Job 27

1 And Job again took up the word and said,

Moreover, Job continued his parable, and said,

2 By the life of God, who has taken away my right; and of the Ruler of all, who has made my soul bitter;

[As] God liveth, [who] hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty [who] hath afflicted my soul;

3 (For all my breath is still in me, and the spirit of God is my life; )

All the while my breath [is] in me, and the spirit of God [is] in my nostrils;

4 Truly, there is no deceit in my lips, and my tongue does not say what is false.

My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

5 Let it be far from me! I will certainly not say that you are right! I will come to death before I give up my righteousness.

Far be it from me that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove my integrity from me.

6 I will keep it safe, and will not let it go: my heart has nothing to say against any part of my life.

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

7 Let my hater be like the evil man, and let him who comes against me be as the sinner.

Let my enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

8 For what is the hope of the sinner when he is cut off, when God takes back his soul?

For what [is] the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

9 Will his cry come to the ears of God when he is in trouble?

Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?

10 Will he take delight in the Ruler of all, and make his prayer to God at all times?

Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

11 I will give you teaching about the hand of God; I will not keep secret from you what is in the mind of the Ruler of all.

I will teach you by the hand of God: [that] which [is] with the Almighty will I not conceal.

12 Truly, you have all seen it yourselves; why then have you become completely foolish?

Behold, all ye yourselves have seen [it]; why then are ye thus altogether vain?

13 This is the punishment of the evil-doer from God, and the heritage given to the cruel by the Ruler of all.

This [is] the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, [which] they shall receive of the Almighty.

14 If his children are increased, it is for the sword; and his offspring have not enough bread.

If his children are multiplied, [it is] for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

15 When those of his house who are still living come to their end by disease, they are not put into the earth, and their widows are not weeping for them.

Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.

16 Though he may get silver together like dust, and make ready great stores of clothing;

Though he should heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay?

17 He may get them ready, but the upright will put them on, and he who is free from sin will take the silver for a heritage.

He may prepare [it], but the just shall put [it] on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

18 His house has no more strength than a spider's thread, or a watchman's tent.

He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth [that] the keeper maketh.

19 He goes to rest full of wealth, but does so for the last time: on opening his eyes, he sees it there no longer.

The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he [is] not.

20 Fears overtake him like rushing waters; in the night the storm-wind takes him away.

Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.

21 The east wind takes him up and he is gone; he is forced violently out of his place.

The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.

22 God sends his arrows against him without mercy; he goes in flight before his hand.

For [God] shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

23 Men make signs of joy because of him, driving him from his place with sounds of hissing.

[Men] shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.