Job 27

1 And Job again took up his parable, and said,

Job began to speak again.

2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my right, And the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul

“I promise you—as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,

3 (For my life is yet whole in me, And the spirit of God is in my nostrils);

for as long as I have life, while the breath of God remains in my nostrils—

4 Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, Neither shall my tongue utter deceit.

my lips will never speak lies, my tongue will never be dishonest.

5 Far be it from me that I should justify you: Till I die I will not put away mine integrity from me.

I will never agree that you are right; I will insist on my innocence until the day I die.

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

I'm convinced I'm right and will never give up believing this; my conscience will not condemn me as long as I live.

7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, And let him that riseth up against me be as the unrighteous.

May my enemy become like the wicked; may those who oppose me become like those who do evil.

8 For what is the hope of the godless, though he get him gain, When God taketh away his soul?

For what hope do those who reject God have when he cuts them down, when God brings their lives to an end?

9 Will God hear his cry, When trouble cometh upon him?

When times of trouble come to them, will God hear their cry for help?

10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty, And call upon God at all times?

Do they have a good relationship with the Almighty? Can they call on God at any time?

11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God; That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

Let me explain God's power to you. I will not keep anything back that the Almighty has planned.

12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; Why then are ye become altogether vain?

If all of you have recognized this, why do you talk such vain nonsense?

13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty:

This is what God provides as the destiny for the wicked, this is the inheritance that the ruthless will receive from the Almighty—

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

even if they have many children, they will experience violent deaths or die of starvation.

15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death, And his widows shall make no lamentation.

Those who survive will die from disease, and even their widows will not mourn for them.

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

Even though they pile up silver like dust, and clothes like heaps of clay,

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

those who do good will wear the clothes and the innocent will divide the silver among them.

18 He buildeth his house as the moth, And as a booth which the keeper maketh.

They build their houses like a moth; like some flimsy shelter made by a watchman.

19 He lieth down rich, but he shall not be gathered [to his fathers]; He openeth his eyes, and he is not.

They go to bed rich, but never again! For when they wake up, it's all gone.

20 Terrors overtake him like waters; A tempest stealeth him away in the night.

Waves of panic flood over them; in the night a whirlwind snatches them away.

21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth; And it sweepeth him out of his place.

The east wind picks them up and they're gone, carried away from where they were.

22 For [God] shall hurl at him, and not spare: He would fain flee out of his hand.

The wind blows at them with full force; they try desperately to escape.

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

People clap their hands at them and hiss at them wherever they are.