Job 27:4

4 my lips shall not speak wickedness, neither my tongue shall think a leasing (nor shall my tongue tell a lie).

Job 27:4 Meaning and Commentary

Job 27:4

My lips shall not speak wickedness
This is the thing he swears to, this the matter of his oath, not only that he would not speak a wicked word not anything corrupt, unsavoury, unchaste, profane, and idle nor speak evil of his neighbours and friends or of any man; but that he would not speak wickedly of himself, as he must do, if he owned himself to be a wicked man and an hypocrite as his friends charged him, and they would have had him confessed; but he swears he would not utter such wickedness as long as he had any breath in him:

nor my tongue utter deceit;
which respects the same thing; not merely any fallacy or lie, or what might impose upon and deceive another, which yet he was careful of; but such deceit and falsehood as would be a belying himself, which would be the case should he say that he was devoid of integrity and sincerity.

Job 27:4 In-Context

2 God liveth, that hath taken away my doom, and Almighty God, that hath brought my soul to bitterness. (The Lord God liveth, who hath taken away my justice, and Almighty God, who hath brought my soul to bitterness.)
3 For as long as breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
4 my lips shall not speak wickedness, neither my tongue shall think a leasing (nor shall my tongue tell a lie).
5 Far be it from me, that I deem you just (that I judge you right, or correct); till I fail (life), that is, (for) as long as I live, I shall not go away from mine innocence.
6 I shall not forsake my justifying, which I began to hold (fast to); for mine heart reproveth me not in all my life (for my heart shall not rebuke me in all my life).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.