Study Desk

Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

"Shall a multitude of words go unanswered, And a talkative man be acquitted?

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

"Shall your boasts silence people? And will you scoff, and no one rebuke?

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

"For you have said, 'My teaching is pure, And I am innocent in your eyes.'

For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

"But if only God would speak, And open His lips against you,

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know then that God forgets part of your guilt.

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.

"Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

"They are as high as the heavens; what can you do? Deeper than Sheol; what can you know?

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

"Its measurement is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

"If He passes by or apprehends people, Or calls an assembly, who can restrain Him?

If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

"For He knows false people, And He sees injustice without investigating.

For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

"An idiot will become intelligent When a wild donkey is born a human.

For vain men would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

"If you would direct your heart rightly And spread out your hands to Him,

If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

If wrongdoing is in your hand, put it far away, And do not let malice dwell in your tents;

If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral blemish, And you would be firmly established and not fear.

For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

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

Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

"Your life would be brighter than noonday; Darkness would be like the morning.

And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

"Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely.

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

"You would lie down and none would disturb you, And many would flatter you.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

"But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And there will be no escape for them; And their hope is to breathe their last."

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.