1 T hen Job continued his discourse and said,

¶ Moreover, Job continued his parable and said,

2 “ As God lives, who has taken away my right, And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul,

As God lives, who has taken away my rights; and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,

3 F or as long as life is in me, And the breath of God is in my nostrils,

that all the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,

4 M y lips certainly will not speak unjustly, Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.

my lips shall not speak iniquity, nor my tongue utter deceit.

5 “ Far be it from me that I should declare you right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

In no wise should I justify you; until I die I will not remove my integrity from me.

6 “ I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go. My heart does not reproach any of my days. The State of the Godless

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

7 “ May my enemy be as the wicked And my opponent as the unjust.

¶ Let my enemy be as the wicked and my adversary as the unrighteous.

8 “ For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, When God requires his life?

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has stolen much, when God takes away his soul?

9 “ Will God hear his cry When distress comes upon him?

Will God hear his cry when the tribulation comes upon him?

10 “ Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call on God at all times?

Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God?

11 “ I will instruct you in the power of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

¶ I will teach you what there is in the hand of God; I will not conceal that which is regarding the Almighty.

12 “ Behold, all of you have seen it; Why then do you act foolishly?

Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye so completely vain?

13 “ This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the inheritance which tyrants receive from the Almighty.

This is the portion of a wicked man with God and the heritage of the violent, which they shall receive of the Almighty.

14 “ Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; And his descendants will not be satisfied with bread.

If their sons are multiplied, it is for the sword; and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

15 “ His survivors will be buried because of the plague, And their widows will not be able to weep.

Those that remain of him shall be buried in death; and their widows shall not weep.

16 “ Though he piles up silver like dust And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,

Though he heaps up silver as the dust and prepares raiment as the clay,

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

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

18 “ He has built his house like the spider’s web, Or as a hut which the watchman has made.

He built his house as a moth and as a booth that the keeper makes.

19 “ He lies down rich, but never again; He opens his eyes, and it is no longer.

The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered; he shall open his eyes and not see anyone.

20 “ Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night.

Terrors shall take hold on him as waters; a whirlwind shall carry him away in the night.

21 “ The east wind carries him away, and he is gone, For it whirls him away from his place.

The east wind shall take him away, and he shall depart; the storm shall catch him up out of his place.

22 “ For it will hurl at him without sparing; He will surely try to flee from its power.

For God shall cast down on him and not spare; he would attempt to flee out of his hand.

23 “ Men will clap their hands at him And will hiss him from his place.

Men shall clap their hands at him, and from his place they shall hiss at him.