Job 11

1 Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —

2 He that speaks much, should also hear on the other side: or does the fluent speaker think himself to be righteous? blessed [is] the short lived offspring of woman.

Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?

3 Be not a speaker of many words; for is there none to answer thee?

Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

4 For say not, I am pure in my works, and blameless before him.

And thou sayest, 'Pure [is] my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.'

5 But oh that the Lord would speak to thee, and open his lips to thee!

And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

6 Then shall he declare to thee the power of wisdom; for it shall be double of that which is with thee: and then shalt thou know, that a just recompence of thy sins has come to thee from the Lord.

And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, [Some] of thine iniquity.

7 Wilt thou find out the traces of the Lord? or hast thou come to the end [of that] which the Almighty has made?

By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

8 Heaven [is] high; and what wilt thou do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what dost thou know? (Sheol h7585)

Heights of the heavens! — what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! — what knowest thou? (Sheol h7585)

9 Or longer than the measure of the earth, or the breadth of the sea.

Longer than earth [is] its measure, And broader than the sea.

10 And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What hast thou done?

If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?

11 For he knows the works of transgressors; and when he sees wickedness, he will not overlook [it].

For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider [it]!

12 But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman [is] like an ass in the desert.

And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

13 For if thou hast made thine heart pure, and liftest up [thine] hands towards him;

If thou — thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

14 if there is any iniquity in thy hands, put if far from thee, and let not unrighteousness lodge in thy habitation.

If iniquity [is] in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.

15 For thus shall thy countenance shine again, as pure water; and thou shalt divest thyself of uncleanness, and shalt not fear.

For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

16 And thou shalt forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and thou shalt not be scared.

For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

17 And thy prayer [shall be] as the morning star, and life shall arise to thee [as] from the noonday.

And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest — as the morning thou art.

18 And thou shalt be confident, because thou hast hope; and peace shall dawn to thee from out of anxiety and care.

And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched — in confidence thou liest down,

19 For thou shalt be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against thee; and many shall charge, and make supplication to thee.

And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

20 But safety shall fail them; for their hope is destruction, and the eyes of the ungodly shall waste away.

And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!