27:1 Job again took up his discourse and said,
27:2 “As God lives, who has taken away my right,
And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul,
27:3 For as long as ①life is in me,
And the ②breath of God is in my nostrils,
▷ ①Lit breath ②Or spirit
27:4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly,
Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.
27:5 Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
Until I die, I will not ①give up my integrity.
▷ ①Lit remove from me
27:6 I have kept hold of my righteousness and will not let it go.
My heart does not rebuke any of my days.
27:7 “May my enemy be as the wicked,
And ①my opponent as the criminal.
▷ ①Lit one who rises up against me
27:8 For what is the hope of the godless when he makes an end of life,
When God requires his ①life?
▷ ①Or soul
27:9 Will God hear his cry
When distress comes upon him?
27:10 Or will he take pleasure in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
27:11 I will instruct you in the ①power of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
▷ ①Lit hand
27:12 Behold, all of you have seen it;
Why then do you talk of nothing?
27:13 “This is the portion of a wicked person from God,
And the inheritance which tyrants receive from the Almighty:
27:14 Though his sons are many, ①they are destined for the sword;
And his descendants will not be satisfied with bread.
▷ ①Lit the sword is for them
27:15 His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
And ①their widows will not be able to weep.
▷ ①As in ancient versions; Heb his
27:16 Though he piles up silver like dust,
And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,
27:17 He may prepare it, but the righteous will wear it
And the innocent will divide the silver.
27:18 He has built his house like the ①spider’s web,
Or a hut which the watchman has made.
▷ ①As in ancient versions; Heb moth
27:19 He lies down rich, but never ①again;
He opens his eyes, and it no longer exists.
▷ ①As in ancient versions; Heb will be gathered
27:20 Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A storm steals him away in the night.
27:21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone;
For it sweeps him away from his place.
27:22 For it will hurl at him without mercy;
He will certainly try to flee from its ①power.
▷ ①Lit hand
27:23 People will ①clap their hands at him,
And will whistle at him from their places.
▷ ①I.e., mock and ridicule him