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Zophar's First Speech

So Much Foolish Talk

11 Zophar from Naamah[a] said:
So much foolish talk
    cannot go unanswered.
Your words have silenced others
    and made them ashamed;
now it is only right for you
    to be put to shame.
You claim to be innocent
and argue that your beliefs
    are acceptable to God.
But I wish God would speak
and let you know that wisdom
    has many different sides.
You would then discover
that God has punished you
    less than you deserve.

Can you understand the mysteries
    surrounding God All-Powerful?
They are higher than the heavens
    and deeper than the grave.
So what can you do
    when you know so little,
and these mysteries outreach
    the earth and the ocean?

10 If God puts you in prison
or drags you to court,
    what can you do?
11 God has the wisdom to know
when someone is worthless
    and sinful,
12 but it's easier to tame
a wild donkey
    than to make a fool wise.[b]

Surrender Your Heart to God

13 Surrender your heart to God,
    turn to him in prayer,
14 and give up your sins—
    even those you do in secret.
15 Then you won't be ashamed;
you will be confident
    and fearless.
16 Your troubles will go away
    like water beneath a bridge,
17 and your darkest night
    will be brighter than noon.
18 You will rest safe and secure,
filled with hope
    and emptied of worry.
19 You will sleep without fear
    and be greatly respected.
20 But those who are evil
will go blind and lose their way.
    Their only escape is death!

Job's Reply to Zophar

You Think You Are So Great

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Footnotes

  1. 11.1 Naamah: See the note at 2.11.
  2. 11.12 it's … wise: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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