Job 27

_1-2I swear by the living Almighty God,

who refuses me justice and makes my life bitter —

₃as long as God gives me breath,

₄my lips will never say anything evil,

my tongue will never tell a lie.

₅I will never say that you men are right;

I will insist on my innocence to my dying day.

₆I will never give up my claim to be right;

my conscience is clear.

₇May all who oppose me and fight against me

be punished like the wicked and the unrighteous.

₈What hope is there for the godless

in the hour when God demands their life?

₉When trouble comes, will God hear their cries?

₁₀They should have desired the joy he gives;

they should have constantly prayed to him.

₁₁Let me teach you how great is God's power,

and explain what Almighty God has planned.

₁₂But no, after all, you have seen for yourselves;

so why do you talk such nonsense?

₁₃This is how Almighty God

punishes wicked, violent people.

₁₄They may have many sons,

but all will be killed in war;

their children never have enough to eat.

₁₅Those who survive will die from disease,

and even their widows will not mourn their death.

₁₆The wicked may have too much silver to count

and more clothes than anyone needs;

₁₇but some good person will wear the clothes,

and some honest person will get the silver.

₁₈The wicked build houses like a spider's web

or like the hut of a slave guarding the fields.

₁₉One last time they will lie down rich,

and when they wake up, they will find their wealth gone.

₂₀Terror will strike like a sudden flood;

a wind in the night will blow them away;

₂₁the east wind will sweep them from their homes;

₂₂it will blow down on them without pity

while they try their best to escape.

₂₃The wind howls at them as they run,

frightening them with destructive power.