Job 11

Zophar: God’s wisdom is beyond your reach

¹Then Zophar the Naamathite answered: ²Should such a flood of words go unanswered? \q Should a man be proved right by talking? ³Should your empty talk reduce people to silence? \q When you mock, should no one shame you? ⁴For you say, ‘My teaching is sound, \q and I am clean in your sight.’ ⁵But oh, if only God would speak, \q and open his lips against you! ⁶and show you the secrets of wisdom, \q for true wisdom has two sides. \q Know then that God has overlooked part of your guilt.^{ab 7}Can you discover the depths of God? \q Can you reach the limits of the Almighty? ⁸It is higher than the heavens; what can you do? \q It is deeper than Sheol; what can you know? ⁹Its measure is longer than the earth \q and wider than the sea. ¹⁰If he passes through and arrests someone \q and calls the court together, \q who can stop him? ¹¹For he knows who is false; \q when he sees wickedness, will he not take note of it?^{c 12}A senseless person will become wise \q when a wild donkey’s colt is born human.^{d 13}If you set your heart right \q and spread out your hands to him, ¹⁴if there is wrong in your hand, put it far away, \q and let no injustice live in your tents, ¹⁵then you will lift up your face without shame; \q you will stand firm and have no fear. ¹⁶You will forget your trouble; \q you will remember it like water that has flowed away. ¹⁷Your life will be brighter than noonday; \q its darkness will become like the morning.^{e 18}You will feel secure, because there is hope; \q you will look around you and rest in safety.^{f 19}You will lie down with no one to make you afraid, \q and many will seek your favor. ²⁰But the eyes of the wicked will fail; \q there will be no escape for them, \q and their only hope will be to breathe their last.