Job 11

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,	1 Zophar of Naamath spoke next. He said:
2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?	2 Is babbling to go without an answer? Is wordiness a proof of uprightness?
3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?	3 Do you think your talking strikes people dumb, will you jeer with no one to refute you?
4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.	4 These were your words, 'My conduct is pure, in your eyes I am free of blame!'
5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;	5 Wil no one let God speak, open his lips and give you answer,
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.	6 show you the secrets of wisdom which put all cleverness to shame? Then you would realise that Godis cal ing you to account for your sin.
7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?	7 Can you claim to fathom the depth of God, can you reach the limit of Shaddai?
8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?	8 It is higher than the heavens: what can you do? It is deeper than Sheol: what can you know?
9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.	9 It would be longer to measure than the earth and broader than the sea.
10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?	10 If he intervenes to close or convoke the assembly, who is to prevent him?
11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?	11 He knows how deceptive human beings are, and he sees their misdeeds too, and marks them wel .
12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.	12 Hence empty-headed people would do wel to study sense and people who behave like wild donkeysto let themselves be tamed.
13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;	13 Come, reconsider your attitude, stretch out your hands towards him!
14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.	14 If you repudiate the sin which you have doubtless committed and do not al ow wickedness to live onin your tents,
15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:	15 you wil be able to raise an unsullied face, unwavering and free from fear,
16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:	16 for you wil forget about your misery, thinking of it only as a flood that passed long ago.
17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.	17 Then begins an existence more radiant than noon, and the very darkness wil be bright as 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.	18 Confident because there is hope; after your troubles, you wil sleep secure.
19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.	19 When you lie down to rest, no one will trouble you, and many wil seek your favour.
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.	20 But as for the wicked, their eyes are weary, there is no refuge for them; their only hope is to breathetheir last.