Job Keeps On Talking
27 Job kept on speaking, and said, 2 “As God lives, Who has taken away my right, and the All-powerful, Who has troubled my soul, 3 as long as life is in me, and the breath of God is in my nose, 4 my lips will not speak what is not true, and my tongue will not lie. 5 Far be it from me to say that you are right. Until I die I will not put away my honor. 6 I hold on to what is right and good and will not let it go. My heart does not put me to shame for any of my days.
7 “May the one who hates me be as the sinful. And may the one who is against me be as those who are not right and good. 8 For what is the hope of the man without God when he dies, when God takes away his life? 9 Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? 10 Will he be glad in the All-powerful? Will he call on God at all times? 11 I will teach you about the power of God. I will not hide the ways of the All-powerful. 12 All of you have seen it yourselves. Why then do you speak in a foolish way?
13 “This is what God gives to a sinful man, the gift that a man who makes it hard for others receives from the All-powerful. 14 If he has many sons, they will be killed by the sword. And his children will not have enough bread to eat. 15 Those who are left to him will be buried because of disease. And the wives who have lost their husbands will not be able to cry. 16 He may gather up silver like dust, and gather so much clothing as if they were clay. 17 He may have it, but those who are right with God will wear it. And those who are without guilt will divide the silver. 18 He builds his house like the home of a spider, or like a tent which a watchman has made. 19 He goes to bed rich, but will never again. When he opens his eyes, his riches are gone. 20 Fears come over him like a flood. A storm carries him away in the night. 21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone. It carries him away from his place. 22 It comes at him without pity. He tries to run from its power as fast as he can. 23 Men clap their hands at him, and drive him from his place with sounds of shame.