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27 Job continued his answer:

“God All-Powerful has been unfair to me;
    he has made my life bitter.
But I swear by his life,
    as long as I have life in me,
    as long as breath from God is in my nostrils,
I will not be a hypocrite.
    I will not lie.
You will never hear me say you men are right!
    Until the day I die I will not be untrue to myself.
I will hold on to my innocence and never let go!
    My conscience will always be clear!
May my enemies be punished like those who are evil.
    May those who stood against me end up like all who have done wrong.
What hope do people without God have when it is time to die,
    when God takes their life away?
When they have troubles and cry out for help,
    God will not listen to them!
10 It will be too late for them to enjoy talking with God All-Powerful.
    They should have prayed to God all the time.

11 “I will teach you about God’s power.
    I will not hide anything about God All-Powerful.
12 But you have seen it all with your own eyes.
    So why do you say such useless things?

13 [a] “Here is what God has planned for those who are evil.
    This is what cruel people will get from God All-Powerful.
14 They may have many children, but all of them will be killed in war.
    Or their children will not have enough to eat.
15 All those who are left will die,
    and the widows will not even cry for them.
16 Evil people collect silver as easily as dirt.
    They may have so many clothes that they are piled up like clay.
17 But their piles of clothes will be worn by those who have lived right.
    All that silver will be given to those who have done no wrong.
18 Evil people might build houses, but they will not last long.
    They will be like a spider’s web or a guard’s tent.
19 They might be rich when they go to bed,
    but when they open their eyes, all their riches will be gone.
20 Terrible fears will come over them like a flood,
    like a storm in the night that blows everything away.
21 The east wind will carry them away, and they will be gone.
    The storm will sweep them out of their homes.
22 They may try to run away from the power of the storm,
    but it will come down on them without mercy.
23 It will make a sound like clapping hands as they run away.
    It will whistle at them as they run from their homes.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 27:13 Though Zophar is not mentioned in the text, many scholars think he answers Job in verses 13-23.

Job’s Final Word to His Friends

27 And Job continued his discourse:(A)

“As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,(B)
    the Almighty,(C) who has made my life bitter,(D)
as long as I have life within me,
    the breath of God(E) in my nostrils,
my lips will not say anything wicked,
    and my tongue will not utter lies.(F)
I will never admit you are in the right;
    till I die, I will not deny my integrity.(G)
I will maintain my innocence(H) and never let go of it;
    my conscience(I) will not reproach me as long as I live.(J)

“May my enemy be like the wicked,(K)
    my adversary(L) like the unjust!
For what hope have the godless(M) when they are cut off,
    when God takes away their life?(N)
Does God listen to their cry
    when distress comes upon them?(O)
10 Will they find delight in the Almighty?(P)
    Will they call on God at all times?

11 “I will teach you about the power of God;
    the ways(Q) of the Almighty I will not conceal.(R)
12 You have all seen this yourselves.
    Why then this meaningless talk?

13 “Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
    the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:(S)
14 However many his children,(T) their fate is the sword;(U)
    his offspring will never have enough to eat.(V)
15 The plague will bury those who survive him,
    and their widows will not weep for them.(W)
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust(X)
    and clothes like piles of clay,(Y)
17 what he lays up(Z) the righteous will wear,(AA)
    and the innocent will divide his silver.(AB)
18 The house(AC) he builds is like a moth’s cocoon,(AD)
    like a hut(AE) made by a watchman.
19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;(AF)
    when he opens his eyes, all is gone.(AG)
20 Terrors(AH) overtake him like a flood;(AI)
    a tempest snatches him away in the night.(AJ)
21 The east wind(AK) carries him off, and he is gone;(AL)
    it sweeps him out of his place.(AM)
22 It hurls itself against him without mercy(AN)
    as he flees headlong(AO) from its power.(AP)
23 It claps its hands(AQ) in derision
    and hisses him out of his place.”(AR)