“An idiot will become intelligent
When the foal of a wild donkey is born a man.

“But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And there will be no escape for them;
And their hope is to breathe their last.”

“Truly then you are the people,
And with you wisdom will die!

“Will you speak what is unjust for God,
And speak what is deceitful for Him?

“Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?

“Will it be well when He examines you?
Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?

“He will surely reprove you
If you secretly show partiality.

“Will not His majesty terrify you,
And the dread of Him fall on you?

“Though He slay me,
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

“This also will be my salvation,
For a godless man may not come before His presence.

“Behold now, I have prepared my case;
I know that I will be vindicated.

“Who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.

“Only two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:

“Then call, and I will answer;
Or let me speak, then reply to me.

“Will You cause a driven leaf to tremble?
Or will You pursue the dry chaff?

“For there is hope for a tree,
When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And its shoots will not fail.

At the scent of water it will flourish
And put forth sprigs like a plant.

So man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens are no longer,
He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep.

“If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my struggle I will wait
Until my change comes.

“You will call, and I will answer You;
You will long for the work of Your hands.

“I will tell you, listen to me;
And what I have seen I will also declare;

“He does not believe that he will return from darkness,
And he is destined for the sword.

“He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure;
And his grain will not bend down to the ground.

“He will not escape from darkness;
The flame will wither his shoots,
And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.

“Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself;
For emptiness will be his reward.

“It will be accomplished before his time,
And his palm branch will not be green.

“He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine,
And will cast off his flower like the olive tree.

“Lay down, now, a pledge for me with Yourself;
Who is there that will be my guarantor?

“For You have kept their heart from understanding,
Therefore You will not exalt them.

“He who informs against friends for a share of the spoil,
The eyes of his children also will languish.

“The upright will be appalled at this,
And the innocent will stir up himself against the godless.

“Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way,
And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

“Will it go down with me to Sheol?
Shall we together go down into the dust?”

“How long will you hunt for words?
Show understanding and then we can talk.

“How long will you torment me
And crush me with words?

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.

Whom I myself shall behold,
And whom my eyes will see and not another.
My heart faints within me!

He perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

Though he desires it and will not let it go,
But holds it in his mouth,

“He swallows riches,
But will vomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.

“In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped;
The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

“When he fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And will rain it on him while he is eating.

“He may flee from the iron weapon,
But the bronze bow will pierce him.

Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,
And unfanned fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.

“The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.

“The increase of his house will depart;
His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.

“For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity;
They will be led forth at the day of fury.

“Who will confront him with his actions,
And who will repay him for what he has done?

“While he is carried to the grave,
Men will keep watch over his tomb.

“The clods of the valley will gently cover him;
Moreover, all men will follow after him,
While countless ones go before him.

“How then will you vainly comfort me,
For your answers remain full of falsehood?”

“Will you keep to the ancient path
Which wicked men have trod,

“Yield now and be at peace with Him;
Thereby good will come to you.

“If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored;
If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,

Then the Almighty will be your gold
And choice silver to you.

“For then you will delight in the Almighty
And lift up your face to God.

“You will pray to Him, and He will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.

“You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;
And light will shine on your ways.

“When you are cast down, you will speak with confidence,
And the humble person He will save.

“He will deliver one who is not innocent,
And he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

“Behold, as wild donkeys in the wilderness
They go forth seeking food in their activity,
As bread for their children in the desert.

“The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight,
Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’
And he disguises his face.

“A mother will forget him;
The worm feeds sweetly till he is no longer remembered.
And wickedness will be broken like a tree.

My lips certainly will not speak unjustly,
Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.

“Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

“I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go.
My heart does not reproach any of my days.

“Will God hear his cry
When distress comes upon him?

“Will he take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?

“I will instruct you in the power of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

“Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword;
And his descendants will not be satisfied with bread.

“His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
And their widows will not be able to weep.

He may prepare it, but the just will wear it
And the innocent will divide the silver.

“For it will hurl at him without sparing;
He will surely try to flee from its power.

“Men will clap their hands at him
And will hiss him from his place.

“For I know that You will bring me to death
And to the house of meeting for all living.

What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

“So I say, ‘Listen to me,
I too will tell what I think.’

“Do not say,
‘We have found wisdom;
God will rout him, not man.’

“For he has not arranged his words against me,
Nor will I reply to him with your arguments.

“I too will answer my share,
I also will tell my opinion.

Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,
That he may see His face with joy,
And He may restore His righteousness to man.

“He will sing to men and say,
‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,
And it is not proper for me.

“If not, listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

“Surely, God will not act wickedly,
And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

“Shall one who hates justice rule?
And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne chastisement;
I will not offend anymore;

Teach me what I do not see;
If I have done iniquity,
I will not do it again’?

“Men of understanding will say to me,
And a wise man who hears me,

“For you say, ‘What advantage will it be to You?
What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’

“I will answer you,
And your friends with you.

“Surely God will not listen to an empty cry,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.

“Wait for me a little, and I will show you
That there is yet more to be said in God’s behalf.

“I will fetch my knowledge from afar,
And I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

“If they hear and serve Him,
They will end their days in prosperity
And their years in pleasures.

“But if they do not hear, they shall perish by the sword
And they will die without knowledge.

“Will your riches keep you from distress,
Or all the forces of your strength?

“The Almighty—we cannot find Him;
He is exalted in power
And He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness.

“Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
So that an abundance of water will cover you?

“Who sent out the wild donkey free?
And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,