Zophar

11 Then Zophar the Naamathiteg replied:

2 “Are all these words to go unanswered?h

Is this talker to be vindicated?i

3 Will your idle talkj reduce others to silence?

Will no one rebuke you when you mock?k

4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawlessl

and I am purem in your sight.’

5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,n

that he would open his lips against you

6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,o

for true wisdom has two sides.

Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.p

7 “Can you fathomq the mysteries of God?

Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

8 They are higherr than the heavenss above—what can you do?

They are deeper than the depths belowt—what can you know?u

9 Their measurev is longer than the earth

and wider than the sea.w

10 “If he comes along and confines you in prison

and convenes a court, who can oppose him?x

11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;

and when he sees evil, does he not take note?y

12 But the witless can no more become wise

than a wild donkey’s coltz can be born human.a a

13 “Yet if you devote your heartb to him

and stretch out your handsc to him,d

14 if you put awaye the sin that is in your hand

and allow no evilf to dwell in your tent,g

15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;h

you will stand firmi and without fear.j

16 You will surely forget your trouble,k

recalling it only as waters gone by.l

17 Life will be brighter than noonday,m

and darkness will become like morning.n

18 You will be secure, because there is hope;

you will look about you and take your resto in safety.p

19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,q

and many will court your favor.r

20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,s

and escape will elude them;t

their hope will become a dying gasp.”u