Bible in 90 Days
8 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2 How long wilt thou speak these things?
And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?
3 Doth God pervert justice?
Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness?
4 [a]If thy children have sinned against him,
And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression;
5 If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God,
And make thy supplication to the Almighty;
6 If thou wert pure and upright:
Surely now he would awake for thee,
And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7 And though thy beginning was small,
Yet thy latter end would greatly increase.
8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age,
And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing,
Because our days upon earth are a shadow);
10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee,
And utter words out of their heart?
11 Can the [b]rush grow up without mire?
Can the [c]flag grow without water?
12 Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down,
It withereth before any other herb.
13 So are the paths of all that forget God;
And the hope of the godless man shall perish:
14 Whose confidence shall [d]break in sunder,
And whose trust is a spider’s [e]web.
15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand:
He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.
16 He is green before the sun,
And his shoots go forth over his garden.
17 His roots are wrapped [f]about the stone-heap,
He beholdeth the place of stones.
18 If he be destroyed from his place,
Then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way;
And out of the [g]earth shall others spring.
20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man,
Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.
21 [h]He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter,
And thy lips with shouting.
22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame;
And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.
9 Then Job answered and said,
2 Of a truth I know that it is so:
[i]But how can man be just [j]with God?
3 [k]If he be pleased to contend with him,
He cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength:
Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?—
5 Him that removeth the mountains, and they know it not,
When he overturneth them in his anger;
6 That shaketh the earth out of its place,
And the pillars thereof tremble;
7 That commandeth the sun, and it riseth not,
And sealeth up the stars;
8 That alone stretcheth out the heavens,
And treadeth upon the [l]waves of the sea;
9 That maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;
10 That doeth great things past finding out,
Yea, marvellous things without number.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not:
He passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
12 Behold, he seizeth the prey, who can [m]hinder him?
Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 God will not withdraw his anger;
The helpers of [n]Rahab [o]do stoop under him.
14 How much less shall I answer him,
And choose out my words to reason with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer;
I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me,
Yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.
17 [p]For he breaketh me with a tempest,
And multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath,
But filleth me with bitterness.
19 If we speak of strength, [q]lo, he is mighty!
And if of justice, Who, saith he, will summon me?
20 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me:
Though I be perfect, [r]it shall prove me perverse.
21 [s]I am perfect; I regard not myself;
I despise my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I say,
He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly,
He will mock at the [t]trial of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;
He covereth the faces of the judges thereof:
If it be not he, who then is it?
25 Now my days are swifter than a [u]post:
They flee away, they see no good.
26 They are passed away as the [v]swift ships;
As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad countenance, and [w]be of good cheer;
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows,
I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 I shall be condemned;
Why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself [x]with snow water,
And [y]make my hands never so clean;
31 Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch,
And mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him,
That we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no umpire betwixt us,
That might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me,
And let not his terror make me afraid:
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him;
For I am not so in myself.
10 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 [z]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 [aa]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;
[ab]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:
[ac]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? [ad]cease then,
And let me alone, that I may [ae]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 [af]midnight,
The land of the shadow of death, without any order,
And where the light is as [ag]midnight.
11 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 [ah]exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.
7 [ai]Canst thou by searching find out God?
Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
8 [aj]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 [ak]all unto judgment, then who can hinder him?
11 For he knoweth false men:
He seeth iniquity also, [al]even though he consider it not.
12 [am]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 [an]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 [ao]they shall have no way to flee;
And their hope shall be the giving up of the ghost.
12 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;
[ap]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 [aq]in all these,
That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this,
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing,
And the [ar]breath of all mankind?
11 Doth not the ear try words,
Even as the palate tasteth its food?
12 [as]With aged men is wisdom,
And in length of days understanding.
13 With [at]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 [au]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 [av]stagger like a drunken man.
13 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 [aw]deceiveth a man, will ye [ax]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 [ay]Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hand?
15 [az]Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope:
Nevertheless I will [ba]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 [bb]am righteous.
19 Who is he that will contend with me?
For then [bc]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 [bd]Though I am like a rotten thing that consumeth,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
14 Man, that is born of a woman,
Is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 He cometh forth like a flower, and [be]is cut down:
He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one,
And bringest me into judgment with thee?
4 [bf]Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Seeing his days are determined,
The number of his months is with thee,
And thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Look away from him, that he may [bg]rest,
Till he shall [bh]accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7 For there is hope of a tree,
If it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth,
And the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud,
And put forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dieth, and is laid low:
Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11 As the waters [bi]fail from the sea,
And the river wasteth and drieth up;
12 So man lieth down and riseth not:
Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake,
Nor be roused out of their sleep.
13 Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol,
That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past,
That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again?
All the days of my warfare [bj]would I wait,
Till my [bk]release should come.
15 Thou [bl]wouldest call, and I would answer thee:
Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thy hands.
16 But now thou numberest my steps:
Dost thou not watch over my sin?
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
And thou fastenest up mine iniquity.
18 But the mountain falling [bm]cometh to nought;
And the rock is removed out of its place;
19 The waters wear the stones;
The overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth:
So thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth;
Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not;
And they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
22 [bn]But his flesh upon him hath pain,
And his soul within him mourneth.
15 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
2 Should a wise man make answer with [bo]vain knowledge,
And fill himself with the east wind?
3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk,
Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
4 Yea, thou doest away with fear,
And [bp]hinderest [bq]devotion before God.
5 For [br]thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth,
And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I;
Yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
7 Art thou the first man that was born?
Or wast thou brought forth before the hills?
8 [bs]Hast thou heard the secret counsel of God?
And dost thou limit wisdom to thyself?
9 What knowest thou, that we know not?
What understandest thou, which is not in us?
10 With us are both the grayheaded and the very aged men,
Much elder than thy father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for thee,
[bt]Even the word that is gentle toward thee?
12 Why doth thy heart carry thee away?
And why do thine eyes flash,
13 That against God thou turnest thy spirit,
And lettest words go out of thy mouth?
14 What is man, that he should be clean?
And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his holy ones;
Yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight:
16 How much less [bu]one that is abominable and corrupt,
A man that drinketh iniquity like water!
17 I will show thee, hear thou me;
And that which I have seen I will declare
18 (Which wise men have told
From their fathers, and have not hid it;
19 Unto whom alone the land was given,
And no stranger passed among them):
20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days,
[bv]Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 A sound of terrors is in his ears;
In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness,
And he is waited for of the sword.
23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it?
He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Distress and anguish make him afraid;
They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25 Because he hath stretched out his hand against God,
And [bw]behaveth himself proudly against the Almighty;
26 He runneth upon him with a stiff neck,
[bx]With the thick bosses of his bucklers;
27 Because he hath covered his face with his fatness,
And gathered fat upon his loins;
28 And he hath dwelt in [by]desolate cities,
In houses which no man [bz]inhabited,
Which were ready to become heaps;
29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue,
Neither shall [ca]their possessions be extended on the earth.
30 He shall not depart out of darkness;
The flame shall dry up his branches,
And by the breath of [cb]God’s mouth shall he go away.
31 Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself;
For vanity shall be his recompense.
32 It shall be [cc]accomplished before his time,
And his branch shall not be green.
33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine,
And shall cast off his flower as the olive-tree.
34 For the company of the godless shall be barren,
And fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity,
And their heart prepareth deceit.
16 Then Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things:
[cd]Miserable comforters are ye all.
3 Shall [ce]vain words have an end?
Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
4 I also could speak as ye do;
If your soul were in my soul’s stead,
I could join words together against you,
And shake my head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged;
And though I forbear, [cf]what am I eased?
7 But now he hath made me weary:
Thou hast made desolate all my company.
8 And thou hast [cg]laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me:
And my leanness riseth up against me,
It testifieth to my face.
9 He hath torn me in his wrath, and [ch]persecuted me;
He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth:
Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth;
They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully:
They gather themselves together against me.
11 God delivereth me to the ungodly,
And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, and he brake me asunder;
Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces:
He hath also set me up for his mark.
13 His [ci]archers compass me round about;
He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare;
He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach;
He runneth upon me like a [cj]giant.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin,
And have [ck]laid my horn in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although there is no violence in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood,
And let my cry [cl]have no resting-place.
19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,
And he that voucheth for me is on high.
20 My friends scoff at me:
But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,
21 [cm]That he would maintain the right of a man with God,
And of a son of man with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years are come,
I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
17 My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct,
The grave is ready for me.
2 Surely there are [cn]mockers with me,
And mine eye dwelleth upon their provocation.
3 Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself;
Who is there that will strike hands with me?
4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding:
Therefore shalt thou not exalt them.
5 He that denounceth his friends for a [co]prey,
Even the eyes of his children shall fail.
6 But he hath made me a byword of the people;
And they spit in my face.
7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow,
And all my members are as a shadow.
8 Upright men shall be astonished at this,
And the innocent shall stir up himself against the godless.
9 Yet shall the righteous hold on his way,
And he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.
10 But as for you all, come on now again;
[cp]And I shall not find a wise man among you.
11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off,
Even the [cq]thoughts of my heart.
12 They change the night into day:
The light, say they, is near [cr]unto the darkness.
13 If I [cs]look for Sheol as my house;
If I have spread my couch in the darkness;
14 If I have said to [ct]corruption, Thou art my father;
To the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister;
15 Where then is my hope?
And as for my hope, who shall see it?
16 It shall go down to the bars of Sheol,
When once there is rest in the dust.
18 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2 How long will ye hunt for words?
Consider, and afterwards we will speak.
3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts,
And are become unclean in your sight?
4 Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger,
Shall the earth be forsaken for thee?
Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?
5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out,
And the [cu]spark of his fire shall not shine.
6 The light shall be dark in his tent,
And his lamp [cv]above him shall be put out.
7 The steps of his strength shall be straitened,
And his own counsel shall cast him down.
8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet,
And he walketh upon the toils.
9 A gin shall take him by the heel,
And a snare shall lay hold on him.
10 A noose is hid for him in the ground,
And a trap for him in the way.
11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side,
And shall chase him at his heels.
12 His strength shall be hunger-bitten,
And calamity shall be ready [cw]at his side.
13 The [cx]members of his body shall be devoured,
Yea, the first-born of death shall devour his members.
14 He shall be rooted out of his tent wherein he trusteth;
And [cy]he shall be brought to the king of terrors.
15 [cz]There shall dwell in his tent that which is none of his:
Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
16 His roots shall be dried up beneath,
And above shall his branch [da]be cut off.
17 His remembrance shall perish from the earth,
And he shall have no name in the street.
18 He shall be driven from light into darkness,
And chased out of the world.
19 He shall have neither son nor son’s son among his people,
Nor any remaining where he sojourned.
20 [db]They that come after shall be astonished at his day,
As they that went before [dc]were affrighted.
21 Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous,
And this is the place of him that knoweth not God.
19 Then Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul,
And break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me:
Ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred,
Mine error remaineth with myself.
5 [dd]If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me,
And plead against me my reproach;
6 Know now that God hath [de]subverted me in my cause,
And hath compassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I [df]cry out of wrong, but I am not heard:
I cry for help, but there is no justice.
8 He hath walled up my way that I cannot pass,
And hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory,
And taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone;
And my hope hath he plucked up like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me,
And he counteth me unto him as one of his adversaries.
12 His troops come on together,
And cast up their way against me,
And encamp round about my tent.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me,
And mine acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed,
And my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 They that [dg]dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger:
I am an alien in their sight.
16 I call unto my servant, and he giveth me no answer,
Though I entreat him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife,
And [dh]my supplication to the children [di]of mine own mother.
18 Even young children despise me;
If I arise, they speak against me.
19 All [dj]my familiar friends abhor me,
And they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh,
And I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends;
For the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as God,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That with an iron pen and lead
They were graven in the rock for ever!
25 [dk]But as for me I know that my [dl]Redeemer liveth,
And at last he will stand up upon the [dm]earth:
26 [dn]And after my skin, even this body, is destroyed,
Then without my flesh shall I see God;
27 Whom I, even I, shall see, [do]on my side,
And mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger.
My [dp]heart is consumed within me.
28 If ye say, How we will persecute him!
And that the root of the matter is found in me;
29 Be ye afraid of the sword:
For [dq]wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword,
That ye may know there is a judgment.
20 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2 Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me,
[dr]Even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3 I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame;
[ds]And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
4 Knowest thou not this of old time,
Since man was placed upon earth,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens,
And his head reach unto the clouds;
7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung:
They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found:
Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more;
Neither shall his place any more behold him.
10 [dt]His children shall seek the favor of the poor,
And his hands shall give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youth,
But it shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth,
Though he hide it under his tongue,
13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go,
But keep it still within his mouth;
14 Yet his food in his bowels is turned,
It is the gall of asps within him.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again;
God will cast them out of his belly.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps:
The viper’s tongue shall slay him.
17 He shall not look upon the rivers,
The flowing streams of honey and butter.
18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down;
According to the substance [du]that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.
19 For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor;
He hath violently taken away a house, [dv]and he shall not build it up.
20 Because he knew no quietness [dw]within him,
He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.
21 There was nothing left that he devoured not;
Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits:
The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.
23 [dx]When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him,
And will rain it upon him [dy]while he is eating.
24 He shall flee from the iron weapon,
And the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25 He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body;
Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall:
Terrors are upon him.
26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures:
A fire not blown by man shall devour him;
[dz]It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity,
And the earth shall rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house shall depart;
His goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God,
And the heritage appointed unto him by God.
21 Then Job answered and said,
2 Hear diligently my speech;
And let this be your consolations.
3 Suffer me, and I also will speak;
And after that I have spoken, [ea]mock on.
4 As for me, is my complaint [eb]to man?
And why should I not be impatient?
5 [ec]Mark me, and be astonished,
And lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am troubled,
And horror taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live,
Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
8 Their seed is established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are [ed]safe from fear,
Neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not;
Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
12 They [ee]sing to the timbrel and harp,
And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
13 They spend their days in prosperity,
And in a moment they go down to Sheol.
14 And they say unto God, Depart from us;
For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
16 [ef]Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand:
The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 [eg]How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out?
That their calamity cometh upon them?
That God distributeth sorrows in his anger?
18 That they are as stubble before the wind,
And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?
19 [eh]Ye say, God layeth up his iniquity for his children.
Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction,
And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what careth he for his house after him,
When the number of his months is cut off?
22 Shall any teach God knowledge,
Seeing he judgeth those that are high?
23 One dieth in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and quiet:
24 His pails are full of milk,
And the marrow of his bones is moistened.
25 And another dieth in bitterness of soul,
And never tasteth of good.
26 They lie down alike in the dust,
And the worm covereth them.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me.
28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince?
And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?
29 Have ye not asked wayfaring men?
And do ye not know their evidences,
30 That the evil man is [ei]reserved to the day of calamity?
That they are [ej]led forth to the day of wrath?
31 Who shall declare his way to his face?
And who shall repay him what he hath done?
32 [ek]Yet shall he be borne to the grave,
And men shall keep watch over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him,
And all men shall draw after him,
As there were innumerable before him.
34 How then comfort ye me [el]in vain,
Seeing in your answers there remaineth only [em]falsehood?
22 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God?
Surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous?
Or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Is it [en]for thy fear of him that he reproveth thee,
That he entereth with thee into judgment?
5 Is not thy wickedness great?
Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
6 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink,
And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 But as for [eo]the mighty man, he had the [ep]earth;
And [eq]the honorable man, he dwelt in it.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty,
And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee,
And sudden fear troubleth thee,
11 [er]Or darkness, so that thou canst not see,
And abundance of waters cover thee.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven?
And behold the [es]height of the stars, how high they are!
13 And thou sayest, What doth God know?
Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he seeth not;
And he walketh on the vault of heaven.
15 [et]Wilt thou keep the old way
Which wicked men have trodden?
16 Who were snatched away before their time,
Whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17 Who said unto God, Depart from us;
And, What can the Almighty do [eu]for [ev]us?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things:
But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The righteous see it, and are glad;
And the innocent laugh them to scorn,
20 Saying, Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off,
And [ew]the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace:
[ex]Thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray thee, [ey]the law from his mouth,
And lay up his words in thy heart.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up,
[ez]If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.
24 And lay thou thy [fa]treasure [fb]in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
25 And the Almighty will be thy [fc]treasure,
And [fd]precious silver unto thee.
26 For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty,
And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee;
And thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee;
And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 When they [fe]cast thee down, thou shalt say, There is lifting up;
And [ff]the humble person he will save.
30 He will deliver even him that is not innocent:
Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
23 Then Job answered and said,
2 Even to-day is my complaint [fg]rebellious:
My stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him!
That I might come even to his seat!
4 I would set my cause in order before him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which he would answer me,
And understand what he would say unto me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
Nay; [fh]but he would give heed unto me.
7 There the upright might reason with him;
So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
And backward, but I cannot perceive him;
9 On the left hand, when he doth work, but I cannot behold him;
He [fi]hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.
10 [fj]But he knoweth [fk]the way that I take;
When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot hath held fast to his steps;
His way have I kept, and turned not aside.
12 I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips;
I have treasured up the words of his mouth [fl]more than my [fm]necessary food.
13 But [fn]he is in one mind, and who can turn him?
And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth that which is appointed for me:
And many such things are with him.
15 Therefore am I terrified at his presence;
When I consider, I am afraid of him.
16 For God hath made my heart faint,
And the Almighty hath terrified me;
17 [fo]Because I was not cut off before the darkness,
Neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.
24 [fp]Why are times not laid up by the Almighty?
And why do not they that know him see his days?
2 There are that remove the landmarks;
They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless;
They take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 They turn the needy out of the way:
The [fq]poor of the earth all hide themselves.
5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert
They go forth to their work, seeking diligently for [fr]food;
The wilderness yieldeth them bread for their children.
6 They cut [fs]their provender in the field;
And they glean the vintage of the wicked.
7 They lie all night naked without clothing,
And have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains,
And embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9 There are that pluck the fatherless from the breast,
And [ft]take a pledge of the poor;
10 So that they go about naked without clothing,
And being hungry they carry the sheaves.
11 They make oil within the walls of these men;
They tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12 From out of the [fu]populous city men groan,
And the soul of the wounded crieth out:
Yet God regardeth not the folly.
13 These are of them that rebel against the light;
They know not the ways thereof,
Nor abide in the paths thereof.
14 The murderer riseth with the light;
He killeth the poor and needy;
And in the night he is as a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight,
Saying, No eye shall see me:
And he [fv]disguiseth his face.
16 In the dark they dig through houses:
[fw]They shut themselves up in the day-time;
They know not the light.
17 For [fx]the morning is to all of them as thick darkness;
For they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
18 [fy]Swiftly they pass away upon the face of the waters;
Their portion is cursed in the earth:
They turn not into the way of the vineyards.
19 Drought and heat [fz]consume the snow waters:
So doth Sheol those that have sinned.
20 The womb shall forget him;
The worm shall feed sweetly on him;
He shall be no more remembered;
And unrighteousness shall be broken [ga]as a tree.
21 He devoureth the barren that beareth not,
And doeth not good to the widow.
22 Yet God preserveth the mighty by his power:
He riseth up that hath no assurance of life.
23 God giveth them to be in security, and they rest thereon;
[gb]And his eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone;
[gc]Yea, they are brought low, they are [gd]taken out of the way as all others,
And are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
25 And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar,
And make my speech nothing worth?
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