1 J ob again took up his discourse and said,

Job kept on speaking, and said,

2 A s God lives, Who has taken away my right and denied me justice, and the Almighty, Who has vexed and embittered my life,

“As God lives, Who has taken away my right, and the All-powerful, Who has troubled my soul,

3 A s long as my life is still whole within me, and the breath of God is in my nostrils,

as long as life is in me, and the breath of God is in my nose,

4 M y lips shall not speak untruth, nor shall my tongue utter deceit.

my lips will not speak what is not true, and my tongue will not lie.

5 G od forbid that I should justify you—saying you are right; till I die, I will not put away my integrity from me.

Far be it from me to say that you are right. Until I die I will not put away my honor.

6 M y uprightness and my right standing with God I hold fast and will not let them go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days and it shall not reproach me as long as I live.

I hold on to what is right and good and will not let it go. My heart does not put me to shame for any of my days.

7 L et my enemy be as the wicked, and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.

“May the one who hates me be as the sinful. And may the one who is against me be as those who are not right and good.

8 F or what is the hope of the godless and polluted, even though he has gained, when God cuts him off and takes away his life?

For what is the hope of the man without God when he dies, when God takes away his life?

9 W ill God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?

Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?

10 W ill he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?

Will he be glad in the All-powerful? Will he call on God at all times?

11 I will teach you regarding the hand and handiwork of God; that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

I will teach you about the power of God. I will not hide the ways of the All-powerful.

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

All of you have seen it yourselves. Why then do you speak in a foolish way?

13 T his is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage which oppressors shall receive from the Almighty:

“This is what God gives to a sinful man, the gift that a man who makes it hard for others receives from the All-powerful.

14 I f his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; and his offspring will not have sufficient bread.

If he has many sons, they will be killed by the sword. And his children will not have enough bread to eat.

15 T hose who survive him, will bury, and widows will make no lamentation.

Those who are left to him will be buried because of disease. And the wives who have lost their husbands will not be able to cry.

16 T hough he heaps up silver like dust and piles up clothing like clay,

He may gather up silver like dust, and gather so much clothing as if they were clay.

17 H e may prepare it, but the just will wear it, and the innocent will divide the silver.

He may have it, but those who are right with God will wear it. And those who are without guilt will divide the silver.

18 H e builds his house like a moth or a spider, like a booth which a watchman makes.

He builds his house like the home of a spider, or like a tent which a watchman has made.

19 w ill lie down rich, but does it not again; he opens his eyes, and is gone.

He goes to bed rich, but will never again. When he opens his eyes, his riches are gone.

20 T errors overtake him like a flood; a windstorm steals him away in the night.

Fears come over him like a flood. A storm carries him away in the night.

21 T he east wind lifts him up, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.

The east wind carries him away, and he is gone. It carries him away from his place.

22 F or hurl at him without pity and unsparingly; he flees in haste before His power.

It comes at him without pity. He tries to run from its power as fast as he can.

23 m en to clap their hands at him and hiss him out of his place.

Men clap their hands at him, and drive him from his place with sounds of shame.