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Job's friend Zophar speaks to him [ a ]

11 Job's friend Zophar, who came from Naamah, decided to speak. He said this to Job:

2 ‘Someone must answer all these words that you have spoken.
You have talked a lot,
but that does not mean that you are right.
3 Your proud words will not cause other people to say nothing.
We must make you ashamed when you laugh at us.
4 You have said, “The things that I teach are true.
God knows that I am a good man.”
5 So God himself should answer you.
He should tell you what he thinks.
6 He would show you the secret of wisdom.
True wisdom is not easy to understand.
But you must understand this:
God is punishing you less than you deserve.
7 You cannot discover everything about God.
You cannot know how powerful he is.
8 His power goes higher than the sky.
You cannot do anything about that.
His power goes deeper than the place of death.
You cannot know all about that.
9 The truth about God is wider than the whole earth.
It goes far beyond the sea.
10 God may catch you and put you in prison.
He may accuse you in a court.
Nobody can stop him doing that.
11 God knows the people who are not honest.
He sees the evil things that they do.
12 Wild donkeys never give birth to human children.
And foolish people never become wise!

13 As for you, Job, you should be faithful to God.
Raise your hands and pray to God.
14 If you want to do an evil thing,
stop yourself from doing it.
Do not let people do wrong things in your home.
15 Do what I say. Then you will not be ashamed any more.
Instead, you will be strong. You will not be afraid.
16 You will forget about your trouble.
It will be like water that has disappeared.
You will not remember it.
17 You will have a happy life
that is brighter than the sun at noon.
Even if trouble makes it dark,
it will still seem like a bright morning.
18 You will be safe as you trust God.
God will protect you.
You will be able to rest safely.
19 When you lie down to sleep,
you will not be afraid of anyone.
Many people will ask you to help them.

20 But wicked people will not find any help.
They cannot escape from their troubles.
They can only hope to die.’

Footnotes

  1. 11:1 Zophar tells Job that God knows everything. So Job must have done wrong things and God is punishing him. If he stops doing wrong things, he will be happy again.

Zophar Speaks to Job

11 Then Zophar from Naamah answered Job and said,

2 “This flood of words should be answered!
Does all this talking make Job right?
3 Do you think we don’t have
an answer for you?
Do you think no one will warn you
when you laugh at God?
4 You say to God,
‘My arguments are right,
and you can see I am pure.’
5 I wish God would answer you
and tell you that you are wrong.
6 He could tell you the secret of wisdom.
He would tell you that every story has two sides.
You can be sure of this:
God is not punishing you as much as he should.

7 “Do you think you really understand God?
Do you completely understand God All-Powerful?
8 That knowledge is higher than the heavens
and deeper than the place of death.
So what can you do?
How can you learn it all?
9 It is greater than the earth
and bigger than the seas.

10 “If God decides to arrest you and take you to court,
no one could stop him.
11 God knows who is worthless.
When he sees evil, he remembers it.
12 A wild donkey cannot give birth to a man,
and a stupid person will never become wise.
13 Prepare your heart to serve only God.
Lift your arms and pray to him.
14 Put away the sin that you still hold on to.
Don’t keep evil in your tent.
15 If you will do that, you could look to God without shame.
You can stand strong and not be afraid.
16 Then you can forget your troubles,
like water that has already passed by.
17 Your life will be brighter than the sunshine at noon.
Life’s darkest hours will shine like the morning sun.
18 You will feel safe because there is hope.
God will protect you and give you rest.
19 You will lie down without fear of anyone.
Many people will come to you for help.
20 Evil people might look for help,
but they will not escape their troubles.
Their hope leads only to death.”

11 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Zophar Rebukes Job

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,

2 “Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,
And a ( A ) talkative man be acquitted?
3 Shall your boasts silence people?
And will you ( B ) scoff, and no one rebuke?
4 For ( C ) you have said, ‘My teaching is pure,
And ( D ) I am innocent in your eyes.’
5 But if only God would speak,
And open His lips against you,
6 And show you the secrets of wisdom!
For sound wisdom [ a ] ( E ) has two sides.
Know then that God [ b ] forgets part of ( F ) your guilt.

7 “ ( G ) Can you discover the depths of God?
Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are as ( H ) high as [ c ] the heavens; what can you do?
Deeper than [ d ] ( I ) Sheol; what can you know?
9 Its measurement is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10 If He passes by or apprehends people ,
Or calls an assembly, ( J ) who can restrain Him?
11 For ( K ) He knows false people,
And He ( L ) sees injustice [ e ] without investigating.
12 [ f ] ( M ) An idiot will become intelligent
When a ( N ) wild donkey is born a human.

13 “ ( O ) If you would ( P ) direct your heart rightly
And ( Q ) spread out your hands to Him,
14 If wrongdoing is in your hand, ( R ) put it far away,
And do not let malice dwell in your tents;
15 Then, indeed, you could ( S ) lift up your face without moral blemish,
And you would be firmly established and ( T ) not fear.
16 For you would ( U ) forget your trouble;
Like ( V ) waters that have passed by, you would remember it .
17 Your [ g ] life would [ h ] be ( W ) brighter than noonday;
Darkness would be like the morning.
18 Then you would trust, because there is hope;
And you would look around and rest securely.
19 You would ( X ) lie down and none would disturb you ,
And many would [ i ] ( Y ) flatter you.
20 But the ( Z ) eyes of the wicked will fail,
And [ j ] there will ( AA ) be no escape for them;
And their ( AB ) hope is [ k ] ( AC ) to breathe their last.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:6 Lit is double
  2. Job 11:6 Lit causes to be forgotten for you
  3. Job 11:8 Lit the heights of heaven
  4. Job 11:8 I.e., the netherworld
  5. Job 11:11 Or and does not investigate
  6. Job 11:12 Lit A hollow man
  7. Job 11:17 Lit lifespan
  8. Job 11:17 Lit rise above noonday
  9. Job 11:19 Lit soften your face
  10. Job 11:20 Lit escape has perished from them
  11. Job 11:20 Lit the expiring of the soul

Zophar

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite ( A ) replied:

2 “Are all these words to go unanswered? ( B )
Is this talker to be vindicated? ( C )
3 Will your idle talk ( D ) reduce others to silence?
Will no one rebuke you when you mock? ( E )
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless ( F )
and I am pure ( G ) in your sight.’
5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak, ( H )
that he would open his lips against you
6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, ( I )
for true wisdom has two sides.
Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin. ( J )

7 “Can you fathom ( K ) the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher ( L ) than the heavens ( M ) above—what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths below ( N ) —what can you know? ( O )
9 Their measure ( P ) is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea. ( Q )

10 “If he comes along and confines you in prison
and convenes a court, who can oppose him? ( R )
11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;
and when he sees evil, does he not take note? ( S )
12 But the witless can no more become wise
than a wild donkey’s colt ( T ) can be born human. [ a ] ( U )

13 “Yet if you devote your heart ( V ) to him
and stretch out your hands ( W ) to him, ( X )
14 if you put away ( Y ) the sin that is in your hand
and allow no evil ( Z ) to dwell in your tent, ( AA )
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; ( AB )
you will stand firm ( AC ) and without fear. ( AD )
16 You will surely forget your trouble, ( AE )
recalling it only as waters gone by. ( AF )
17 Life will be brighter than noonday, ( AG )
and darkness will become like morning. ( AH )
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your rest ( AI ) in safety. ( AJ )
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, ( AK )
and many will court your favor. ( AL )
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail, ( AM )
and escape will elude them; ( AN )
their hope will become a dying gasp.” ( AO )

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:12 Or wild donkey can be born tame
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