Job 11

Zophar Rebukes Job

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,

2 “Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,
And a ^atalkative man be acquitted?
3 “Shall your boasts silence people?
And will you ^bscoff, and no one rebuke?
4 “For ^cyou have said, ‘My teaching is pure,
And ^dI am innocent in your eyes.’
5 “But if only God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
6 And show you the secrets of wisdom!
For sound wisdom ▼

▼Lit is double

, ^fhas two sides.
Know then that God ▼

▼Lit causes to be forgotten for you

forgets part of ^hyour guilt.

7 “ ⁱCan you discover the depths of God?
Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?
8 “They are as ^jhigh as ▼

▼Lit the heights of heaven

the heavens; what can you do?
Deeper than ▼

▼I.e., the netherworld

, ^mSheol; what can you know?
9 “Its measurement is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10 “If He passes by or apprehends people,
Or calls an assembly, ⁿwho can restrain Him?
11 “For ^oHe knows false people,
And He ^psees injustice ▼

▼Or and does not investigate

without investigating.
12 “ ▼

▼Lit A hollow man

, ^sAn idiot will become intelligent
When a ^twild donkey is born a human.

13 “ ^uIf you would ^vdirect your heart rightly
And ^wspread out your hands to Him,
14 If wrongdoing is in your hand, ^xput it far away,
And do not let malice dwell in your tents;
15 Then, indeed, you could ^ylift up your face without moral blemish,
And you would be firmly established and ^znot fear.
16 “For you would ^aaforget your trouble;
Like ^abwaters that have passed by, you would remember it.
17 “Your ▼

▼Lit lifespan

life would ▼

▼Lit rise above noonday

be ^aebrighter than noonday;
Darkness would be like the morning.
18 “Then you would trust, because there is hope;
And you would look around and rest securely.
19 “You would ^aflie down and none would disturb you,
And many would ▼

▼Lit soften your face

, ^ahflatter you.
20 “But the ^aieyes of the wicked will fail,
And ▼

▼Lit escape has perished from them

there will ^akbe no escape for them;
And their ^alhope is ▼

▼Lit the expiring of the soul

, ^anto breathe their last.”