Job

1-2I swear by the living Almighty God,

who refuses me justice and makes my life bitter —

3as long as God gives me breath,

4my lips will never say anything evil,

my tongue will never tell a lie.

5I will never say that you men are right;

I will insist on my innocence to my dying day.

6I will never give up my claim to be right;

my conscience is clear.

7May all who oppose me and fight against me

be punished like the wicked and the unrighteous.

8What hope is there for the godless

in the hour when God demands their life?

9When trouble comes, will God hear their cries?

10They should have desired the joy he gives;

they should have constantly prayed to him.

11Let me teach you how great is God's power,

and explain what Almighty God has planned.

12But no, after all, you have seen for yourselves;

so why do you talk such nonsense?

[Zophar]27.13 heading Zophar is not named in the text, but this speech is usually assigned to him.

13This is how Almighty God

punishes wicked, violent people.

14They may have many sons,

but all will be killed in war;

their children never have enough to eat.

15Those who survive will die from disease,

and even their widows will not mourn their death.

16The wicked may have too much silver to count

and more clothes than anyone needs;

17but some good person will wear the clothes,

and some honest person will get the silver.

18The wicked build houses like a spider's web27.18 Some ancient translations spider's web; Hebrew moth or bird's nest.

or like the hut of a slave guarding the fields.

19One last time27.19 Some ancient translations One last time; Hebrew They will not be gathered. they will lie down rich,

and when they wake up, they will find their wealth gone.

20Terror will strike like a sudden flood;

a wind in the night will blow them away;

21the east wind will sweep them from their homes;

22it will blow down on them without pity

while they try their best to escape.

23The wind howls at them as they run,

frightening them with destructive power.