| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, | 1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: |
| 2Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? | 2Should this stream of words go unanswered and such a talker be acquitted? |
| 3Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? | 3Should your babbling put others to silence, so that you can keep on ridiculing with no one to humiliate you? |
| 4For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. | 4You have said, "My teaching is sound, and I am pure in Your sight." |
| 5But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee; | 5But if only God would speak and declare His case against you, |
| 6And 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. | 6He would show you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God has chosen to overlook some of your sin. |
| 7Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? | 7Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty? |
| 8It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? | 8They are higher than the heavens--what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol--what can you know? |
| 9The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. | 9Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. |
| 10If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? | 10If He passes by and throws someone in prison or convenes a court, who can stop Him? |
| 11For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it? | 11Surely He knows which people are worthless. If He sees iniquity, will He not take note of it? |
| 12For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt. | 12But a stupid man will gain understanding as soon as a wild donkey is born a man! |
| 13If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; | 13As for you, if you redirect your heart and lift up your hands to Him in prayer-- |
| 14If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. | 14if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it, and don't allow injustice to dwell in your tents-- |
| 15For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: | 15then you will hold your head high, free from fault. You will be firmly established and unafraid. |
| 16Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away: | 16For you will forget your suffering, recalling it only as waters that have flowed by. |
| 17And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. | 17Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning. |
| 18And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. | 18You will be confident, because there is hope. You will look carefully about and lie down in safety. |
| 19Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. | 19You will lie down without fear, and many will seek your favor. |
| 20But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost. | 20But the sight of the wicked will fail. Their way of escape will be cut off, and their only hope is their last breath. |
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