Job: I will maintain my integrity
And Job continued his discourse: As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter, as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies. I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live. May my enemies be like the wicked, my adversaries like the unjust. For what hope have the godless when they are cut off, when God takes away their life? Does God listen to their cry when distress comes upon them? Will they find delight in the Almighty? Will they call on God at all times? I will teach you about the power of God; the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal. You have all seen this yourselves. Why then this empty talk? Here is the fate God allots to the wicked, the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty: However many his children, their fate is the sword; his offspring will never have enough to eat. The plague will bury those who survive him, and their widows will not weep for them. Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay, what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver. The house he builds is like a moth's cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman. He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone. Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest snatches him away in the night. The east wind carries him off, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place. It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power. It claps its hands in derision and hisses him out of his place.
And Job continued his discourse:
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,
the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,
As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
as long as I have life within me,
the breath of God in my nostrils,
All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
my lips will not say anything wicked,
and my tongue will not utter lies.
My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
I will never admit you are in the right;
till I die, I will not deny my integrity.
God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it;
my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
May my enemies be like the wicked,
my adversaries like the unjust.
Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.
For what hope have the godless when they are cut off,
when God takes away their life?
For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
Does God listen to their cry
when distress comes upon them?
Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
Will they find delight in the Almighty?
Will they call on God at all times?
Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
I will teach you about the power of God;
the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal.
I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
You have all seen this yourselves.
Why then this empty talk?
Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?
Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:
This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.
However many his children, their fate is the sword;
his offspring will never have enough to eat.
If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
The plague will bury those who survive him,
and their widows will not weep for them.
Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
Though he heaps up silver like dust
and clothes like piles of clay,
Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
what he lays up the righteous will wear,
and the innocent will divide his silver.
He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
The house he builds is like a moth's cocoon,
like a hut made by a watchman.
He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.
He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
when he opens his eyes, all is gone.
The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.
Terrors overtake him like a flood;
a tempest snatches him away in the night.
Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
The east wind carries him off, and he is gone;
it sweeps him out of his place.
The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.
It hurls itself against him without mercy
as he flees headlong from its power.
For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
It claps its hands in derision
and hisses him out of his place.
Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.