Job 11

“Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,
And a talkative man be acquitted?

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

“Shall your boasts silence men?
And shall you scoff and none rebuke?

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

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

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

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

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

And show you the secrets of wisdom!
For sound wisdom ^[b]has two sides.
Know then that God ^[c]forgets a part of your iniquity.

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.

“Can you discover the depths of God?
Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

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

“They are high as ^[d]the heavens, what can you do?
Deeper than ^[e]Sheol, what can you know?

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

“Its measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.

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

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

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

“For He knows false men,
And He sees iniquity ^[f]without investigating.

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

“^[g]An idiot will become intelligent
When the ^[h]foal of a wild donkey is born a man.

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

“If you would direct your heart right
And spread out your hand to Him,

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

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

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

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

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

“For you would forget your trouble,
As waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

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

“Your ^[i]life would be ^[j]brighter than noonday;
Darkness would be like the morning.

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

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

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

“You would lie down and none would disturb you,
And many would entreat your ^[k]favor.

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

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