Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Should not the multitude of words be answered?
And should a man full of talk be justified?
Should thy boastings make men hold their peace?
And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure,
And I am clean in thine eyes.
But oh that God would speak,
And open his lips against thee,
And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom!
For he is manifold in understanding.
Know therefore that God {Or, remitteth (Hebrew: causeth to be forgotten) unto thee of thine iniquity}exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.
{Or, Canst thou find out the deep things of God?}Canst thou by searching find out God?
Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
{Hebrew: The heights of heaven.}It is high as heaven; what canst thou do?
Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?
The measure thereof is longer than the earth,
And broader than the sea.
If he pass through, and shut up,
And {Hebrew: call an assembly.}call unto judgment, then who can hinder him?
For he knoweth false men:
He seeth iniquity also, {Or, and him that considereth not}even though he consider it not.
{Or, But an empty man will get understanding, when a wild ass's colt is born a man}But vain man is void of understanding,
Yea, man is born as a wild ass's colt.
If thou set thy heart aright,
And stretch out thy hands toward him;
If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away,
And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents.
Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot;
Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
For thou shalt forget thy misery;
Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away,
And thy life shall {Or, rise above}be clearer than the noonday;
Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.
And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope;
Yea, thou shalt search about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety.
Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid;
Yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail,
And {Hebrew: refuge is perished from them.}they shall have no way to flee;
And their hope shall be the giving up of the ghost.
Querverweise zu Hiob 11,15 Hiob 11,15
If I be wicked, woe unto me;And if I be righteous, yet shall I not lift up my head;Being filled with ignominy,And looking upon mine affliction.
A Psalm of David.Jehovah is my light and my salvation;Whom shall I fear?Jehovah is the {Or, stronghold}strength of my life;Of whom shall I be afraid?
For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty,And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah; set to Alamoth. A Song.God is our refuge and strength,A very present help in trouble.
but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
For he shall never be moved;The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:His heart is fixed, trusting in Jehovah.
His heart is established, he shall not be afraid,Until he see his desire upon his adversaries.
And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence;And {Or, the children of him that hath it}his children shall have a place of refuge.
Then shall I not be put to shame,When I have respect unto all thy commandments.
The wicked flee when no man pursueth;But the righteous are bold as a lion.
I will give thanks unto thee with uprightness of heart,When I learn thy righteous judgments.
For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and {Or, doubting}disputing.
And now, my little children, abide in him; that, if he shall be manifested, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed {Greek: from him.}before him at his {Greek: presence.}coming.
Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall {Greek: persuade. compare Matthew 28:14.}assure our heart {Or, before him, whereinsoever our heart condemn us; because God & c.}before him:
because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;
and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.