Job Affirms His Righteousness

      1 Then Job continued his discourse and said,

2 “As God lives, who has taken away my right,
          And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul,

3 For as long as life is in me,
          And the breath of God is in my nostrils,

4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly,
          Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.

5 “Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
          Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

6 “I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go.
          My heart does not reproach any of my days.


The State of the Godless

7 “May my enemy be as the wicked
          And my opponent as the unjust.

8 “For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off,
          When God requires his life?

9 “Will God hear his cry
          When distress comes upon him?

10 “Will he take delight in the Almighty?
          Will he call on God at all times?

11 “I will instruct you in the power of God;
          What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

12 “Behold, all of you have seen it;
          Why then do you act foolishly?

13 “This is the portion of a wicked man from God,
          And the inheritance which tyrants receive from the Almighty.

14 “Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword;
          And his descendants will not be satisfied with bread.

15 “His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
          And their widows will not be able to weep.

16 “Though he piles up silver like dust
          And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,

17 He may prepare it, but the just will wear it
          And the innocent will divide the silver.

18 “He has built his house like the spider’s web,
          Or as a hut which the watchman has made.

19 “He lies down rich, but never again;
          He opens his eyes, and it is no longer.

20 “Terrors overtake him like a flood;
          A tempest steals him away in the night.

21 “The east wind carries him away, and he is gone,
          For it whirls him away from his place.

22 “For it will hurl at him without sparing;
          He will surely try to flee from its power.

23 “Men will clap their hands at him
          And will hiss him from his place.