1Job continued his discourse:
1And Job proceeded again to take up his discourse, and he said,
2“As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice—
the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—
2“As God lives, who has turned aside my justice, and Shaddai who has embittered my soul—
3as long as my breath is still within me
and the breath of God remains in my nostrils,
3that any of my breath still is in me, and the breath of God is in my nostrils,
4my lips will not speak wickedness,
and my tongue will not utter deceit.
4my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit.
5I will never say that you are right;
I will maintain my integrity until I die.
5Far be it from me that I justify you; until I die, I will not turn aside my integrity from me.
6I will cling to my righteousness and never let go.
As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.
6My righteousness I hold fast, and I will not let go; my heart shall not reproach me in my days.
7May my enemy be like the wicked
and my opponent like the unjust.
7May my enemy be like the wicked, and the one rising up against me like the unjust.
8For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off,
when God takes away his life?
8For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
9Will God hear his cry
when distress comes upon him?
9Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?
10Will he delight in the Almighty?
Will he call upon God at all times?
10Indeed will he delight himself upon Shaddai? Will he call upon God at any time?
11I will instruct you in the power of God.
I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.
11I will teach you about the hand of God; that which is with Shaddai I will not hide.
12Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves.
Why then do you keep up this empty talk?
12Behold, you—all of you—you have seen this; why then do you vainly utter this vanity?
13This is the wicked man’s portion from God—
the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.
13This is the portion of the wicked man with God, and the inheritance of the ruthless which they receive from Shaddai.
14Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword;
and his offspring will never have enough food.
14If his sons should increase, it is for the sword; and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15His survivors will be buried by the plague,
and their widows will not weep for them.
15His survivor will be buried in death, and his widows will not lament.
16Though he heaps up silver like dust
and piles up a wardrobe like clay,
16Though he heaps up silver like the dust, and piles up clothing like the clay,
17what he lays up, the righteous will wear,
and his silver will be divided by the innocent.
17he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it, and the innocent will divide his silver.
18The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon,
like a hut set up by a watchman.
18He builds his house like the moth, and like a booth made by a watchman.
19He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
when he opens his eyes, all is gone.
19He lies down rich, but he shall not gather again; he opens his eyes, and he is not.
20Terrors overtake him like a flood;
a tempest sweeps him away in the night.
20Terrors overwhelm him like waters; in the night a tempest steals him away.
21The east wind carries him away, and he is gone;
it sweeps him out of his place.
21The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; and it sweeps him from his place.
22It hurls itself against him without mercy
as he flees headlong from its power.
22And it hurls itself upon him, and does not spare; he urgently flees from its hand.
23It claps its hands at him
and hisses him out of his place.
23It claps its hands at him, and hisses at him from his place.