Zophar’s rebuke

¹ Zophar from Naamah responded:

² Should all these words go unanswered or a wordy man be justified?

³ Will your idle talk silence everyone; will you mock and not be put to shame?

Divine secrecy

⁴ You’ve said, “My teaching is pure, and I’m clean in God’s eyes.”

⁵ But oh, that God would speak, open his lips against you

⁶ and tell you secrets of wisdom; for sound insight has two sides. Know that God lets some of your sin be forgotten.

⁷ Can you find the secret of God or find the extent of the Almighty?

⁸ They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? Deeper than the underworld—what can you know?

⁹ Its measurement is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

¹⁰ If God passes by, imprisons someone, and calls a trial, who can stop him?

¹¹ He knows worthless people, sees sin, and certainly takes note.

Abiding hope

¹² A stupid person becomes intelligent when a wild ass of a person is born tame.

¹³ If you make your mind resolute and spread your palms to him,

¹⁴ if you throw out the sin in your hands and don’t let injustice dwell in your tents,

¹⁵ then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be secure and not fear.

¹⁶ You will forget trouble; you will remember it as water that flows past.

¹⁷ A life span will rise brighter than noon; darkness will be like morning.

¹⁸ You will be secure, for there is hope; you will look around and rest safely.

¹⁹ You will lie down without anyone to scare you; many will beg for your favor.

²⁰ The eyes of the wicked will grow faint; flight has vanished from them; their hope is a dying gasp.