Job 27

1 Job again took up his parable, and said,

Job continued his discourse:

2 “As God lives, who has taken away my right, the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter

“As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice— the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—

3 (for the length of my life is still in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils);

as long as my breath is still within me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils,

4 surely my lips will not speak unrighteousness, neither will my tongue utter deceit.

my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit.

5 Far be it from me that I should justify you. Until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die.

6 I hold fast to my righteousness, and will not let it go. My heart will not reproach me so long as I live.

I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.

7 “Let my enemy be as the wicked. Let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.

May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust.

8 For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

9 Will God hear his cry when trouble comes on him?

Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?

10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty, and call on God at all times?

Will he delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?

11 I will teach you about the hand of God. I will not conceal that which is with the Almighty.

I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.

12 Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves; why then have you become altogether vain?

Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?

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

This is the wicked man’s portion from God— the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword. His offspring will not be satisfied with bread.

Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.

15 Those who remain of him will be buried in death. His widows will make no lamentation.

His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.

16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare clothing as the clay;

Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,

17 he may prepare it, but the just will put it on, and the innocent will divide the silver.

what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

18 He builds his house as the moth, as a booth which the watchman makes.

The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut set up by a watchman.

19 He lies down rich, but he will not do so again. He opens his eyes, and he is not.

He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone.

20 Terrors overtake him like waters. A storm steals him away in the night.

Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest sweeps him away in the night.

21 The east wind carries him away, and he departs. It sweeps him out of his place.

The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.

22 For it hurls at him, and does not spare, as he flees away from his hand.

It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.

23 Men will clap their hands at him, and will hiss him out of his place.

It claps its hands at him and hisses him out of his place.