| 1 |
My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. |
| 2 |
I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me. |
| 3 |
Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, That thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, And shine upon the counsel of the wicked? |
| 4 |
Hast thou eyes of flesh? Or seest thou as man seeth? |
| 5 |
Are thy days as the days of man, Or thy years as man's days, |
| 6 |
That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, And searchest after my sin, |
| 7 |
Although thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand? |
| 8 |
Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me Together round about; yet thou dost destroy me. |
| 9 |
Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; And wilt thou bring me into dust again? |
| 10 |
Hast thou not poured me out as milk, And curdled me like cheese? |
| 11 |
Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews. |
| 12 |
Thou hast granted me life and lovingkindness; And thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. |
| 13 |
Yet these things thou didst hide in thy heart; I know that this is with thee: |
| 14 |
If I sin, then thou markest me, And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. |
| 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. |
| 16 |
And if my head exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion; And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me. |
| 17 |
Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, And increasest thine indignation upon me: Changes and warfare are with me. |
| 18 |
Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me. |
| 19 |
I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. |
| 20 |
Are not my days few? cease then, And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, |
| 21 |
Before I go whence I shall not return, Even to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death; |
| 22 |
The land dark as midnight, The land of the shadow of death, without any order, And where the light is as midnight. |
| 1 |
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, |
| 2 |
Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified? |
| 3 |
Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? |
| 4 |
For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in thine eyes. |
| 5 |
But oh that God would speak, And open his lips against thee, |
| 6 |
And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. |
| 7 |
Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? |
| 8 |
It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know? |
| 9 |
The measure thereof is longer than the earth, And broader than the sea. |
| 10 |
If he pass through, and shut up, And all unto judgment, then who can hinder him? |
| 11 |
For he knoweth false men: He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not. |
| 12 |
But vain man is void of understanding, Yea, man is born as a wild ass's colt. |
| 13 |
If thou set thy heart aright, And stretch out thy hands toward him; |
| 14 |
If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away, And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents. |
| 15 |
Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: |
| 16 |
For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away, |
| 17 |
And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday; Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning. |
| 18 |
And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; Yea, thou shalt search about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety. |
| 19 |
Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; Yea, many shall make suit unto thee. |
| 20 |
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, And they shall have no way to flee; And their hope shall be the giving up of the ghost. |
| 1 |
Then Job answered and said, |
| 2 |
No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall die with you. |
| 3 |
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these? |
| 4 |
I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, I who called upon God, and he answered: The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock. |
| 5 |
In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth. |
| 6 |
The tents of robbers prosper, And they that provoke God are secure; Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. |
| 7 |
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee: |
| 8 |
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. |
| 9 |
Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this, |
| 10 |
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind? |
| 11 |
Doth not the ear try words, Even as the palate tasteth its food? |
| 12 |
With aged men is wisdom, And in length of days understanding. |
| 13 |
With God is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding. |
| 14 |
Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. |
| 15 |
Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. |
| 16 |
With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his. |
| 17 |
He leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools. |
| 18 |
He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle. |
| 19 |
He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty. |
| 20 |
He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders. |
| 21 |
He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong. |
| 22 |
He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth out to light the shadow of death. |
| 23 |
He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive. |
| 24 |
He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. |
| 25 |
They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. |
| 1 |
Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, Mine ear hath heard and understood it. |
| 2 |
What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. |
| 3 |
Surely I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God. |
| 4 |
But ye are forgers of lies; Ye are all physicians of no value. |
| 5 |
Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom. |
| 6 |
Hear now my reasoning, And hearken to the pleadings of my lips. |
| 7 |
Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him? |
| 8 |
Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God? |
| 9 |
Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceiveth a man, will ye deceive him? |
| 10 |
He will surely reprove you If ye do secretly show partiality. |
| 11 |
Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall upon you? |
| 12 |
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defences are defences of clay. |
| 13 |
Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak; And let come on me what will. |
| 14 |
Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand? |
| 15 |
Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him. |
| 16 |
This also shall be my salvation, That a godless man shall not come before him. |
| 17 |
Hear diligently my speech, And let my declaration be in your ears. |
| 18 |
Behold now, I have set my cause in order; I know that I am righteous. |
| 19 |
Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost. |
| 20 |
Only do not two things unto me; Then will I not hide myself from thy face: |
| 21 |
Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid. |
| 22 |
Then call thou, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and answer thou me. |
| 23 |
How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin. |
| 24 |
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And holdest me for thine enemy? |
| 25 |
Wilt thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? |
| 26 |
For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth: |
| 27 |
Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, And markest all my paths; Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet: |
| 28 |
Though I am like a rotten thing that consumeth, Like a garment that is moth-eaten. |