1Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:

2As God liveth, who hath rejected my cause, And the Almighty, who hath afflicted my soul;

3As long as my breath is in me, And the spirit of God is in my nostrils,

4Never shall my lips speak falsehood, Nor my tongue utter deceit.

5God forbid that I should acknowledge you to be just: To my last breath will I assert my integrity.

6I will hold fast my innocence, and not let it go; My heart reproacheth me for no part of my life.

7May mine enemy be as the wicked, And he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous!

8For what is the hope of the wicked, when God cutteth off his web, And taketh away his life?

9Will he listen to his cry, When trouble cometh upon him?

10Can he delight himself in the Almighty, And call at all times upon God?

11I will teach you concerning the hand of God; That which is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

12Behold, ye yourselves have all seen it; Why then do ye cherish such vain thoughts?

13This is the portion of the wicked man from God,—The inheritance which oppressors receive from the Almighty.

14If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

15Those of them that escape shall be buried by Death, And their widows shall not bewail them.

16Though he heap up silver as dust, And procure raiment as clay,—

17He may procure, but the righteous shall wear it, And the innocent shall share the silver.

18He buildeth his house like the moth, Or like the shed which the watchman maketh.

19The rich man lieth down, and is not buried; In the twinkling of an eye he is no more.

20Terrors pursue him like a flood; A tempest stealeth him away in the night.

21The east wind carrieth him away, and he perisheth; Yea, it sweepeth him away from his place.

22God sendeth his arrows at him, and doth not spare; He would fain escape from His hand.

23Men clap their hands at him, And hiss him away from his place.