Job 27

Job's Final Word to His Friends

1 And Job continued his discourse:

2 "As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,
the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,

3 as long as I have life within me,
the breath of God in my nostrils,

4 my lips will not say anything wicked,
and my tongue will not utter lies.

5 I will never admit you are in the right;
till I die, I will not deny my integrity.

6 I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it;
my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.

7 "May my enemy be like the wicked,
my adversary like the unjust!

8 For what hope have the godless when they are cut off,
when God takes away their life?

9 Does God listen to their cry
when distress comes upon them?

10 Will they find delight in the Almighty?
Will they call on God at all times?

11 "I will teach you about the power of God;
the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal.

12 You have all seen this yourselves.
Why then this meaningless talk?

13 "Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:

14 However many his children, their fate is the sword;
his offspring will never have enough to eat.

15 The plague will bury those who survive him,
and their widows will not weep for them.

16 Though he heaps up silver like dust
and clothes like piles of clay,

17 what he lays up the righteous will wear,
and the innocent will divide his silver.

18 The house he builds is like a moth's cocoon,
like a hut made by a watchman.

19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
when he opens his eyes, all is gone.

20 Terrors overtake him like a flood;
a tempest snatches him away in the night.

21 The east wind carries him off, and he is gone;
it sweeps him out of his place.

22 It hurls itself against him without mercy
as he flees headlong from its power.

23 It claps its hands in derision
and hisses him out of his place."

Job 27

1 And Job again took up his parable, and said,

2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my right, And the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul:

3 (For my life is yet whole in me, And the spirit of God is in my nostrils);

4 Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, Neither shall my tongue utter deceit.

5 Far be it from me that I should justify you: Till I die I will not put away mine integrity from me.

6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, And let him that riseth up against me be as the unrighteous.

8 For what is the hope of the godless, though he get him gain, When God taketh away his soul?

9 Will God hear his cry, When trouble cometh upon him?

10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty, And call upon God at all times?

11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God; That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; Why then are ye become altogether vain?

13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty:

14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death, And his widows shall make no lamentation.

16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, And prepare raiment as the clay;

17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, And the innocent shall divide the silver.

18 He buildeth his house as the moth, And as a booth which the keeper maketh.

19 He lieth down rich, but he shall not be gathered to his fathers; He openeth his eyes, and he is not.

20 Terrors overtake him like waters; A tempest stealeth him away in the night.

21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth; And it sweepeth him out of his place.

22 For God shall hurl at him, and not spare: He would fain flee out of his hand.

23 Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.