New American Standard Bible 1995 | New International Version |
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, | 1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: |
2"Shall a multitude of words go unanswered, And a talkative man be acquitted? | 2"Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated? |
3"Shall your boasts silence men? And shall you scoff and none rebuke? | 3Will your idle talk reduce others to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock? |
4"For you have said, 'My teaching is pure, And I am innocent in your eyes.' | 4You say to God, 'My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in your sight.' |
5"But would that God might speak, And open His lips against you, | 5Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you |
6And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity. | 6and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin. |
7"Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? | 7"Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? |
8"They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? | 8They are higher than the heavens above--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below--what can you know? |
9"Its measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea. | 9Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. |
10"If He passes by or shuts up, Or calls an assembly, who can restrain Him? | 10"If he comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court, who can oppose him? |
11"For He knows false men, And He sees iniquity without investigating. | 11Surely he recognizes deceivers; and when he sees evil, does he not take note? |
12"An idiot will become intelligent When the foal of a wild donkey is born a man. | 12But the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey's colt can be born human. |
13"If you would direct your heart right And spread out your hand to Him, | 13"Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, |
14If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents; | 14if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, |
15"Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, And you would be steadfast and not fear. | 15then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear. |
16"For you would forget your trouble, As waters that have passed by, you would remember it. | 16You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. |
17"Your life would be brighter than noonday; Darkness would be like the morning. | 17Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. |
18"Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely. | 18You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. |
19"You would lie down and none would disturb you, And many would entreat your favor. | 19You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor. |
20"But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And there will be no escape for them; And their hope is to breathe their last." | 20But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; their hope will become a dying gasp." |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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