bread.

15 They that shall remain of him, shall be buried in death, and his widows shall not weep.

16 If he shall heap together silver as earth, and prepare raiment as clay,

17 He shall prepare indeed, but the just man shall be clothed with it: and the innocent shall divide the silver.

18 He hath built his house as a moth, and as a keeper he hath made a booth.

19 The rich man when he shall sleep shall take away nothing with him: he shall open his eyes and find nothing.

20 Poverty like water shall take hold on him, a tempest shall oppress him in the night.

21 A burning wind shall take him up, and carry him away, and as a whirlwind shall snatch him from his place.

22 And he shall cast upon him, and shall not spare: out of his hand he would willingly flee.

23 He shall clasp his hands upon him, and shall hiss at him, beholding his place.

27 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;

All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?

10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?

13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.

14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.

16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;

17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.

19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.

20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.

21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.

22 For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

23 Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

27 Iyov continued his speech:

“I swear by the living God,
who is denying me justice,
and by Shaddai,
who deals with me so bitterly,
that as long my life remains in me
and God’s breath is in my nostrils,
my lips will not speak unrighteousness,
or my tongue utter deceit.
Far be it from me to say you are right;
I will keep my integrity till the day I die.
I hold to my righteousness; I won’t let it go;
my heart will not shame me as long as I live.

“May my enemy meet the doom of the wicked;
my foe the fate of the unrighteous.
For what hope does the godless have from his gain
when God takes away his life?
Will God hear his cry
when trouble comes upon him?
10 Will he take delight in Shaddai
and always call on God?

11 “I am teaching you how God uses his power,
not hiding what Shaddai is doing.
12 Look, you all can see for yourselves;
so why are you talking such empty nonsense?

13 “This is God’s reward for the wicked man,
the heritage oppressors receive from Shaddai:
14 if his sons become many, they go to the sword;
and his children never have enough to eat.
15 Those of his who remain are buried by plague,
and their widows do not weep.
16 Even if he piles up silver like dust
and stores away clothing [in mounds] like clay —
17 he may collect it, but the just will wear it,
and the upright divide up the silver.
18 He builds his house weak as a spider’s web,
as flimsy as a watchman’s shack.
19 He may lie down rich, but his wealth yields nothing;
when he opens his eyes, it isn’t there.
20 Terrors overtake him like a flood;
at night a whirlwind steals him away.
21 The east wind carries him off, and he’s gone;
it sweeps him far from his place.
22 Yes, it hurls itself at him, sparing nothing;
he does all he can to flee from its power.
23 [People] clap their hands at him in derision
and hiss him out of his home.

Job’s Final Word to His Friends

27 And Job continued his discourse:(A)

“As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,(B)
    the Almighty,(C) who has made my life bitter,(D)
as long as I have life within me,
    the breath of God(E) in my nostrils,
my lips will not say anything wicked,
    and my tongue will not utter lies.(F)
I will never admit you are in the right;
    till I die, I will not deny my integrity.(G)
I will maintain my innocence(H) and never let go of it;
    my conscience(I) will not reproach me as long as I live.(J)

“May my enemy be like the wicked,(K)
    my adversary(L) like the unjust!
For what hope have the godless(M) when they are cut off,
    when God takes away their life?(N)
Does God listen to their cry
    when distress comes upon them?(O)
10 Will they find delight in the Almighty?(P)
    Will they call on God at all times?

11 “I will teach you about the power of God;
    the ways(Q) of the Almighty I will not conceal.(R)
12 You have all seen this yourselves.
    Why then this meaningless talk?

13 “Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
    the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:(S)
14 However many his children,(T) their fate is the sword;(U)
    his offspring will never have enough to eat.(V)
15 The plague will bury those who survive him,
    and their widows will not weep for them.(W)
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust(X)
    and clothes like piles of clay,(Y)
17 what he lays up(Z) the righteous will wear,(AA)
    and the innocent will divide his silver.(AB)
18 The house(AC) he builds is like a moth’s cocoon,(AD)
    like a hut(AE) made by a watchman.
19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;(AF)
    when he opens his eyes, all is gone.(AG)
20 Terrors(AH) overtake him like a flood;(AI)
    a tempest snatches him away in the night.(AJ)
21 The east wind(AK) carries him off, and he is gone;(AL)
    it sweeps him out of his place.(AM)
22 It hurls itself against him without mercy(AN)
    as he flees headlong(AO) from its power.(AP)
23 It claps its hands(AQ) in derision
    and hisses him out of his place.”(AR)

Job Maintains His Integrity

27 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:

As God lives, (A)who has taken away my justice,
And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
As long as my breath is in me,
And the breath of God in my nostrils,
My lips will not speak wickedness,
Nor my tongue utter deceit.
Far be it from me
That I should say you are right;
Till I die (B)I will not put away my integrity from me.
My righteousness I (C)hold fast, and will not let it go;
(D)My heart shall not [a]reproach me as long as I live.

“May my enemy be like the wicked,
And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
(E)For what is the hope of the hypocrite,
Though he may gain much,
If God takes away his life?
(F)Will God hear his cry
When trouble comes upon him?
10 (G)Will he delight himself in the Almighty?
Will he always call on God?

11 “I will teach you [b]about the hand of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Surely all of you have seen it;
Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?

13 “This(H) is the portion of a wicked man with God,
And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty:
14 (I)If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword;
And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15 Those who survive him shall be buried in death,
And (J)their[c] widows shall not weep,
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust,
And piles up clothing like clay—
17 He may pile it up, but (K)the just will wear it,
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He builds his house like a [d]moth,
(L)Like a [e]booth which a watchman makes.
19 The rich man will lie down,
[f]But not be gathered up;
He opens his eyes,
And he is (M)no more.
20 (N)Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A tempest steals him away in the night.
21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone;
It sweeps him out of his place.
22 It hurls against him and does not (O)spare;
He flees desperately from its [g]power.
23 Men shall clap their hands at him,
And shall hiss him out of his place.

Footnotes

  1. Job 27:6 reprove
  2. Job 27:11 Or by
  3. Job 27:15 Lit. his
  4. Job 27:18 So with MT, Vg.; LXX, Syr. spider (cf. 8:14); Tg. decay
  5. Job 27:18 Temporary shelter
  6. Job 27:19 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr. But shall not add (i.e., do it again); Vg. But take away nothing
  7. Job 27:22 Lit. hand