Job’s Seventh Speech: A Response to Zophar

¹ Then¹ Job answered and said,

1. Hebrew “And”

² “Listen carefully to my words, and let this be your¹ consolation.

1. Plural

³ Bear with me, and I myself¹ will speak; then² after my speaking you can mock.

1. Emphatic personal pronoun
2. Hebrew “and”

⁴ As for me, is my complaint for human beings? And if so, why cannot I be impatient?

⁵ Turn to me and be appalled, and place your hand on your mouth.

⁶ And when I think of it, I am horrified,¹ and shuddering seizes my flesh.

1. Hebrew “and I am horrified”

⁷ “Why do the wicked live, grow old, even grow mighty in power?

⁸ With them their offspring are established ⌞before them⌟,¹ and their descendants before their eyes.

1. Literally “to their faces”

⁹ Their houses are safe without fear, and the rod of God is not upon them.

¹⁰ His bull breeds and does not fail; his cow calves and does not miscarry.

¹¹ They send out their little ones like the flock, and their children dance around.

¹² They ⌞sing⌟¹ to the tambourine and lyre, and they rejoice to the sound of the long flute.

1. Literally “they lift up their voices”

¹³ They spend their days in prosperity, and in peace they go down to Sheol.

¹⁴ And they say to God, ‘Turn away from us, for¹ we do not desire to know your ways.

1. Hebrew “and”

¹⁵ Who is Shaddai that we should serve him, or¹ what would we benefit when we plead with him?’

1. Hebrew “and”

¹⁶ Look, their prosperity is not in their hands; the schemes of the wicked are repugnant¹ to me.

1. Or “the plan of the wicked is repugnant”

¹⁷ “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, and their disaster comes upon them? He¹ distributes pains in his anger.

1. The antecedent is “God,” or possibly “the Almighty”

¹⁸ How often are they like straw ⌞before⌟¹ the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?

1. Literally “to the faces of”

¹⁹ ‘God stores up his iniquity for his children’?¹ Then let him repay it to him that² he may know.

1. Or “You say, ‘God stores up his iniquity for his children.’ ”
2. Hebrew “and”

²⁰ Let his eyes see his decay, and let him drink from the wrath of Shaddai,

²¹ for what ⌞does he care for⌟¹ his house after him, when the number of his months is² cut off?

1. Literally “his joy in”
2. Hebrew “are”

²² Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since¹ he himself² judges high ones?

1. Hebrew “and”
2. Emphatic personal pronoun

²³ This one dies ⌞in full prosperity⌟,¹ ⌞completely⌟² at ease and secure.

1. Literally “in the vigor of his prosperity”
2. Literally “all of him”

²⁴ His vats are full with milk and the marrow of his bones is moist.

²⁵ Yet¹ another dies with a bitter inner self² and has not tasted prosperity.

1. Hebrew “And”
2. Or “soul”

²⁶ They lie down together in the dust, and maggots cover them.

²⁷ “Look, I know your¹ thoughts and the schemes you devise against me.

1. Plural

²⁸ For you say, ‘Where is the nobleman’s house, and where are ⌞the tents in which the wicked dwell⌟?’¹

1. Literally “tent of dwelling places of wicked”

²⁹ Do you not ask those traveling the roads, and do you not take notice of their accounts?

³⁰ Indeed, the wicked is spared from the day of disaster; he is delivered from the day of wrath.

³¹ Who denounces his way to his face? And who repays him for what he has done?

³² When¹ he is brought to the grave, then² someone stands guard over the tomb.

1. Hebrew “And”
2. Hebrew “and”

³³ The clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone will follow after him, and ⌞before⌟¹ him ⌞they are innumerable⌟.²

1. Literally “to the faces of”
2. Literally “there is not number”

³⁴ So¹ how will you comfort me with emptiness, when² fraud is left in your answers?”

1. Hebrew “And”
2. Hebrew “and”