Job Chapter 27

27:1 Job again took up his parable, and said,

27:2 "As God lives, who has taken away my right, the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.

(a) He has so sore afflicted me that men cannot judge my uprightness; for they judge only by outward signs.

27:3 (For the length of my life is still in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils);

27:4 surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, neither shall my tongue utter deceit.

(b) However men judge me, yet will I not speak contrary to that which I have said, and so do wickedly in betraying the truth.

27:5 Far be it from me that I should justify you. Until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

27:6 I hold fast to my righteousness, and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

27:7 "Let my enemy be as the wicked. Let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.

27:8 For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

(f) What advantage has the dissembler to gain, seeing he will lose his own soul?

27:9 Will God hear his cry when trouble comes on him?

27:10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty, and call on God at all times?

27:11 I will teach you about the hand of God. That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

(g) That is, what God reserves for himself, and of which he gives not knowledge to all.

27:12 Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves; why then have you become altogether vain?

27:13 "This is the portion of a wicked man with God, the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty.

27:14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword. His offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

27:15 Those who remain of him shall be buried in death. His widows shall make no lamentation.

27:16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare clothing as the clay;

27:17 he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

27:18 He builds his house as the moth, as a booth which the watchman makes.

(m) Which breeds in another man�s possessions or garment, but is soon shaken out.

27:19 He lies down rich, but he shall not do so again. He opens his eyes, and he is not.

(n) He means that the wicked tyrants will not have a quiet death, nor be buried honourably.

27:20 Terrors overtake him like waters. A storm steals him away in the night.

27:21 The east wind carries him away, and he departs. It sweeps him out of his place.

27:22 For it hurls at him, and does not spare, as he flees away from his hand.

27:23 Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.