Job Maintains His Integrity
1 Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
2 "As God lives, Job 34:5who has taken away my justice,
And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
3 As long as my breath is in me,
And the breath of God in my nostrils,
4 My lips will not speak wickedness,
Nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 Far be it from me
That I should say you are right;
Till I die Job 2:9; 13:15I will not put away my integrity from me.
6 My righteousness I Job 2:3; 33:9hold fast, and will not let it go;
Acts 24:16My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.
7 "May my enemy be like the wicked,
And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.
8 Matt. 16:26; Luke 12:20For what is the hope of the hypocrite,
Though he may gain much,
If God takes away his life?
9 Job 35:12, 13; Ps. 18:41; Prov. 1:28; 28:9; (Is. 1:15); Jer. 14:12; Ezek. 8:18; (Mic. 3:4; John 9:31; James 4:3)Will God hear his cry
When trouble comes upon him?
10 Job 22:26, 27; (Ps. 37:4; Is. 58:14)Will he delight himself in the Almighty?
Will he always call on God?
11 "I will teach you about the hand of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Surely all of you have seen it;
Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?
13 "ThisJob 20:29 is the portion of a wicked man with God,
And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty:
14 Deut. 28:41; Esth. 9:10; Hos. 9:13If his children are multiplied, itis for the sword;
And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15 Those who survive him shall be buried in death,
And Ps. 78:64their widows shall not weep,
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust,
And piles up clothing like clay—
17 He may pile it up, but Prov. 28:8; (Eccl. 2:26)the just will wear it,
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He builds his house like a moth,
Is. 1:8; Lam. 2:6Like a booth which a watchman makes.
19 The rich man will lie down,
But not be gathered up;
He opens his eyes,
And he isJob 7:8, 21; 20:7no more.
20 Job 18:11Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A tempest steals him away in the night.
21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone;
It sweeps him out of his place.
22 It hurls against him and does not Jer. 13:14; Ezek. 5:11; 24:14spare;
He flees desperately from its power.
23 Men shall clap their hands at him,
And shall hiss him out of his place.