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27 And Job addeth to lift up his simile, and saith: --

God liveth! He turned aside my judgment, And the Mighty -- He made my soul bitter.

For all the while my breath [is] in me, And the spirit of God in my nostrils.

My lips do not speak perverseness, And my tongue doth not utter deceit.

Pollution to me -- if I justify you, Till I expire I turn not aside mine integrity from me.

On my righteousness I have laid hold, And I do not let it go, My heart doth not reproach me while I live.

As the wicked is my enemy, And my withstander as the perverse.

For what [is] the hope of the profane, When He doth cut off? When God doth cast off his soul?

His cry doth God hear, When distress cometh on him?

10 On the Mighty doth he delight himself? Call God at all times?

11 I shew you by the hand of God, That which [is] with the Mighty I hide not.

12 Lo, ye -- all of you -- have seen, And why [is] this -- ye are altogether vain?

13 This [is] the portion of wicked man with God, And the inheritance of terrible ones From the Mighty they receive.

14 If his sons multiply -- for them [is] a sword. And his offspring [are] not satisfied [with] bread.

15 His remnant in death are buried, And his widows do not weep.

16 If he heap up as dust silver, And as clay prepare clothing,

17 He prepareth -- and the righteous putteth [it] on, And the silver the innocent doth apportion.

18 He hath built as a moth his house, And as a booth a watchman hath made.

19 Rich he lieth down, and he is not gathered, His eyes he hath opened, and he is not.

20 Overtake him as waters do terrors, By night stolen him away hath a whirlwind.

21 Take him up doth an east wind, and he goeth, And it frighteneth him from his place,

22 And it casteth at him, and doth not spare, From its hand he diligently fleeth.

23 It clappeth at him its hands, And it hisseth at him from his place.

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)