Job 11 | HCSB | STEP | Then Zophar the Naamathite replied :

‏ Job 11

Zophar Speaks

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

2 Should this stream of words ^a go unanswered
and such a talker ^{▼▼Lit a man of lips} be acquitted?
3 Should your babbling put others to silence,
so that you can keep on ridiculing
with no one to humiliate you?
4 You have said, “My teaching ^c is sound,
and I am pure in Your sight.”
5 But if only God would speak
and declare His case ^{▼▼Lit and open His lips} against you,
6 He would show you the secrets of wisdom, ^e
for true wisdom has two sides.
Know then that God has chosen to overlook some of your sin. ^f

7 Can you fathom the depths of God
or discover the limits of the ^{▼▼God Almighty: The Hebrew word is El Shaddai; El = "God," but the meaning of Shaddai is disputed; traditionally it is translated "Almighty".}Almighty? ^h
8 They are higher than the heavens – what can you do?
They are deeper than ^{▼▼Sheol: A Hebrew word for either the grave or the realm of the dead}Sheol – what can you know? ^j
9 Their measure is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.

10 If He passes by and throws someone in prison
or convenes a court, who can stop Him? ^k
11 Surely He knows which people are worthless.
If He sees iniquity, will He not take note of it? ^l
12 But a stupid man will gain understanding
as soon as a wild donkey is born a man!

13 As for you, if you redirect your heart
and lift up your hands to Him in prayer –
14 if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it,
and don’t allow injustice to dwell in your tents –
15 then you will hold your head high, free from fault.
You will be firmly established and unafraid. ^m
16 For you will forget your suffering,
recalling it only as waters that have flowed by.
17 Your life will be brighter than noonday;
its darkness ^{▼▼Text emended; MT reads noonday; you are dark, you} will be like the morning. ^o
18 You will be confident, because there is hope. ^p
You will look carefully about and lie down in safety. ^q

19 You will lie down without fear,
and many will seek your favor. ^r
20 But the sight of the wicked ^s will fail.
Their way of escape will be cut off,
and their only hope is their last breath. ^t