Zophar's First Response To Job

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite (a)answered,

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

1 Zophar from Naamath had this to say:

2 "Should not he that maketh many words, be answered? Should he that babbleth much, be commended therein?

2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

2 “Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,And a (A)talkative man be acquitted?

2 Should this stream of words(A) go unansweredand such a talker(a) be acquitted?

2 "Shouldn't a multitude of words be answered, or a person who talks too much be vindicated?

3 Should men give ear unto thee only? Thou wilt laugh other men to scorn; and shall nobody mock thee again?

3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

3 “Shall your boasts silence men?And shall you (B)scoff and none rebuke?

3 Should your babbling put others to silence,so that you can keep on ridiculingwith no one to humiliate you?

3 Will your irrational babble silence people, and when you mock them, will you escape without being shamed?

4 Wilt thou say unto God, 'The thing that I take in hand is perfect, and I am clean in thy sight'?

4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

4 “For (C)you have said, ‘My teaching is pure,And (D)I am innocent in your eyes.’

4 You have said, “My teaching(B) is sound,and I am pure in Your sight.”

4 You've said, "My teaching is flawless; I'm clean in God's sight.'

5 O that God would speak, and open his lips against thee,

5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

5 “But would that God might speak,And open His lips against you,

5 But if only God would speakand declare His case(b) against you,

5 "But what if God were to speak? What if he were to talk with you,

6 that he might show thee out of his secret wisdom how manifold his law is! Then shouldest thou know that God had forgotten thee, because of thy sins.

6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

6 And show you the secrets of wisdom!For sound wisdom (b)(E)has two sides.Know then that God (c)forgets a part of (F)your iniquity.

6 He would show you the secrets of wisdom,(C)for true wisdom has two sides.Know then that God has chosen to overlook some of your sin.(D)

6 and disclose his wise secrets? After all, there's so much more to understanding. So be aware that God will exact from you less than your sin deserves."

God Can Do As He Pleases

7 "Wilt thou find out God with thy seeking? Wilt thou attain to the perfectness of the Almighty?

7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

7 (G)Can you discover the depths of God?Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

7 Can you fathom the depths of Godor discover the limits of the Almighty?(E)

7 "Can you search through God's complex things? Can you uncover the limits of the Almighty?

8 He is higher than heaven; what wilt thou do? Deeper than hell; how wilt thou then know him?

8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

8 “They are (H)high as (d)the heavens, what can you do?Deeper than (e)(I)Sheol, what can you know?

8 They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?(F)

8 These things are higher than the heavens, so what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol, so what can you know?

9 His length exceedeth the length of the earth, and his breadth the breadth of the sea.

9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

9 “Its measure is longer than the earthAnd broader than the sea.

9 Their measure is longer than the earthand wider than the sea.

9 They are longer than the earth's circumference, and broader than the ocean.

10 Though he turn all things upside down, close them in, or thrust them together, who dare check him therefore?

10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

10 “If He passes by or shuts up,Or calls an assembly, (J)who can restrain Him?

10 If He passes by and throws someone in prisonor convenes a court, who can stop Him?(G)

10 "If he bypasses, or imprisons, or convenes a court, who can stop him?

11 For it is he that knoweth the vanity of men. He seeth their wickedness also; should he not then consider it?

11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

11 “For (K)He knows false men,And He (L)sees iniquity (f)without investigating.

11 Surely He knows which people are worthless.If He sees iniquity, will He not take note of it?(H)

11 For he knows mankind's deceitfulness; when he sees iniquity, won't he himself consider it?

12 A vain body exalteth himself, and man, newborn, is like a wild ass's colt.

12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

12 (g)(M)An idiot will become intelligentWhen the (h)foal of a (N)wild donkey is born a man.

12 But a stupid man will gain understandingas soon as a wild donkey is born a man!

12 An empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born a human being!"

Confess Your Sin And Be Forgiven

13 "If thou hadst now a right heart, and liftest up thine hands toward him;

13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

13 (O)If you would (P)direct your heart rightAnd (Q)spread out your hand to Him,

13 As for you, if you redirect your heartand lift up your hands to Him in prayer—

13 "Now for you, if you will prepare your heart, spread out your hands to him.

14 if thou wouldst put away the wickedness which thou hast in hand, so that no ungodliness dwelt in thy house;

14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

14 If iniquity is in your hand, (R)put it far away,And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents;

14 if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it,and don’t allow injustice to dwell in your tents—

14 If you have any iniquity, throw it far away. Don't let evil live in your residence.

15 Then mightest thou lift up thy face without shame! Then shouldest thou be sure, and have no need to fear.

15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

15 “Then, indeed, you could (S)lift up your face without moral defect,And you would be steadfast and (T)not fear.

15 then you will hold your head high, free from fault.You will be firmly established and unafraid.(I)

15 Then your confidence will be flawless, and your security will keep you from terror.

16 Then shouldest thou forget thy misery, and think no more upon it, than upon the waters that run by.

16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

16 “For you would (U)forget your trouble,As (V)waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

16 For you will forget your suffering,recalling it only as waters that have flowed by.

16 You'll forget your suffering; you'll remember it like water that has evaporated.

17 Then should the residue of thy life be as clear as the noon day, and spring forth as the morning.

17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

17 “Your (i)life would be (j)(W)brighter than noonday;Darkness would be like the morning.

17 Your life will be brighter than noonday;its darkness(c) will be like the morning.(J)

17 Your life will be brighter than noonday. Even its darkness will be like dawn.

18 Then mightest thou have comfort, in the hope that thou hast; and sleep quietly, when thou art buried.

18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

18 “Then you would trust, because there is hope;And you would look around and rest securely.

18 You will be confident, because there is hope.(K)You will look carefully about and lie down in safety.(L)

18 You'll be secure, because there is hope; you'll see that you're at rest and safe.

19 Then shouldest thou take thy rest, and no man to make thee afraid, yea many one should set much by thee.

19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

19 “You would (X)lie down and none would disturb you,And many would (Y)entreat your (k)favor.

19 You will lie down without fear,and many will seek your favor.(M)

19 When you sleep, there'll be nothing to fear; and many will court your favor.

20 As for the eyes of the ungodly, they shall be consumed, and not escape: their hope shall be misery and sorrow of mind."

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

20 “But the (Z)eyes of the wicked will fail,And (l)there will (AA)be no escape for them;And their (AB)hope is (m)(AC)to breathe their last.”

20 But the sight of the wicked(N) will fail.Their way of escape will be cut off,and their only hope is their last breath.(O)

20 But what the wicked look for will fail; their way of escape will be taken away from them; their only hope is to take their final breath."

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

King James Version Public Domain

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org