Job Continues
I Am Desperate
1 Job said:
2 I am desperate because
God All-Powerful refuses
to do what is right.
As surely as God lives,
3 and while he gives me breath,
4 I will tell only the truth.
5 Until the day I die,
I will refuse to do wrong
by saying you are right,
6 because each day my conscience
agrees that I am innocent.
7 I pray that my enemies
will suffer no less
than the wicked.
8 Such people are hopeless,
and God All-Powerful
will cut them down,
9 without listening
when they beg for mercy.
10 And that is what God should do,
because they don't like him
or ever pray.
11 Now I will explain in detail
what God All-Powerful does.
12 All of you have seen these things
for yourselves.
So you have no excuse.
How God Treats the Wicked
13 Here is how God All-Powerful
treats those who are wicked
and brutal.
14 They may have many children,
but most of them will go hungry
or suffer a violent death.
15 Others will die of disease,
and their widows
won't be able to weep.
16 The wicked may collect riches
and clothes in abundance
as easily as clay.
17 But God's people will wear
clothes taken from them
and divide up their riches.
18 No homes built by the wicked
will outlast a cocoon
or a shack.
19 Those sinners may go to bed rich,
but they will wake up poor.
20 Terror will strike at night
like a flood or a storm.
21 Then a scorching wind
will sweep them away
22 without showing mercy,
as they try to escape.
23 At last, the wind will celebrate
because they are gone.
1 Moreouer Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying, 2 The liuing God hath taken away my iudgement: for the Almightie hath put my soule in bitternesse. 3 Yet so long as my breath is in me, and the Spirit of God in my nostrels, 4 My lips surely shall speake no wickednesse, and my tongue shall vtter no deceite. 5 God forbid, that I should iustifie you: vntill I dye, I will neuer take away mine innocencie from my selfe. 6 I will keepe my righteousnesse, and wil not forsake it: mine heart shall not reprooue me of my dayes. 7 Mine enemie shall be as the wicked, and he that riseth against me, as the vnrighteous. 8 For what hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped vp riches, if God take away his soule? 9 Will God heare his cry, when trouble commeth vpon him? 10 Will he set his delight on the Almightie? will he call vpon God at all times? 11 I will teache you what is in the hande of God, and I wil not conceale that which is with the Almightie. 12 Beholde, all ye your selues haue seene it: why then doe you thus vanish in vanitie? 13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of tyrants, which they shall receiue of the Almightie. 14 If his children be in great nomber, the sworde shall destroy them, and his posteritie shall not be satisfied with bread. 15 His remnant shall be buried in death, and his widowes shall not weepe. 16 Though he shoulde heape vp siluer as the dust, and prepare rayment as the clay, 17 He may prepare it, but the iust shall put it on, and the innocent shall deuide the siluer. 18 He buildeth his house as the moth, and as a lodge that the watchman maketh. 19 When the rich man sleepeth, he shall not be gathered to his fathers: they opened their eyes, and he was gone. 20 Terrours shall take him as waters, and a tempest shall cary him away by night. 21 The East winde shall take him away, and he shall depart: and it shall hurle him out of his place. 22 And God shall cast vpon him and not spare, though he would faine flee out of his hand. 23 Euery man shall clap their hands at him, and hisse at him out of their place.