Job Continues: I Will Maintain My Integrity
And Job again atook up his discourse, and said:
2 “As God lives, who has ataken away my right,
and the Almighty, who has bmade my soul bitter,
3 as long as my breath is in me,
and athe spirit of God is in my nostrils,
4 my lips will not speak afalsehood,
and my tongue will not utter adeceit.
5 Far be it from me to say that you are right;
till I die I will not put away my aintegrity from me.
6 I ahold fast my righteousness and will not let it go;
my heart does not breproach me for any of my days.
7 “Let my enemy be as the wicked,
and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.
8 aFor what is the hope of the godless bwhen God cuts him off,
when God takes away his life?
9 aWill God hear his cry
when distress comes upon him?
10 Will he atake delight in the Almighty?
Will he call upon God at all times?
11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God;
awhat is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves;
why then have you become altogether vain?
13 a“This is the portion of a wicked man with God,
and the heritage that boppressors receive from the Almighty:
14 If his achildren are multiplied, it is for bthe sword,
and his descendants have not enough bread.
15 Those who survive him the pestilence buries,
and his awidows do not weep.
16 Though he aheap up silver like dust,
and pile up clothing like clay,
17 he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it,
and athe innocent will divide the silver.
18 He builds his ahouse like a moth’s,
like ba booth that ca watchman makes.
19 He goes to bed rich, but will ado so no more;
he opens his eyes, and bhis wealth is gone.
20 aTerrors overtake him like ba flood;
in the night a whirlwind ccarries him off.
21 aThe east wind lifts him up and he is gone;
it bsweeps him out of his place.
22 It hurls at him awithout pity;
he flees from its power in headlong flight.
23 It aclaps its hands at him
and bhisses at him from its place.