Job 11
1 And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —
Then Zophar the Naamathite began speaking and said,
2 Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?
“So many words be answered, shouldn't they? Or is a person proved right by doing a lot of talking?
3 Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!
Should all your babbling force people to keep quiet? When you mock, shouldn't someone make you feel ashamed?
4 And thou sayest, 'Pure [is] my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.'
You said, ‘What I teach is the pure truth,’ and ‘in God's eyes I am clean.’
5 And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.
If only God would speak up and tell you directly,
6 And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, [Some] of thine iniquity.
because then he would explain to you the secrets of wisdom. True wisdom has many sides to it. God's treatment of you is far better than your guilt deserves.
7 By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?
Can you find out the mysteries of God? Can you discover all the wisdom of the Almighty?
It is greater than the heavens—what can you do? It is deeper than Sheol—what can you know? (Sheol h7585)
9 Longer than earth [is] its measure, And broader than the sea.
It extends farther than the earth, and wider than the sea.
10 If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?
If God comes and imprisons someone, or assembles the court for judgment, who can stop him?
11 For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider [it]!
For God knows who are deceivers—when he sees someone sin, he pays attention to it.
12 And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.
Stupid people will become wise when wild donkeys are born tame!
13 If thou — thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,
But if you repent and spread out your hands to pray to him,
14 If iniquity [is] in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.
if you get rid of your sins and don't let wickedness continue in your life,
15 For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.
then you would be able to hold your head high in innocence, you will be firm and unafraid.
16 For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.
You will forget your misery, remembering it only as water under the bridge.
17 And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest — as the morning thou art.
Your life will shine brighter than the noonday sun; even darkness will be like the morning.
18 And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched — in confidence thou liest down,
You will have confidence because there is hope; you will be protected and rest in safety.
19 And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;
You will lie down to sleep with no one to frighten you, and many will come asking for your favor.
20 And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!
But the eyes of the wicked will fail, they will not be able to escape, and their only hope is in death.”
