Job Maintains His Integrity

1Job again took up his discourse and said:

2‘As God lives, who has taken away my right,

and the Almighty,27.2 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai who has made my soul bitter,

3as long as my breath is in me

and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,

4my lips will not speak falsehood,

and my tongue will not utter deceit.

5Far be it from me to say that you are right;

until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

6I hold fast my righteousness, and will not let it go;

my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.

7‘May my enemy be like the wicked,

and may my opponent be like the unrighteous.

8For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts them off,

when God takes away their lives?

9Will God hear their cry

when trouble comes upon them?

10Will they take delight in the Almighty?27.10 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

Will they call upon God at all times?

11I will teach you concerning the hand of God;

that which is with the Almighty27.11 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai I will not conceal.

12All of you have seen it yourselves;

why then have you become altogether vain?

13‘This is the portion of the wicked with God,

and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty:27.13 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

14If their children are multiplied, it is for the sword;

and their offspring have not enough to eat.

15Those who survive them the pestilence buries,

and their widows make no lamentation.

16Though they heap up silver like dust,

and pile up clothing like clay—

17they may pile it up, but the just will wear it,

and the innocent will divide the silver.

18They build their houses like nests,

like booths made by sentinels of the vineyard.

19They go to bed with wealth, but will do so no more;

they open their eyes, and it is gone.

20Terrors overtake them like a flood;

in the night a whirlwind carries them off.

21The east wind lifts them up and they are gone;

it sweeps them out of their place.

22It27.22 Or He (that is God) hurls at them without pity;

they flee from its27.22 Or his power in headlong flight.

23It27.23 Or He (that is God) claps its27.23 Or his hands at them,

and hisses at them from its27.23 Or his place.