Job 27

1 Job [the patriarch, a man of great patience] continued [added to, took up again] his discourse [parable, a wise saying, proverb]: word study 2 “As surely as God [the living One, El] lives, who has deprived me of justice [my right, judgment]— the Almighty [Shadday, all-powerful], who has embittered [made bitter, provoked] my soul [my inner being]— word study 3 as long as my breath [spirit, life-giving air] is still [yet, continuing] within me and the breath [spirit, Spirit of God] of God [Eloah, the one true God] remains in my nostrils [face, countenance], word study 4 my lips [speaking truth, without deceit] will not speak [utter, communicate] wickedness [injustice, moral evil], and my tongue [the instrument of speech, language] will not utter [mutter, express] deceit [slackness, treachery]. word study 5 I will never say [far be it from me, God forbid] that you are right [justify you, declare you righteous]; I will maintain [insist on, hold to] my integrity [innocence, moral purity] until [till, as long as] I die [expire, give up my spirit]. word study 6 I will cling to my righteousness [my justification, moral integrity] and never let go [not slacken, abandon]. As long as I live [throughout my days], my conscience [heart, inner self] will not accuse me [reproach, condemn]. word study 7 May my enemy [hater, adversary] be like the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] and my opponent [he who rises up against me, resister] like the unjust [unrighteous, evil doer]. word study 8 For [since, because] what is the hope [expectancy, cord of attachment] of the godless [profane, hypocritical] when he is cut off [stopped, severed], when God [Eloah, the one true deity] takes away [extracts, draws out] his life [soul, living being]? word study 9 Will God [the supreme Almighty, divine Power] hear [listen with attention and obedience] his cry [a desperate outcry, a call for help] when distress [trouble, a vexing situation] comes [approaches, arrives] upon [on, against] him [the afflicted one]? word study 10 Will he delight [take pleasure, be soft] in the Almighty [Shadday, the all-powerful One]? Will he call [cry out, invoke] upon God [Eloah, the one true deity] at all [every, each] times [occasions, seasons]? word study 11 I will instruct [teach, guide] you in the power [hand, strength] of God [the Almighty, Elohim]. I will not [by no means] conceal [hide, keep secret] the ways [plans, purposes] of the Almighty [Shadday, the all-powerful One]. word study 12 Surely [truly, indeed] all of you [each one of you, yourselves] have seen [perceived, understood] it [this truth, this situation] for yourselves [with your own eyes, personally]. Why then [for what reason, on what account] do you keep up [continue, persist in] this [such, this kind of] empty [vain, meaningless] talk [speech, conversation]? word study 13 This [the fate, destiny] is the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] man’s [human, Adam’s descendant] portion [inheritance, share] from God [the Almighty, Elohim]— the heritage [inheritance, legacy] the ruthless [oppressors, tyrants] receive [take, get] from the Almighty [Shadday, all-powerful]. word study 14 Though his sons [children, descendants, offspring] are many, they are destined [appointed, set apart] for the sword [cutting instrument, warfare]; and his offspring [posterity, progeny] will never have enough [be satisfied with] food [bread, sustenance]. word study 15 His survivors [those who remain, remnant] will be buried [interred, laid to rest] by the plague [disease, death], and their widows [women who have lost their husbands, bereaved] will not [absolutely not, none] weep [cry, mourn] for them. word study 16 Though he heaps up [piles together, accumulates] silver [money, wealth] like [as abundant as] dust [dry earth, clay] and piles up [gathers, amasses] a wardrobe [clothing, garments] like [similar to] clay [a dry measure, material], word study 17 what he lays up [prepares, establishes], the righteous [just, upright] will wear [clothe themselves, put it on], and his silver [money, wealth] will be divided [apportioned, smoothed out] by the innocent [guiltless, morally clean]. word study 18 The house [dwelling place, family home] he built [established, constructed] is like a moth’s [fragile, easily destroyed] cocoon, like a hut [small shelter, booth] set up [made, established] by a watchman [guard, keeper]. word study 19 He lies down [in rest, to sleep] wealthy [rich, with abundant possessions], but will do so [lie down, rest] no more [never again]; when he opens [to open, to become aware] his eyes [his understanding, his perception], all [everything, his wealth] is gone [has disappeared, is no more]. word study 20 Terrors [fears, dreadful events] overtake [reach, catch up to] him like [as, similar to] a flood [rushing waters, overwhelming force]; a tempest [storm, whirlwind] sweeps [steals, snatches] him away in the [darkness of the] night [period of adversity]. word study 21 The east [the direction of the rising sun] wind carries him away [as a storm hurleth, sweeps him off], and he is gone [departs, disappears]; it sweeps [take him up, hurleth] him out of his place [location, position]. word study 22 It [the storm, wind] hurls [casts, throws] itself against him without [not] mercy [pity, compassion] as he flees [runs away, escapes] headlong [swiftly, hastily] from its [God’s, divine] power [strength, hand]. word study 23 It claps [slaps, to suffice or be enough] its hands [palms] at him and hisses [whistles, to express scorn] him out of his place [location, a condition of the body or mind]. word study