Job 11

¹Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

²Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified?

³Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

⁴For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in thine eyes.

⁵But oh that God would speak, And open his lips against thee,

⁶And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

⁷Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

⁸It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

⁹The measure thereof is longer than the earth, And broader than the sea.

¹⁰If he pass through, and shut up, And call unto judgment, then who can hinder him?

¹¹For he knoweth false men: He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.

¹²But vain man is void of understanding, Yea, man is born as a wild ass’s colt.

¹³If thou set thy heart aright, And stretch out thy hands toward him;

¹⁴If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away, And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents.

¹⁵Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

¹⁶For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away,

¹⁷Andthylife shall be clearer than the noonday; Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

¹⁸And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; Yea, thou shalt searchabout thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety.

¹⁹Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; Yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

²⁰But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, And they shall have no way to flee; And their hope shall be the giving up of the ghost.

Job 11

¹Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

²“Should this stream of words go unanswered and such a speaker be vindicated?

³Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?

⁴You have said, ‘My doctrine is sound, and I am pure in Your sight.’

⁵But if only God would speak and open His lips against you,

⁶and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.

⁷Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

⁸They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

⁹Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

¹⁰If He comes along to imprison you, or convenes a court, who can stop Him?

¹¹Surely He knows the deceit of men. If He sees iniquity, does He not take note?

¹²But a witless man can no more become wise than the colt of a wild donkey can be born a man!

¹³As for you, if you direct your heart and lift up your hands to Him,

¹⁴if you put away the iniquity in your hand, and allow no injustice to dwell in your tents,

¹⁵then indeed you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and unafraid.

¹⁶For you will forget your misery, recalling it only as waters gone by.

¹⁷Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.

¹⁸You will be secure, because there is hope, and you will look around and lie down in safety.

¹⁹You will lie down without fear, and many will court your favor.

²⁰But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; they will hope for their last breath.”