New International Version NIV
New International Reader's Version NIRV
1 And Job continued his discourse:
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Job continued to speak. He said,
2 “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,
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"God hasn't treated me fairly. The Mighty One has made my spirit bitter. You can be sure that God lives. And here's something else you can be sure of.
3 as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils,
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As long as I have life and God gives me breath,
4 my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies.
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my mouth won't say evil things. My lips won't tell lies.
5 I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity.
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I'll never admit you people are right. Until I die, I'll say I'm telling the truth.
6 I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.
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I'll continue to say I'm right. I'll never let go of that. I won't blame myself as long as I live.
7 “May my enemy be like the wicked, my adversary like the unjust!
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"May my enemies suffer like sinful people! May my attackers be punished like those who aren't fair!
8 For what hope have the godless when they are cut off, when God takes away their life?
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What hope do ungodly people have when their lives are cut off? What hope do they have when God takes away their lives?
9 Does God listen to their cry when distress comes upon them?
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God won't listen to their cry when trouble comes on them.
10 Will they find delight in the Almighty? Will they call on God at all times?
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They won't take delight in the Mighty One. They'll never call out to God.
11 “I will teach you about the power of God; the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal.
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"I'll teach all of you about God's power. I won't hide the things the Mighty One does.
12 You have all seen this yourselves. Why then this meaningless talk?
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You have seen those things yourselves. So why do you continue your useless talk?
13 “Here is the fate God allots to the wicked, the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:
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"Here's what God does to sinful people. Here's what those who are mean receive from the Mighty One.
14 However many his children, their fate is the sword; his offspring will never have enough to eat.
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All of their children will be killed with swords. They'll never have enough to eat.
15 The plague will bury those who survive him, and their widows will not weep for them.
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A plague will kill those who are left alive. The widows of sinful men won't even sob over their own children.
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay,
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Sinners might store up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay.
17 what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver.
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But people who do what is right will wear those clothes. People who haven't done anything wrong will divide up that silver.
18 The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman.
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The house an evil person builds is like a moth's cocoon. It's like a hut that's made by someone on guard duty.
19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone.
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Sinful people lie down wealthy, but their wealth is taken away. When they open their eyes, everything is gone.
20 Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest snatches him away in the night.
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Terrors sweep over them like a flood. A storm takes them away during the night.
21 The east wind carries him off, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.
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The east wind carries them off, and they are gone. It sweeps them out of their houses.
22 It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.
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It blows against them without mercy. They try to escape from its power.
23 It claps its hands in derision and hisses him out of his place.”
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It claps its hands and makes fun of them. It hisses them out of their houses.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.