| New International Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: | 1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, |
| 2"Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated? | 2"Shall a multitude of words go unanswered, And a talkative man be acquitted? |
| 3Will your idle talk reduce others to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock? | 3"Shall your boasts silence men? And shall you scoff and none rebuke? |
| 4You say to God, 'My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in your sight.' | 4"For you have said, 'My teaching is pure, And I am innocent in your eyes.' |
| 5Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you | 5"But would that God might speak, And open His lips against you, |
| 6and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin. | 6And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity. |
| 7"Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? | 7"Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? |
| 8They are higher than the heavens above--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below--what can you know? | 8"They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? |
| 9Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. | 9"Its measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea. |
| 10"If he comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court, who can oppose him? | 10"If He passes by or shuts up, Or calls an assembly, who can restrain Him? |
| 11Surely he recognizes deceivers; and when he sees evil, does he not take note? | 11"For He knows false men, And He sees iniquity without investigating. |
| 12But the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey's colt can be born human. | 12"An idiot will become intelligent When the foal of a wild donkey is born a man. |
| 13"Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, | 13"If you would direct your heart right And spread out your hand to Him, |
| 14if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, | 14If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents; |
| 15then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear. | 15"Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, And you would be steadfast and not fear. |
| 16You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. | 16"For you would forget your trouble, As waters that have passed by, you would remember it. |
| 17Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. | 17"Your life would be brighter than noonday; Darkness would be like the morning. |
| 18You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. | 18"Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely. |
| 19You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor. | 19"You would lie down and none would disturb you, And many would entreat your favor. |
| 20But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; their hope will become a dying gasp." | 20"But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And there will be no escape for them; And their hope is to breathe their last." |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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