No themes applied yet
1And Job again took up his discourse, and said:
2“As God lives, who has taken away my right,
and the Almighty, 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;
till 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“Let my enemy be as the wicked,
and let him that rises up against me be as the unrighteous.
8For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off,
when God takes away his life?
9Will God hear his cry,
when trouble comes upon him?
10Will he take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call upon God at all times?
11I will teach you concerning the hand of God;
what is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves;
why then have you become altogether vain?
13“This is the portion of a wicked man with God,
and the heritage which oppressors receive from the Almighty:
14If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword;
and his offspring have not enough to eat.
15Those who survive him the pestilence buries,
and their widows make no lamentation.
16Though he heap up silver like dust,
and pile up clothing like clay;
17he may pile it up, but the just will wear it,
and the innocent will divide the silver.
18The house which he builds is like a spider's web,27.18 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb He builds his house like the moth
like a booth which a watchman makes.
19He goes to bed rich, but will do so no more;27.19 Gk Compare Syr: Heb shall not be gathered
he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone.
20Terrors overtake him like a flood;
in the night a whirlwind carries him off.
21The east wind lifts him up and he is gone;
it sweeps him out of his place.
22It27.22 Or he (that is, God) hurls at him without pity;
he flees from its27.22 Or his power in headlong flight.
23It27.23 Or he (that is, God) claps its27.23 Or his hands at him,
and hisses at him from its27.23 Or his place.
Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, 1957 and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.