8:1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 8:2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? 8:3 Doth G.o.d pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? 8:4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression; 8:5 If thou wouldest seek unto G.o.d betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; 8:6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
8:7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
8:8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: 8:9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) 8:10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? 8:11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? 8:12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
8:13 So are the paths of all that forget G.o.d; and the hypocrite"s hope shall perish: 8:14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider"s web.
8:15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.
8:16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.
8:17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.
8:18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
8:19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
8:20 Behold, G.o.d will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers: 8:21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
8:22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.
9:1 Then Job answered and said, 9:2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with G.o.d? 9:3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
9:4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? 9:5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
9:6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
9:7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
9:8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9:9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
9:10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
9:11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he pa.s.seth on also, but I perceive him not.
9:12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? 9:13 If G.o.d will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
9:14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? 9:15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
9:16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
9:17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
9:18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
9:19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? 9:20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
9:21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
9:22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
9:23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
9:24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? 9:25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
9:26 They are pa.s.sed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
9:27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself: 9:28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
9:29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? 9:30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; 9:31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
9:32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
9:33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
9:34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: 9:35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
10:1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
10:2 I will say unto G.o.d, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.
10:3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? 10:4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? 10:5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man"s days, 10:6 That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? 10:7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.
10:8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
10:9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? 10:10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? 10:11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.
10:12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.
10:13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.
10:14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
10:15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; 10:16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.
10:17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.
10:18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! 10:19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
10:20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, 10:21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; 10:22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.
11:1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 11:2 Should not the mult.i.tude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? 11:3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? 11:4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.
11:5 But oh that G.o.d would speak, and open his lips against thee; 11:6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that G.o.d exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.
11:7 Canst thou by searching find out G.o.d? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 11:8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than h.e.l.l; what canst thou know? 11:9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
11:10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? 11:11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it? 11:12 For vain men would be wise, though man be born like a wild a.s.s"s colt.
11:13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; 11:14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
11:15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: 11:16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pa.s.s away: 11:17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
11:18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.
11:19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
11:20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.
12:1 And Job answered and said, 12:2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
12:3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? 12:4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon G.o.d, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
12:5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
12:6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke G.o.d are secure; into whose hand G.o.d bringeth abundantly.
12:7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: 12:8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
12:9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? 12:10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
12:11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? 12:12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
12:13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
12:14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
12:15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
12:16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
12:17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
12:18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
12:19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
12:20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
12:21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
12:22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
12:23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
12:24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
12:25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
13:1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
13:2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
13:3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with G.o.d.
13:4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
13:5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
13:6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
13:7 Will ye speak wickedly for G.o.d? and talk deceitfully for him? 13:8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for G.o.d? 13:9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 13:10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
13:11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? 13:12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
13:13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
13:14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
13:16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
13:17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
13:18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
13:19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
13:20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
13:21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
13:22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
13:23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
13:24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? 13:25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? 13:26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
13:27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
13:28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.
14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.
14:2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
14:3 And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? 14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.