Job 11–13

ZOPHAR SPEAKS

11Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

²Should this abundance of words^p go unanswered

and such a talker^H be acquitted?

³Should your babbling put others to silence,

so that you can keep on ridiculing

with no one to humiliate you?

⁴You have said, “My teaching^q is sound,

and I am pure in your sight.”

⁵But if only God would speak

and open his lips against you!

⁶He would show you the secrets of wisdom,^r

for true wisdom has two sides.

Know then that God has chosen to overlook some of your iniquity.^s

⁷Can you fathom the depths of God

or discover the limits of the Almighty?^t

⁸They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?

They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?^u

⁹Their measure is longer than the earth

and wider than the sea.

¹⁰If he passes by and throws someone in prison

or convenes a court, who can stop him?^a

¹¹Surely he knows which people are worthless.

If he sees iniquity, will he not take note of it?^b

¹²But a stupid person will gain understanding

as soon as a wild donkey is born a human!

¹³As for you, if you redirect your heart

and spread out your hands to him in prayer—

¹⁴if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it,

and don’t allow injustice to dwell in your tents—

¹⁵then you will hold your head high, free from fault.

You will be firmly established and unafraid.^c

¹⁶For you will forget your suffering,

recalling it only as water that has flowed by.

¹⁷Your life will be brighter than noonday;

its darkness^A will be like the morning.^d

¹⁸You will be confident, because there is hope.^e

You will look carefully about and lie down in safety.^f

¹⁹You will lie down with no one to frighten you,

and many will seek your favor.^g

²⁰But the sight of the wicked^h will fail.

Their way of escape will be cut off,

and their only hope is their last breath.ⁱ

JOB’S REPLY TO ZOPHAR

12Then Job answered:

²No doubt you are the people,

and wisdom will die with you!

³But I also have a mind like you;

I am not inferior to you.

Who doesn’t know the things you are talking about?^Bj

⁴I am a laughingstock to my^C friends,

by calling on God, who answers me.^D

The righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock.^k

⁵The one who is at ease^l holds calamity in contempt

and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.

⁶The tents of robbers are safe,^m

and those who trouble God are secure;

God holds them in his hands.^En

⁷But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;

ask the birds of the sky,

and they will tell you.^o

⁸Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;

let the fish of the sea inform you.

⁹Which of all these does not know

that the hand of the Lord has done this?^p

¹⁰The life of every living thing is in his hand,

as well as the breath of all humanity.^q

¹¹Doesn’t the ear test words

as the palate tastes food?

¹²Wisdom is found with the elderly,

and understanding comes with long life.^r

¹³Wisdom and strength belong to God;

counsel and understanding are his.^s

¹⁴Whatever he tears down cannot be rebuilt;

whoever he imprisons cannot be released.^t

¹⁵When he withholds water, everything dries up,

and when he releases it, it destroys the land.^u

¹⁶True wisdom and power belong to him.

The deceived and the deceiver are his.

¹⁷He leads counselors away barefoot

and makes judges go mad.^v

¹⁸He releases the bonds^A put on by kings^w

and fastens a belt around their waists.

¹⁹He leads priests away barefoot

and overthrows established leaders.^x

²⁰He deprives trusted advisers of speech

and takes away the elders’ good judgment.

²¹He pours out contempt on nobles

and disarms^B the strong.

²²He reveals mysteries from the darkness

and brings the deepest darkness into the light.^a

²³He makes nations great, then destroys them;

he enlarges nations,^b then leads them away.

²⁴He deprives the world’s leaders of reason,

and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.^c

²⁵They grope around in darkness without light;

he makes them stagger like a drunkard.^d

13Look, my eyes have seen all this;

my ears^e have heard and understood it.

²Everything you know, I also know;

I am not inferior to you.^f

³Yet I prefer to speak to the Almighty

and argue my case before God.^g

⁴You use lies like plaster;

you are all worthless healers.^h

⁵If only you would shut up

and let that be your wisdom!

⁶Hear now my argument,

and listen to my defense.^C

⁷Would you testify unjustly on God’s behalf

or speak deceitfully for him?

⁸Would you show partialityⁱ to him

or argue the case in his defense?

⁹Would it go well if he examined you?

Could you deceive him as you would deceive a man?^j

¹⁰Surely he would rebuke you

if you secretly showed partiality.

¹¹Would God’s majesty not terrify you?^k

Would his dread not fall on you?

¹²Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ash;^l

your defenses are made of clay.

¹³Be quiet,^C and I will speak.

Let whatever comes happen to me.

¹⁴I will put^B myself at risk^C

and take my life in my own hands.

¹⁵Even if he kills me, I will hope in him.^D

I will still defend^m my ways before him.

¹⁶Yes, this will result in my deliverance,

for no godless personⁿ can appear before him.

¹⁷Pay close attention to my words;

let my declaration ring in your ears.

¹⁸Now then, I have prepared my case;^o

I know that I am right.

¹⁹Can anyone indict me?

If so, I will be silent and die.

²⁰Only grant these two things to me, God,

so that I will not have to hide from your presence:

²¹remove your hand from me,

and do not let your terror frighten me.^p

²²Then call, and I will answer,^q

or I will speak, and you can respond to me.

²³How many iniquities^r and sins have I committed?^E

Reveal to me my transgression and sin.

²⁴Why do you hide your face

and consider me your enemy?^s

²⁵Will you frighten a wind-driven leaf?

Will you chase after dry straw?

²⁶For you record bitter accusations against me

and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷You put my feet in the stocks

and stand watch over all my paths,

setting a limit for the soles^F of my feet.

²⁸A person wears out like something rotten,

like a moth-eaten garment.^t