Job 27
New International Reader's Version
Job’s Final Reply to His Friends
27 Job continued to speak. He said,
2 “God hasn’t treated me fairly.
The Mighty One has made my life bitter.
You can be sure that God lives.
And here’s something else you can be sure of.
3 As long as I have life
and God gives me breath,
4 my mouth won’t say evil things.
My lips won’t tell lies.
5 I’ll never admit you people are right.
Until I die, I’ll say I’m telling the truth.
6 I’ll continue to say I’m right.
I’ll never let go of that.
I won’t blame myself as long as I live.
7 “May my enemies suffer like sinful people!
May my attackers be punished like those who aren’t fair!
8 What hope do ungodly people have when their lives are cut short?
What hope do they have when God takes away their lives?
9 God won’t listen to their cry
when trouble comes on them.
10 They won’t take delight in the Mighty One.
They’ll never call out to God.
11 “I’ll teach all of you about God’s power.
I won’t hide the things the Mighty One does.
12 You have seen those things yourselves.
So why do you continue your useless talk?
13 “Here’s what God does to sinful people.
Here’s what those who are mean receive from the Mighty One.
14 All their children will be killed by swords.
They’ll never have enough to eat.
15 A plague will kill those who are left alive.
The widows of sinful men
won’t even weep over their own children.
16 Sinners might store up silver like dust
and clothes like piles of clay.
17 But people who do what is right will wear those clothes.
People who haven’t done anything wrong
will divide up that silver.
18 The house an evil person builds is like a moth’s cocoon.
It’s like a hut that’s made by someone on guard duty.
19 Sinful people lie down wealthy, but their wealth is taken away.
When they open their eyes, everything is gone.
20 Terrors sweep over them like a flood.
A storm takes them away during the night.
21 The east wind carries them off, and they are gone.
It sweeps them out of their houses.
22 It blows against them without mercy.
They try to escape from its power.
23 It claps its hands and makes fun of them.
It hisses them out of their houses.”
Job 27
English Standard Version
Job Continues: I Will Maintain My Integrity
27 And Job again (A)took up his discourse, and said:
2 “As God lives, who has (B)taken away my right,
and the Almighty, who has (C)made my soul bitter,
3 as long as my breath is in me,
and (D)the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
4 my lips will not speak (E)falsehood,
and my tongue will not utter (F)deceit.
5 Far be it from me to say that you are right;
till I die I will not put away my (G)integrity from me.
6 I (H)hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go;
my heart does not (I)reproach me for any of my days.
7 “Let my enemy be as the wicked,
and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.
8 (J)For what is the hope of the godless (K)when God cuts him off,
when God takes away his life?
9 (L)Will God hear his cry
when distress comes upon him?
10 Will he (M)take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call upon God at all times?
11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God;
(N)what is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves;
why then have you become altogether vain?
13 (O)“This is the portion of a wicked man with God,
and the heritage that (P)oppressors receive from the Almighty:
14 If his (Q)children are multiplied, it is for (R)the sword,
and his descendants have not enough bread.
15 Those who survive him the pestilence buries,
and his (S)widows do not weep.
16 Though he (T)heap up silver like dust,
and pile up clothing like clay,
17 he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it,
and (U)the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He builds his (V)house like a moth's,
like (W)a booth that (X)a watchman makes.
19 He goes to bed rich, but will (Y)do so no more;
he opens his eyes, and (Z)his wealth is gone.
20 (AA)Terrors overtake him like (AB)a flood;
in the night a whirlwind (AC)carries him off.
21 (AD)The east wind lifts him up and he is gone;
it (AE)sweeps him out of his place.
22 It[a] hurls at him (AF)without pity;
he flees from its[b] power in headlong flight.
23 It (AG)claps its hands at him
and (AH)hisses at him from its place.
Job 27
King James Version
27 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.
8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?
13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.
14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.
19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.
20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.
22 For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
23 Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.
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