1Job continued his discourse, saying:

2As God lives, who has deprived me of justice, a

and the ^•Almighty who has made me bitter, b

3as long as my breath is still in me

and the breath from God remains in my nostrils, c

4my lips will not speak unjustly,

and my tongue will not utter deceit.

5I will never affirm that you are right.

I will maintain my integrity d  e until I die.

6I will cling to my righteousness and never let it go.

My conscience f will not accuse me as long as I live!

7May my enemy be like the wicked

and my opponent like the unjust.

8For what hope does the godless man g have when he is cut off,

when God takes away his life? h

9Will God hear his cry

when distress comes on him?

10Will he delight i in the Almighty?

Will he call on God at all times?

11I will teach you about God’s power.

I will not conceal what the Almighty has planned. j

12All of you have seen this for yourselves,

why do you keep up this empty talk? k

13This is a wicked man’s lot l from God,

the inheritance the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

14Even if his children increase, they are destined for the sword;

his descendants will never have enough food.

15Those who survive him will be buried by the plague,

yet their widows will not weep for them. m

16Though he piles up silver like dust

and heaps up a wardrobe like clay —

17he may heap it up, but the righteous will wear it,

and the innocent will divide up his silver. n

18The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon

or a booth set up by a watchman. o

19He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;

when he opens his eyes, it is gone.

20Terrors overtake him like a flood; p

a storm q wind sweeps him away at night.

21An east wind picks him up, and he is gone;

it carries him away from his place.

22It blasts at him without mercy,

while he flees desperately from its grasp.

23It claps r its hands at him

and scorns him from its place.