1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 Should not the multitude of words be answered?

And should a man full of talk be justified?

3 Should thy boastings make men hold their peace?

And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

4 For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure,

And I am clean in thine eyes.

5 But oh that God would speak,

And open his lips against thee,

6 And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom!

For he is manifold in understanding.

Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

7 Canst thou by searching find out God?

Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

8 It is high as heaven; what canst thou do?

Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth,

And broader than the sea.

10 If he pass through, and shut up,

And all unto judgment, then who can hinder him?

11 For he knoweth false men:

He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.

12 But vain man is void of understanding,

Yea, man is born as a wild ass’s colt.

13 If thou set thy heart aright,

And stretch out thy hands toward him;

14 If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away,

And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents.

15 Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot;

Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

16 For thou shalt forget thy misery;

Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away,

17 And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday;

Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope;

Yea, thou shalt search about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety.

19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid;

Yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail,

And they shall have no way to flee;

And their hope shall be the giving up of the ghost.

1 And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --

2 Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?

3 Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

4 And thou sayest, `Pure [is] my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.`

5 And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

6 And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, [Some] of thine iniquity.

7 By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

8 Heights of the heavens! -- what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! -- what knowest thou?

9 Longer than earth [is] its measure, And broader than the sea.

10 If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?

11 For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider [it]!

12 And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

13 If thou -- thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

14 If iniquity [is] in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.

15 For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

16 For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

17 And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest -- as the morning thou art.

18 And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched -- in confidence thou liest down,

19 And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

20 And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!