1Then Zopharthe Naamathiteanswered,
2"Shall a multitudeof wordsgounanswered,And a talkativemanbe acquitted?
3"Shall your boastssilencemen?And shall you scoffand nonerebuke?
4"For you have said,'My teachingis pure,And I aminnocentin your eyes.'
5"But wouldthat Godmight speak,And openHis lipsagainstyou,
6And showyou the secretsof wisdom!For soundwisdomhas twosides.Knowthen that Godforgetsa part of your iniquity.
7"Can you discoverthe depthsof God?Can you discoverthe limitsof the Almighty?
8"[They are] highas the heavens,whatcan you do?DeeperthanSheol,whatcan you know?
9"Its measureis longerthanthe earthAnd broaderthanthe sea.
10"IfHe passesby or shutsup, Or callsan assembly,whocan restrainHim?
11"For He knowsfalse~men,And He seesiniquitywithoutinvestigating.
12"An idiotwill becomeintelligentWhen the foalof a wilddonkeyis borna man.
13"Ifyou would directyour heartrightAnd spreadout your handto Him,
14Ifiniquityis in your hand,putit faraway,And do not let wickednessdwellin your tents;
15"Then,indeed,you could liftup your facewithout[moral] defect,And you would be steadfastand not fear.
16"For you would forget[your] trouble,As watersthat have passedby, you would remember[it].
17"Your lifewould be brighterthannoonday;Darknesswould be like the morning.
18"Then you would trust,becausethereis hope;And you would lookaroundand restsecurely.
19"You would liedownand nonewould disturb[you], And manywould entreatyour favor.
20"But the eyesof the wickedwill fail,And there will be noescapefor them; And their hopeis to breathetheir last."
