1Then Zophar from Naama replied [to Job],

2"Shouldn't someone answer this flood of words? Should a good public speaker be acquitted?

3Should your empty talk silence others so that you can make fun of us without any shame?

4You say, 'My teaching is morally correct,' and, 'As you can see, I'm innocent.'

5I only wish God would speak and open his mouth [to talk] to you.

6He would tell you the secrets of wisdom, because [true] wisdom is twice [as great as your wisdom], and you would know that God forgets your sin.

7"Can you discover God's hidden secrets, or are you able to find the Almighty's limits?

8[God's wisdom is] higher than heaven. What can you do? It is deeper than [the depths] of hell. What can you know?

9It is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

10If God comes along and imprisons [someone] and then calls a court into session, who can stop him?

11He knows who the scoundrels are. And when he sees sin, doesn't he pay attention to it?

12But an empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born tame.

13"If you want to set your heart right, then pray to him.

14If you're holding on to sin, put it far away, and don't let injustice live in your tent.

15Then you will be able to show your face without being ashamed, and you will be secure and unafraid.

16[Then] you will forget your misery and remember it like water that has flowed downstream.

17Then your life will be brighter than the noonday sun. The darkness in your life will become like morning.

18You will feel confident because there's hope, and you will look around and rest in safety.

19You will lie down with no one to frighten you, and many people will try to gain your favor.

20But the wicked will lose their eyesight. Their escape route will be closed. Their only hope is to take their last breath."