Study Desk

That You seek my guilt And search for my sin?

'If I am wicked, woe to me [for judgment comes]! And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head. For I am sated and filled with disgrace and the sight of my misery.

"For you have said, 'My teaching (doctrine) [that God knowingly afflicts the righteous] is pure, And I am innocent in your eyes.'

And [that He would] show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God forgets a part of your wickedness and guilt.

"If God passes by or arrests, Or calls an assembly [of judgment], who can restrain Him? [If He is against a man, who can call Him to account for it?]

"For He recognizes and knows false and worthless men, And He sees wickedness, will He not consider it?

"For you would forget your trouble; You would remember it as waters that have passed by.

"He who is at ease has contempt for misfortune, But misfortune is ready [and anxiously waiting] for those whose feet slip.

"Will you speak what is unjust for God, And speak what is deceitful for Him?

"Will you show partiality for Him [and be unjust to me so that you may gain favor with Him]? Will you contend and plead for God?

"Will it be well for you when He investigates you [and your tactics against me]? Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?

"This also will be my salvation, For a godless man may not come before Him.

"Who will argue and contend with me? For then I would be silent and die.

"For You write bitter things against me [in Your indictment] And make me inherit and suffer for the iniquities of my youth.

"For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that the shoots of it will not cease nor fail, [but there is no such hope for man].

"[Then] You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for [me] the work of Your hands.

"For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose [to speak] the language of the crafty and cunning.

"Are the consolations of God [as we have interpreted them to you] too trivial for you, [Or] were we too gentle toward you [in our first speech] to be effective?

"The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for him, the ruthless one.

"He does not believe that he will return out of the darkness [for fear of being murdered], And he is destined for the sword [of God's vengeance].