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Zophar Asks, Can You Find the Depths of God?

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

2 “Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,And a ^aman of lips be in the right?3 “Shall your boasts silence men?And shall you ^amock and none rebuke?4 “^aYou have said, ‘My learning is pure,And ^bI am innocent in your eyes.’5 “But would that God might speak,And open His lips against you,6 And tell you the secrets of wisdom!For sound wisdom ¹^ahas two sides.Know then that God ²forgets a part of ^byour iniquity.

7 “^aCan you find the depths of God?Can you find the limits of the Almighty?8 “They are ^ahigh as ¹the heavens, what can you do?Deeper than ^bSheol, what can you know?9 “Its measure is longer than the earthAnd broader than the sea.10 “If He sweeps by or shuts up,Or calls an assembly, ^awho can turn Him around?11 “For ^aHe knows worthless men,And He ^bsees wickedness, ¹so will He not carefully consider it?12 “¹^aYet an empty headed man will obtain a heart of wisdom,And the ²foal of a ^bwild donkey is born a man.

13 “^aIf you would ^bset your heart rightAnd ^cspread out your hand to Him,14 If wickedness is in your hand, ^aput it far away,And do not let unrighteousness dwell in your tents;15 Then, indeed, you could ^alift up your face without moral defect,And you would be steadfast and ^bnot fear.16 “For you would ^aforget your trouble,As ^bwaters that pass by, so you would remember it.17 “And your lifetime would ^aarise brighter than noonday;Darkness would be like the morning.18 “Then you would trust, because there is hope;And you would search around and rest securely.19 “You would ^alie down and none would make you tremble,And many would ^bentreat your ¹favor.20 “But the ^aeyes of the wicked will come to an end,And escape will ^bperish from them;And their ^chope is ^dthe expiring of their soul.”

Zophar Rebukes Job

Then Zophar the Naamathite ¹answered,

2 “Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,And a ^atalkative man be acquitted?3 “Shall your boasts silence men?And shall you ^ascoff and none rebuke?4 “For ^ayou have said, ‘My teaching is pure,And ^bI am innocent in your eyes.’5 “But would that God might speak,And open His lips against you,6 And show you the secrets of wisdom!For sound wisdom ¹^ahas two sides.Know then that God ²forgets a part of ^byour iniquity.

7 “^aCan you discover the depths of God?Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?8 “They are ^ahigh as ¹the heavens, what can you do?Deeper than ²^bSheol, what can you know?9 “Its measure is longer than the earthAnd broader than the sea.10 “If He passes by or shuts up,Or calls an assembly, ^awho can restrain Him?11 “For ^aHe knows false men,And He ^bsees iniquity ¹without investigating.12 “¹^aAn idiot will become intelligentWhen the ²foal of a ^bwild donkey is born a man.

13 “^aIf you would ^bdirect your heart rightAnd ^cspread out your hand to Him,14 If iniquity is in your hand, ^aput it far away,And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents;15 Then, indeed, you could ^alift up your face without moral defect,And you would be steadfast and ^bnot fear.16 “For you would ^aforget your trouble,As ^bwaters that have passed by, you would remember it.17 “Your ¹life would be ²^abrighter than noonday;Darkness would be like the morning.18 “Then you would trust, because there is hope;And you would look around and rest securely.19 “You would ^alie down and none would disturb you,And many would ^bentreat your ¹favor.20 “But the ^aeyes of the wicked will fail,And ¹there will ^bbe no escape for them;And their ^chope is ²^dto breathe their last.”