And chased out of the world. 19 He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, Nor any remaining in his dwellings. 20 They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, As they that went before 2 were affrighted. 21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, 19 2 And this is the place of him that knoweth not God. 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 3 make yourselves strange to me. 4 And be it indeed that I have erred, Mine error remaineth with myself. 5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, And plead against me my reproach: 6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, And hath compassed me with his net. 7 Behold, I cry out of 4 wrong, but I am not heard : I cry aloud, but there is no judgment. 8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, And he hath set darkness in my paths. 9 He hath stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head. 10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone : And mine hope hath he removed like a tree. 11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, And he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies. 12 His troops come together, And raise up their way against me, And encamp round about my tabernacle. 13 He hath put my brethren far from me, And mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. 14 My kinsfolk have failed, And my familiar friends have forgotten me. 15 They that dwell in mine house, And my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. 16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. 17 My breath is strange to my wife, Though I intreated for the children's sake of "mine own body. 18 Yea, young children despised me ; I arose, and they spake against me. 19 All 7 my inward friends abhorred me: And they whom I loved are turned against me. 20 My bone cleaveth to my skin 8 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, 23 And are not satisfied with my flesh? 9 Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! 24 That they were graven with an iron pen And lead in the rock for ever! 25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, 1 Or, lived with him. 2 Heb. laid hold on horror. 3 Or, harden yourselves against me. 4 Or, violence. 7 Heb. the men of my secret., 8 Or, as. 9 Heb. Who will give, &c. And that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, Yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, 28 And mine eyes shall behold, and not another; 3 Though my reins be consumed 4 within me. But ye should say, Why persecute we him, For wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, 20 THEN ANSWERED ZOPHAR the Naamathite, and said, 2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, And for this 6 I make haste. 3 I have heard the check of my reproach, 4 And the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. Knowest thou not this of old, Since man was placed upon earth, 5 That the triumphing of the wicked is 7 short, And the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? 6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the 8 clouds; 7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: They which have seen him shall say, Where is he? 8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: 10 9 His children shall seek to please the poor, 12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue; 13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; But keep it still 10 within his mouth : 14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him. 15 He hath swallowed down riches, 16 And he shall vomit them up again : He shall suck the poison of asps : The brooks of honey and butter. 18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, And shall not swallow it down: 12 According to his substance shall the restitution be, And he shall not rejoice therein. 19 Because he hath 13 oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; Because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; 20 Surely he shall not 14 feel quietness in his belly, He shall not save of that which he desired. 1 Or, After I shall awake, 3 Or, My reins within me 4 Heb. in my bosom. 5 Or, And what root of matter 6 Heb. my haste is in me. 8 Heb. cloud. 9 Or, The poor shall oppress 10 Heb. in the midst of his palate. 11 Or, streaming brooks. 12 Heb. According to the substance of his change. 13 Heb. crushed. 14 Heb. know. 21 There shall I none of his meat be left; Therefore shall no man look for his goods. 22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: Every hand of the 2 wicked shall come upon him. 23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, And shall rain it upon him while he is eating. 24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of steel shall strike him through. 25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; Yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: 26 All darkness shall be hid in his secret places : It shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle. 27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; And the earth shall rise up against him. 28 The increase of his house shall depart, And 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 BUT JOB answered and said, 2 Hear diligently my speech, And let this be your consolations. s Suffer me that I may speak ; And after that I have spoken, mock on. 4 As for me, is my complaint to man? And if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled? 5 5 Mark me, and be astonished, 6 And lay your hand upon your mouth. Even when I remember I am afraid, And trembling taketh hold on my flesh. 7 Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, are mighty in power? 8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes. 9 Their houses are 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 take the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the organ. 13 They spend their days 7 in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave. 14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? 16 Lo, their good is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me. 17 How oft is the 8 candle of the wicked put out? And how oft cometh their destruction upon them? God distributeth sorrows in his anger. 18 They are as stubble before the wind, 1 Or, be none left for his meat. 2 Or, troublesome. 3 Heb. of his decree from God. 4 Heb. shortened. 5 Heb. Look unto me. 6 Heb. are peace from fear. 7 Or, in mirth. 8 Or, lamp. And as chaff that the storm carrieth away. 19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: He rewardeth him, and he shall know it. 20 His eyes shall see his destruction, And he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off in the midst? 22 Shall any teach God knowledge? Seeing he judgeth those that are high. 23 One dieth 3 in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet. 24 His breasts are full of milk, And his bones are moistened with marrow. 25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, And never eateth with pleasure. 26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, 27 And the worms shall cover them. Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. 28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince ? And where are the dwelling places of the wicked? 29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? And do ye not know their tokens, 30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? They shall be brought 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 Yet shall he be brought to the 7 grave, And shall 8 remain in the tomb. 33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And every man shall draw after him, As there are innumerable before him. 34 How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth 9 falsehood? 22 THEN ELIPHAZ the Temanite answered and said, 2 Can a man be profitable unto God, 10 As he that is wise may be 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 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment? 5 Is not thy wickedness great? And thine iniquities infinite? 6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, And 11 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 12 the mighty man, he had the earth; And the 19 honourable man 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 Or darkness, that thou canst not see ; And abundance of waters cover thee. 1 Heb, stealeth away. 2 That is, the punishment of 3 Heb in his very perfection, 4 Or, milk pails. 5 Heb. the tent of the taber- 6 Heb. the day of wraths. 8 Heb. watch in the heap. doth his good success depend thereon? 11 Heb. stripped the clothes of 12 Heb. the man of arm. 12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are! 13 And thou sayest, 2 How doth God know? Can he judge through the dark cloud? 14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; And he walketh in the circuit of heaven. 15 Hast thou marked the old way Which wicked men have trodden? 16 Which were cut down out of time, 3 Whose foundation was overflown with a flood: 17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: And what can the Almighty do + for them? 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 Whereas our 5 substance is not cut down, 21 But the remnant of them the fire consumeth. Acquaint now thyself 7 with him, and be at peace : 22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, And lay up his words in thine heart. 23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, Thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. 24 Then shalt thou lay up gold 8 as dust, And the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. 25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, And thou shalt have 10 plenty of silver. 26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God. 27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, And thou shalt pay thy vows. 28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, And it shall be established unto thee: And the light shall shine upon thy ways. 29 When men are cast down, Then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; 30 12 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: And it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands. 23 THEN JOB answered and said, 2 Even to-day is my complaint bitter: 13 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 order my cause 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 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. 7 There the righteous might dispute with him; 1 Heb. the head of the stars. 3 Heb. A flood was poured 4 Or, to them. 5 Or, estate. 6 Or, their excellency. 7 That is, with God. 10 Heb. silver of strength. 13 Heb. My hand. |