Chronological
6 1 Job answereth, that his pain is more grievous than his fault. 8 He wisheth death. 14 He complaineth of his friends.
1 But Job answered and said,
2 Oh that my grief were well weighed, and my miseries were laid together in the [a]balance!
3 For it would be now heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are [b]swallowed up.
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are in me, the venom whereof doth drink up my spirit, and the terrors of God [c]fight against me.
5 Doth the [d]wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox when he hath fodder?
6 That which is [e]unsavory, shall it be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 Such things as my soul refused to touch, as were sorrows, are my meat.
8 Oh that I might have my [f]desire, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 That is, that God would destroy me: that he would let his hand go, and cut me off.
10 Then should I yet have comfort, (though I burn with sorrow, let him not spare) [g]because I have not denied the words of the Holy one.
11 What power have I that I should endure? or what is mine [h]end, if I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
13 Is it not so, that there is in me no [i]help? and that [j]strength is taken from me?
14 He that is in misery, ought to be comforted of his neighbor: but men have forsaken the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brethren have deceived me as a [k]brook, and as the rising of the rivers they pass away.
16 Which are blackish with ice, and wherein the snow is hid.
17 But in time they are dried up with heat and are consumed: and when it is hot they fail out of their places,
18 Or they depart from their way and course, yea, they vanish and perish.
19 They that go to Tema, [l]considered them, and they that go to Sheba, waited for them.
20 But they were confounded: when they hoped, they came thither, and were ashamed.
21 Surely now are ye like [m]unto it: ye have seen my fearful plague, and are afraid.
22 Was it because I said, Bring unto me? or give a reward to me of your [n]substance?
23 And deliver me from the enemy’s hand, or ransom me out of the hand of tyrants?
24 Teach me, and I will [o]hold my tongue: and cause me to understand, wherein I have erred.
25 How [p]steadfast are the words of righteousness? and what can any of you justly reprove?
26 Do ye imagine to reprove [q]words, that the talk of the afflicted should be as the wind?
27 Ye make your wrath to fall upon the fatherless, and dig a pit for your friend.
28 Now therefore be content to [r]look upon me: for I will not lie before your face.
29 Turn, I pray you, let there be none iniquity: return, I say, and ye shall see yet my righteousness in that behalf. Is there iniquity in my tongue? doth not my mouth feel sorrows?
7 1 Job showeth the shortness and misery of man’s life.
1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? and are not his days as the days of an [s]hireling?
2 As a servant longeth for the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the end of his work,
3 So have I had as an inheritance the [t]months of vanity, and painful nights have been appointed unto me.
4 If I laid me down, I said, When shall I arise? and measuring the evening, I am even full with tossing to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
5 My flesh is [u]clothed with worms and filthiness of the dust: my skin is rent, and become horrible.
6 My days are swifter than [v]a weaver’s shuttle, and they are spent without hope.
7 Remember that my life is but a wind, and that mine eye shall not return to see pleasure.
8 The eye that hath seen me, shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I shall be no longer.
9 [w]As the cloud vanisheth and goeth away, so he that goeth down to the grave, shall [x]come up no more.
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him anymore.
11 Therefore I will not [y]spare my mouth, but will speak in the trouble of my spirit, and muse in the bitterness of my mind.
12 Am I a sea [z]or a whalefish, that thou keepest me in ward?
13 When I say, My couch shall relieve me, and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation,
14 Then fearest thou me [aa]with dreams, and astonishest me with visions.
15 Therefore my soul [ab]chooseth rather to be strangled and to die, than to be in my bones.
16 I abhor it: I shall not live always: [ac]spare me then, for my days are but vanity.
17 What is man, that thou [ad]dost magnify him, and that thou settest thine heart upon him?
18 And dost visit him every morning, and triest him every moment?
19 How long will it be ere thou depart from me? thou wilt not let me alone while I may swallow my spittle.
20 I have [ae]sinned, what shall I do unto thee? O thou preserver of men, why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden unto myself?
21 And why dost thou not pardon my trespass? and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust, and if thou seek me in the morning, I shall [af]not be found.
8 1 Bildad showeth that Job is a sinner, because that God punisheth the wicked, and preserveth the good.
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2 How long wilt thou talk of these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth [ag]be as a mighty wind?
3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty subvert justice?
4 If thy sons have sinned against him, and he hath sent them into the place of their [ah]iniquity,
5 Yet if thou [ai]wilt early seek unto God, and pray to the Almighty,
6 If thou be pure and upright, then surely he will awake up unto thee, and he will make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7 And though thy beginning [aj]be small, yet thy latter end shall greatly increase.
8 [ak]Inquire therefore, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to search of their fathers.
9 (For we are but [al]of yesterday, and are ignorant: for our days upon earth are but a shadow)
10 Shall not they teach thee and tell thee, and utter the words of their heart?
11 Can a rush [am]grow without mire? or can the grass grow without water?
12 Though it were in green and not cut down, yet shall it wither before any other herb.
13 So are the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.
14 His confidence also shall be cut off, and his trust shall be as the house of a [an]spider.
15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold him fast by it, yet shall it not endure.
16 The [ao]tree is green before the Sun, and the branches spread over the garden thereof.
17 The roots thereof are wrapped about the fountain, and are folded about the house of stones.
18 If any pluck it from his place, and it [ap]deny, saying, I have not seen thee,
19 Behold, it will rejoice [aq]by this means, that it may grow in another mold.
20 Behold, God will not cast away an upright man, neither will he take the wicked by the hand,
21 Till he have filled thy mouth with [ar]laughter, and thy lips with joy.
22 They that hate thee, shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling of the wicked shall not remain.
9 2 Job declareth the mighty power of God, and that man’s righteousness is nothing.
1 Then Job answered, and said,
2 I know verily that it is so: for how should man compared unto God, be [as]justified?
3 If he would dispute with him, he could not answer him one thing of [at]thousand.
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath been fierce against him, and hath prospered?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they feel not when he overthroweth them in his wrath.
6 He [au]removeth the earth out of her place, that the pillars thereof do shake.
7 He commandeth the Sun, and it riseth not: he closeth up the stars, as under a signet.
8 He himself alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the height of the Sea.
9 He maketh the stars [av]Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the climates of the South.
10 He doeth great things, and unsearchable: yea, marvelous things without number.
11 Lo, when he goeth [aw]by me, I see him not: and when he passeth by, I perceive him not:
12 Behold, when he taketh a prey, [ax]who can make him to restore it? who shall say unto him, What doest thou?
13 God [ay]will not withdraw his anger, and the most mighty helpers [az]do stoop under him.
14 How much less shall I answer him? or how should I find out [ba]my words with him?
15 For though I were just, yet could I [bb]not answer, but I would make supplication to my Judge.
16 If I [bc]cry, and he answer me, yet would I not believe, that he heard my voice.
17 For he destroyeth me with a tempest, and woundeth me [bd]without cause.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
19 If we speak of strength, behold, he is [be]strong: if we speak of judgment, who shall bring me in to plead?
20 If I should justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: [bf]if I would be perfect, he shall judge me wicked.
21 Though I were perfect, yet I know not my soul: therefore abhor I my life.
22 This is one point: therefore I said, He destroyeth the [bg]perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge should suddenly [bh]slay, should God [bi]laugh at the punishment of the innocent?
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: [bj]he covereth the faces of the judges thereof: if not, where [bk]is he? or who is he?
25 My days have been more swift than a post: they have fled, and have seen no good thing.
26 They are passed as with the most swift ships, and as the Eagle that flieth to the prey.
27 If [bl]I say, I will forget my complaint, I will cease from my wrath, and comfort me,
28 Then I am afraid of all my sorrows, knowing that thou wilt not judge me innocent.
29 If I be wicked, why [bm]labor I thus in vain?
30 If I wash [bn]myself with snow water, and purge mine hands most clean,
31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the pit, and mine own [bo]clothes shall make me filthy.
32 For he is not a man as I am, that I should answer him, if we come together to judgment.
33 Neither is there any umpire [bp]that might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear astonish me:
35 Then will I speak, and fear him not: [bq]but because I am not so, I hold me still.
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