Job

¹ Job continued his discourse:

² “As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice—

the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—

³ as long as my breath is still within me

and the breath of God remains in my nostrils,

⁴ my lips will not speak wickedness,

and my tongue will not utter deceit.

⁵ I will never say that you are right;

I will maintain my integrity until I die.

⁶ I will cling to my righteousness and never let go.

As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.

⁷ May my enemy be like the wicked

and my opponent like the unjust.

⁸ For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off,

when God takes away his life?

⁹ Will God hear his cry

when distress comes upon him?

¹⁰ Will he delight in the Almighty?

Will he call upon God at all times?

¹¹ I will instruct you in the power of God.

I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.

¹² Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves.

Why then do you keep up this empty talk?

¹³ This is the wicked man’s portion from God—

the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

¹⁴ Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword;

and his offspring will never have enough food.

¹⁵ His survivors will be buried by the plague,

and their widows will not weep for them.

¹⁶ Though he heaps up silver like dust

and piles up a wardrobe like clay,

¹⁷ what he lays up, the righteous will wear,

and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

¹⁸ The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon,

like a hut set up by a watchman.

¹⁹ He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;

when he opens his eyes, all is gone.

²⁰ Terrors overtake him like a flood;

a tempest sweeps 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 itself against him without mercy

as he flees headlong from its power.

²³ It claps its hands at him

and hisses him out of his place.