8:9. (For we are but of yesterday, and are ignorant that our days upon earth are but a shadow.)
8:10. And they shall teach thee: they shall speak to thee, and utter words out of their hearts.
8:11. Can the rush be green without moisture? or sedge bush grow without water?
8:12. When it is yet in flower, and is not plucked u with the hand, it withereth before all herbs.
8:13. Even so are the ways of all that forget G.o.d, an the hope of the hypocrite shall perish:
8:14. His folly shall not please him, and his trust shall be like the spider"s web.
8:15. He shall lean upon his house, and it shall no stand: he shall prop it up, and it shall not rise:
8:16. He seemeth to have moisture before the sun cometh; and at his rising, his blossom shall shoot forth.
8:17. His roots shall be thick upon a heap of stones; and among the stones he shall abide.
8:18. If one swallow him up out of his place, he shall deny him, and shall say: I know thee not.
8:19. For this is the joy of his way, that others may spring again out of the earth.
8:20. G.o.d will not cast away the simple, nor reach out his hand to the evil doer:
8:21. Until thy mouth be filled with laughter, and thy lips with rejoicing.
8:22. They that hate thee, shall be clothed with confusion: and the dwelling of the wicked shall not stand.
Job Chapter 9
9:1. And Job answered, and said:
9:2. Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified, compared with G.o.d.
9:3. If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
9:4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
9:5. Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
9:6. Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
9:7. Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars, as it were, under a seal:
9:8. Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea,
9:9. Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
Arcturus, etc... These are names of stars or constellations. In Hebrew, Ash, Cesil, and Cimah. See note chap. 38, ver. 31.
9:10. Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
9:11. If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart, I shall not understand.
9:12. If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
9:13. G.o.d, whose wrath no man can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
9:14. What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
9:15. I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
9:16. And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
9:17. For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
Without cause... That is, without my knowing the cause: or without any crime of mine.
9:18. He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
9:19. If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
9:20. If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
9:21. Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
9:22. One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
9:23. If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
9:24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
9:25. My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
9:26. They have pa.s.sed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
9:27. If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
9:28. I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
9:29. But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
9:30. If I be washed, as it were, with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever 80. clean:
9:31. Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me.
9:32. For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
9:33. There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.