Study Desk

Then Zophar the Naamathite responded,

"Shall a multitude of words go unanswered, And a ^(C1)talkative man be acquitted?

-"Shall your boasts silence people? And will you ^(C1)scoff, and no one rebuke?

-"For ^(C1)you have said, 'My teaching is pure, And ^(C2)I am innocent in your eyes.'

-"But if only God would speak, And open His lips against you,

And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom ^(F1)(C1)has two sides. Know then that God ^(F2)forgets part of ^(C2)your guilt.

"^(C1)Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

-"They are as ^(C1)high as ^(F1)the heavens; what can you do? Deeper than ^(F2)(C2)Sheol; what can you know?

-"Its measurement is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.

-"If He passes by or apprehends people, Or calls an assembly, ^(C1)who can restrain Him?

-"For ^(C1)He knows false people, And He ^(C2)sees injustice ^(F1)without investigating.

-"^(F1)(C1)An idiot will become intelligent When a ^(C2)wild donkey is born a human.

"^(C1)If you would ^(C2)direct your heart rightly And ^(C3)spread out your hands to Him,

If wrongdoing is in your hand, ^(C1)put it far away, And do not let malice dwell in your tents;

Then, indeed, you could ^(C1)lift up your face without moral blemish, And you would be firmly established and ^(C2)not fear.

-"For you would ^(C1)forget your trouble; Like ^(C2)waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

-"Your ^(F1)life would ^(F2)be ^(C1)brighter than noonday; Darkness would be like the morning.

-"Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely.

-"You would ^(C1)lie down and none would disturb you, And many would ^(F1)(C2)flatter you.

-"But the ^(C1)eyes of the wicked will fail, And ^(F1)there will ^(C2)be no escape for them; And their ^(C3)hope is ^(F2)(C4)to breathe their last."