✧Job continued his discourse: ✧2“As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice— the Almighty, who has embittered my soul— ✧3as long as my breath is still within me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils, ✧4my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit. ✧5I will never say that you are right; I will maintain my integrity until I die. ✧6I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me. ✧7May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust. ✧8For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life? ✧9Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him? ✧10Will he delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times? ✧11I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty. ✧12Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk? ✧13This is the wicked man’s portion from God— the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty. ✧14Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food. ✧15His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them. ✧16Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay, ✧17what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent. ✧18The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut set up by a watchman. ✧19He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone. ✧20Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest sweeps him away in the night. ✧21The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place. ✧22It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power. ✧23It claps its hands at him and hisses him out of his place.