Job Asserts His Innocence
27 Job continued with his discussion and said:
2 “The living God has withheld justice from me;
the Almighty has made my life[a] bitter.
3 As long as I can breathe;
as long as God’s breath is in my nostrils,
4 I won’t speak lies
nor will I utter deceit.
5 Far be it from me to admit that you’re right!
I intend to maintain my integrity[b] even if it kills me!
6 I’ll retain my righteousness and not compromise it;
my conscience won’t rebuke me at any time.
7 “May my enemy be like the wicked;
my adversary like the unjust.[c]
8 For where is the hope of the godless when he is eliminated;
when God takes away his life?
9 Will God hear his cry
when distress overtakes him?
10 Will he take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?”
On the Demise of the Wicked
11 “I’ll teach you about the power[d] of God,
that which is with the Almighty I won’t conceal.
12 Look! All of you have been watching,
so why have you become so completely worthless?
13 “This is what a wicked person[e] inherits from God,
and what the ruthless will receive from the Almighty:
14 If he has many children,
their destiny is to die by the sword,
and his descendants won’t have enough food.
15 Those who do survive him disease will bury,
and his widow won’t even weep.
16 “Though he hoards silver[f] like dust,
and stores away garments like clay,
17 whatever he stores up, the righteous will wear,
and the innocent will inherit that silver!
18 “He has built his house like a moth’s cocoon,[g]
like a temporary[h] sunshade that a watchman makes.
19 He will go to bed wealthy,
but won’t be doing that anymore!
When he opens his eyes, it will be gone!
20 Terror will overtake him like a flood,[i]
at night, a tornado will sweep him away.
21 He’ll be swept up by a storm[j] wind and carried away;
he’ll be whirled away from his place.
22 It will toss him around without pity.
He’ll try to break free[k] from its grip,[l]
23 but it will clap its hands over him,
hissing at him as it lunges toward him.”[m]
Footnotes
- Job 27:2 Or soul
- Job 27:5 Cf. Job 2:9
- Job 27:7 Or unrighteous one
- Job 27:11 Lit. hand
- Job 27:13 Lit. man
- Job 27:16 Or money
- Job 27:18 The Heb. lacks cocoon
- Job 27:18 The Heb. lacks temporary
- Job 27:20 Lit. water
- Job 27:21 Lit. east
- Job 27:22 Lit. grip to flee, he will flee
- Job 27:22 Lit. hand
- Job 27:23 Lit. him from its place