Job 27
1 Job began to speak again.
And Job again took up his measure, and said: —
2 “I promise you—as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,
As GOD liveth who hath taken away my right, even the Almighty, who hath embittered my soul;
3 for as long as I have life, while the breath of God remains in my nostrils—
All the while my inspiration is in me, and the spirit of GOD is in my nostrils,
4 my lips will never speak lies, my tongue will never be dishonest.
Verily my lips shall not speak perversity, nor shall, my tongue, utter deceit.
5 I will never agree that you are right; I will insist on my innocence until the day I die.
Far be it from me! that I should justify, you, —Even until I breathe my last, will I not let go mine integrity from me:
6 I'm convinced I'm right and will never give up believing this; my conscience will not condemn me as long as I live.
On my righteousness, have I taken fast hold, and will not give it up, My heart shall not reproach any of my days.
7 May my enemy become like the wicked; may those who oppose me become like those who do evil.
Let mine enemy be a veritably lawless one! And, he that lifteth himself up against me, one veritably perverse!
8 For what hope do those who reject God have when he cuts them down, when God brings their lives to an end?
For what shall be the hope of the impious, though he graspeth with greed, when GOD shall draw forth his soul?
9 When times of trouble come to them, will God hear their cry for help?
His outcry, will GOD hear, when there cometh upon him distress?
10 Do they have a good relationship with the Almighty? Can they call on God at any time?
Verily, in the Almighty, he will not find delight, nor call on GOD continually!
11 Let me explain God's power to you. I will not keep anything back that the Almighty has planned.
I would teach you, by the hand of GOD, That which is with the Almighty, will I not conceal.
12 If all of you have recognized this, why do you talk such vain nonsense?
Lo! ye, have, all of you, seen, Wherefore, then, is it, that ye are utterly without purpose?
13 This is what God provides as the destiny for the wicked, this is the inheritance that the ruthless will receive from the Almighty—
This, is the portion of a lawless man with GOD, That, the heritage of tyrants—from the Almighty, he shall receive.
14 even if they have many children, they will experience violent deaths or die of starvation.
If his children be multiplied, for them, [there is] the sword, and, his offspring, shall not be filled with bread;
15 Those who survive will die from disease, and even their widows will not mourn for them.
His survivors, by pestilence, shall come to the grave, and, his widows, shall not weep;
16 Even though they pile up silver like dust, and clothes like heaps of clay,
Though he heap up silver like, dust, and, like a pile, he prepare clothing,
17 those who do good will wear the clothes and the innocent will divide the silver among them.
He may prepare, but, the righteous, shall put on, and, the silver, shall the innocent apportion.
18 They build their houses like a moth; like some flimsy shelter made by a watchman.
He hath built, like a moth, his house, —like a hut, which a watcher hath made.
19 They go to bed rich, but never again! For when they wake up, it's all gone.
The rich man, shall lie down, and not do it again, his eyes, hath he opened, and then is not.
20 Waves of panic flood over them; in the night a whirlwind snatches them away.
There shall reach him—like waters—terrors, By night, a storm-wind hath stolen him away;
21 The east wind picks them up and they're gone, carried away from where they were.
An east wind shall lift him up, and he shall depart, and it shall sweep him away out of his place;
22 The wind blows at them with full force; they try desperately to escape.
And He will cast upon him and not spare, Out of his hand, shall he, swiftly flee;
23 People clap their hands at them and hiss at them wherever they are.
He shall clap over him his hands, and shall hiss him forth out of his place.
