¹ Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, ² “Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,
And a talkative man be acquitted? ³ “Shall your boasts silence men?
And shall you scoff and none rebuke? ⁴ “For you have said, ‘My teaching is pure,
And I 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 has two sides.
Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity. ⁷ “Can you discover the depths of God?
Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? ⁸ “They are high as the heavens, what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? ⁹ “Its measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea. ¹⁰ “If He passes by or shuts up,
Or calls an assembly, who can restrain Him? ¹¹ “For He knows false men,
And He sees iniquity without investigating. ¹² “An idiot will become intelligent
When the foal of a wild donkey is born a man. ¹³ “If you would direct your heart right
And spread out your hand to Him, ¹⁴ If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents; ¹⁵ “Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect,
And you would be steadfast and not fear. ¹⁶ “For you would forget your trouble,
As waters that have passed by, you would remember it. ¹⁷ “Your life would be brighter 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 lie down and none would disturb you,
And many would entreat your favor. ²⁰ “But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And there will be no escape for them;
And their hope is to breathe their last.”