Job

Zophar’s First Response to Job

11 
Then[a] Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
“Should an abundance of words go unanswered,

or a man full of talk[b] be vindicated?[c]

Should your loose talk put people to silence?

And when you mock, shall no one put you to shame?[d]

For you say, ‘My teaching is pure,

and I am clean in your sight.’

But,[e] O that[f] God might speak,

and that he would open his lips to you,

and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom,

for insight has many sides.[g]

And know that God on your behalf[h] has forgotten some of[i] your guilt.

“Can you find out the essence of God,

or can you find out the ultimate limits[j] of Shaddai?

It is higher than the heaven;[k] what can you do?

It is deeper than Sheol; what can you know?

Its measure is longer than the earth

and broader than the sea.

10 “If he passes through and imprisons someone[l]

and summons the assembly,[m] then[n] who can hinder him?

11 For he knows those who are worthless;[o]

when he sees[p] iniquity, he will not consider it.[q]

12 But[r] an empty-headed person[s] will get understanding

when[t] a wild donkey’s colt is born as a human being.

13 “If you yourself[u] direct your heart

and stretch out your hands to him—

14 if iniquity[v] is in your hand, put it far away,

and you must not let wickedness reside in your tents—

15 surely then you will lift up your face without[w] blemish,

and you will be firmly established and will not fear.[x]

16 For you yourself[y] will forget your misery;

you will remember it as water that has flowed past.

17 And your life will be brighter than noon;[z]

its darkness will be like the morning.

18 And you will have confidence because there is hope;

and you will be well protected—you will sleep in safety.[aa]

19 And you will lie down, and no one will make you afraid;[ab]

and many will entreat your favor.[ac]

20 But[ad] the eyes of the wicked will fail;

and refuge will be lost to them,

and their hope is to breathe their last breath.”[ae]

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:1 Hebrew “And”
  2. Job 11:2 Literally “a man of lips”
  3. Job 11:2 Hebrew “should he be vindicated”
  4. Job 11:3 Literally “And you will mock there is not putting to shame”
  5. Job 11:5 Hebrew “And but”
  6. Job 11:5 Literally “who shall give”
  7. Job 11:6 Literally “double to sound wisdom”
  8. Job 11:6 Literally “for you”
  9. Job 11:6 Literally “from”
  10. Job 11:7 Literally “up to the limit”
  11. Job 11:8 Literally “heights of heaven”
  12. Job 11:10 Hebrew “and he imprisons”
  13. Job 11:10 Literally “and he summons”
  14. Job 11:10 Hebrew “and”
  15. Job 11:11 Literally “men of worthlessness”
  16. Job 11:11 Literally “And he will see”
  17. Job 11:11 Literally “and he will not consider”
  18. Job 11:12 Hebrew “And”
  19. Job 11:12 Literally “a man hollowed out”
  20. Job 11:12 Hebrew “and”
  21. Job 11:13 Emphatic personal pronoun
  22. Job 11:14 See v. 11, where the same word is used
  23. Job 11:15 Hebrew “from”
  24. Job 11:15 Hebrew “and not will you fear”
  25. Job 11:16 Emphatic personal pronoun
  26. Job 11:17 Literally “And from noon lifespan will arise”
  27. Job 11:18 Literally “you will lie down securely”
  28. Job 11:19 Literally “there is not making afraid”
  29. Job 11:19 Literally “and they will appease/implore your faces many”
  30. Job 11:20 Hebrew “And”
  31. Job 11:20 Literally “the expiring of soul”