Job Maintains His Integrity
1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
2 “AsGod lives,whohas taken away my justice,
And the Almighty,whohas made my soul bitter,
3 As long as my breathisin me,
And the breath of God in my nostrils,
4 My lips will not speak wickedness,
Nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 Far be it from me
That I should say you are right;
# Till I dieI will not put away my integrity from me.
6 My righteousness Ihold fast, and will not let it go;
# My heart shall not reproachmeas long as I live.
7 “May my enemy be like the wicked,
And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite,
Though he may gainmuch,
If God takes away his life?
9 Will God hear his cry
When trouble comes upon him?
10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty?
Will he always call on God?
11 “I will teach you about the hand of God;
Whatiswith the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Surely all of you have seenit;
Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?
13 “Thisis the portion of a wicked man with God,
And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty:
14 If his children are multiplied,itisfor the sword;
And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15 Those who survive him shall be buried in death,
# Andtheir widows shall not weep,
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust,
And piles up clothing like clay—
17 He may pileitup, butthe just will wearit,
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He builds his house like a moth,
# Like a boothwhicha watchman makes.
19 The rich man will lie down,
But not be gatheredup;
He opens his eyes,
# And heisno more.
20 Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A tempest steals him away in the night.
21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone;
It sweeps him out of his place.
22 It hurls against him and does notspare;
He flees desperately from its power.
23 Menshall clap their hands at him,
And shall hiss him out of his place.