1 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man of much talk be justified?

3 Should thy fictions make men hold their peace? and shouldest thou mock, and no one 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 shew thee the secrets of wisdom, how that they are the double of what is realised; and know that +God passeth by {much} of thine iniquity!

7 Canst thou by searching find out +God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

8 {It is as} the heights of heaven; what wilt 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 by, and shut up, and call to judgment, who can hinder him?

11 For he knoweth vain men, and seeth wickedness when {man} doth not consider it;

12 Yet a senseless man will make bold, though man be born {like} the foal of a wild ass.

13 If thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands toward him,

14 If thou put far away the iniquity which is in thy hand, and let not wrong dwell in thy tents;

15 Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear:

16 For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;

17 And life shall arise brighter than noonday; though thou be enshrouded in darkness, thou shalt be as the morning,

18 And thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about {thee}, thou shalt take rest in safety.

19 Yea, thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; and many shall seek thy favour.

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and {all} refuge shall vanish from them, and their hope {shall be} the breathing out of life.

1 拿玛人琐法回答说：

2 "这许多的话怎可不回答， 多嘴多舌的人怎能算为义呢？

3 你胡言乱语可使人不作声吗？你嘲笑的时候， 无人责备吗？

4 你说： ‘我的道理纯全， 我在你眼前洁净。’

5 但愿 神说话， 愿他开口跟你说话，

6 把智慧的奥秘向你显明， 因为真的智慧有两面。你当知道 神已忘记了你一部分的罪孽。

7 神高深莫测之事你怎能查出呢？全能者的终极你怎能洞悉呢？

8 他的智慧高于诸天， 你能作什么呢？比阴间还深， 你怎能识透？

9 他的智慧比地长， 比海宽。

10 他若过来把人囚禁， 召人受审， 谁能阻止他呢？

11 因为他认识虚谎的人， 他看见欺诈， 怎能不鉴察？

12 虚妄的人悟出慧心， 就像野驴生子为人。

13 你若心里归向他， 又向他伸手祷告；

14 你若远远地除掉你手里的欺诈， 不让不义居在你的帐棚里；

15 那么你必仰面， 毫无愧色； 你也必坚定稳妥， 无所惧怕。

16 你必忘记你的苦楚， 回忆好像逝去的流水，

17 你们的人生必明亮如正午， 虽然黑暗仍像早晨。

18 因为有指望， 你必安稳， 你必四处巡查， 安然睡觉。

19 你躺卧， 不受惊吓， 必有很多人求你的情面。

20 但恶人的眼目必昏花， 逃亡之路也必断绝， 他们的指望就是最后的一口气。"