1 T hen Zophar the Naamathite replied,

¶ Then Zophar, the Naamathite, answered and said,

2 S hould not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be pronounced free from guilt or blame?

Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified?

3 S hould your boastings and babble make men keep silent? And when you mock and scoff, shall no man make you ashamed?

Should thy lies make men be silent? Shalt thou mock, and shall no man make thee ashamed?

4 F or you have said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in eyes.

For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean before thine eyes.

5 B ut oh, that God would speak, and open His lips against you,

But oh, that God would speak and open his lips against thee

6 A nd that He would show you the secrets of wisdom! For He is manifold in understanding! Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your guilt and iniquity.

and that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For thou dost deserve double according to sound wisdom; and thou dost know that God has forgotten thee because of thine iniquity.

7 C an you find out the deep things of God, or can you by searching find out the limits of the Almighty ?

¶ Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou come unto the perfection of the Almighty?

8 H is wisdom is as high as the heights of heaven! What can you do? It is deeper than Sheol (the place of the dead)! What can you know?

It is higher than the heavens; what canst thou do? It is deeper than Sheol; how canst thou know it?

9 L onger in measure is it than the earth, and broader than the sea.

The measure of it is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

10 I f sweeps in and arrests and calls into judgment, who can hinder Him?

If he cuts off, or shuts up, or gathers together, then who can hinder him?

11 F or He recognizes and knows hollow, wicked, and useless men (men of falsehood); when He sees iniquity, will He not consider it?

For he knows the vain men; and he sees the iniquity; will he not then understand it?

12 B ut a stupid man will get wisdom when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.

The vain man shall make himself understood, though man is born like a wild ass’s colt.

13 I f you set your heart aright and stretch out your hands to,

¶ If thou would prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands toward him;

14 I f you put sin out of your hand and far away from you and let not evil dwell in your tents;

if there is any iniquity in thy hand and thou dost put it far away and dost not consent that wickedness dwell in thy habitations,

15 T hen can you lift up your face to Him without stain; yes, you shall be steadfast and secure; you shall not fear.

then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; thou shalt be strongly established and shalt not fear;

16 F or you shall forget your misery; you shall remember it as waters that pass away.

and thou shalt forget thy misery and remember it as waters that passed away;

17 A nd life shall be clearer than the noonday and rise above it; though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

and thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

18 A nd you shall be secure and feel confident because there is hope; yes, you shall search about you, and you shall take your rest in safety.

And thou shalt trust because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig and sleep in safety;

19 Y ou shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid; yes, many shall sue for your favor.

thou shalt lie down, and no one shall make thee afraid; and many shall make requests unto thee.

20 B ut the eyes of the wicked shall look in vain, and they shall not escape; and their hope shall be to give up the ghost.

But the eyes of the wicked shall consume themselves, and they shall have no refuge, and their hope shall be agony of the soul.