And he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; Yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, Which drinketh iniquity like water? I will shew thee, hear me; And that which I have seen I will declare; Which wise men have told from their fathers, Unto whom alone the earth was given, And no stranger passed among them. The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden to the oppres sor. A dreadful sound is in his ears: him. In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon ness, And he is waited for of the sword. He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; They shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. For he stretcheth out his hand against God, And strengtheneth himself against the Almighty. Because he covereth his face with his fatness, And maketh collops of fat on his flanks. And in houses which no man inhabiteth, He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, Neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. He shall not depart out of darkness; And by the breath of his mouth shall he go away. It shall be accomplished before his time, He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, Then Job answered and said, I Have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all. Shall vain words have an end? Or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? I also could speak as ye do: If your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, And shake mine head at you. But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips should asswage your grief. Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: And though I forbear, what am I eased? Thou hast made desolate all my company. And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: And my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face. He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. They have gathered themselves together against me. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, And turned me over into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: He hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, And set me up for his mark. His archers compass me round about, He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; And on my eyelids is the shadow of death; Also my prayer is pure. O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have no place. Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And my record is on high. My friends scorn me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto God. O that one might plead for a man with God, When a few years are come, Then I shall go the way whence I shall not return. My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, The graves are ready for me. Are there not mockers with me? And doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? Who is he that will strike hands with me? He that speaketh flattery to his friends, Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, And the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. The righteous also shall hold on his way, And he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: They change the night into day: father: |