Job And His Three Friends

Job 2:11 - 31:40 KJV

Job Chapter 2

¹¹ Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

¹² And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

¹³ So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job Chapter 3

¹ After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

² And Job spake, and said,

³ Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

⁴ Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

⁵ Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

⁶ As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

⁷ Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.

⁸ Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

⁹ Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

¹⁰ Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

¹¹ Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

¹² Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

¹³ For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

¹⁴ With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

¹⁵ Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

¹⁶ Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

¹⁷ There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

¹⁸ There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

¹⁹ The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

²⁰ Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

²¹ Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

²² Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

²³ Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

²⁴ For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

²⁵ For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

²⁶ I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

Job Chapter 4

¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

² If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

³ Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

⁴ Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

⁵ But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

⁶ Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

⁷ Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

⁸ Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

⁹ By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

¹⁰ The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

¹¹ The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

¹² Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.

¹³ In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,

¹⁴ Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

¹⁵ Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:

¹⁶ It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,

¹⁷ Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

¹⁸ Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

¹⁹ How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

²⁰ They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

²¹ Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

Job Chapter 5

¹ Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

² For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

³ I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

⁴ His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

⁵ Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

⁶ Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

⁷ Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

⁸ I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

⁹ Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:

¹⁰ Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:

¹¹ To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

¹² He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

¹³ He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

¹⁴ They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.

¹⁵ But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

¹⁶ So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

¹⁷ Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

¹⁸ For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

¹⁹ He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

²⁰ In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.

²¹ Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

²² At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

²³ For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

²⁴ And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

²⁵ Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

²⁶ Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

²⁷ Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Job Chapter 6

¹ But Job answered and said,

² Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

³ For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

⁴ For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

⁵ Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

⁶ Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

⁷ The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

⁸ Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

⁹ Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

¹⁰ Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

¹¹ What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

¹² Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?

¹³ Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

¹⁴ To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵ My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

¹⁶ Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

¹⁷ What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

¹⁸ The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

¹⁹ The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

²⁰ They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

²¹ For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

²² Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

²³ Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

²⁴ Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

²⁵ How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

²⁶ Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

²⁷ Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

²⁸ Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

²⁹ Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

³⁰ Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?

Job Chapter 7

¹ Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

² As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

³ So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

⁴ When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

⁵ My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

⁶ My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

⁷ O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

⁸ The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

⁹ As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

¹⁰ He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

¹¹ Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

¹² Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

¹³ When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;

¹⁴ Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

¹⁵ So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

¹⁶ I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

¹⁷ What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

¹⁸ And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

¹⁹ How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

²⁰ I have 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 to myself?

²¹ And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

Job Chapter 8

¹ Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

² How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

³ Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

⁴ If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

⁵ If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

⁶ If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

⁷ Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

⁸ For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

⁹ (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

¹⁰ Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

¹¹ Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

¹² Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

¹³ So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

¹⁴ Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.

¹⁵ He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

¹⁶ He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

¹⁷ His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

¹⁸ If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

¹⁹ Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

²⁰ Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

²¹ Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

²² They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

Job Chapter 9

¹ Then Job answered and said,

² I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

³ If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

⁴ He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

⁵ Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

⁶ Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

⁷ Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

⁸ Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

⁹ Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

¹⁰ Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

¹¹ Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

¹² Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

¹³ If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

¹⁴ How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

¹⁵ Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

¹⁶ If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

¹⁷ For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

¹⁸ He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

¹⁹ If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

²⁰ If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

²¹ Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

²² This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

²³ If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

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?

²⁵ Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

²⁶ They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

²⁷ If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

²⁸ I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

²⁹ If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

³⁰ If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

³¹ Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

³² For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

³³ Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

³⁴ Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

³⁵ Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

Job Chapter 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.

² I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

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?

⁴ Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

⁵ Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,

⁶ That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?

⁷ Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

⁸ Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

⁹ Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

¹⁰ Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

¹¹ Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

¹² Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

¹³ And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

¹⁴ If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

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;

¹⁶ For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

¹⁷ Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

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!

¹⁹ I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

²⁰ Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

²¹ Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

²² A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

Job Chapter 11

¹ Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

² Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

³ Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

⁴ For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

⁵ But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

⁶ And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

⁷ Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

⁸ It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

⁹ The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

¹⁰ If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

¹¹ For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

¹² For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

¹³ If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

¹⁴ If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

¹⁵ For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

¹⁶ Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

¹⁷ And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

¹⁸ And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

¹⁹ Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

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.

Job Chapter 12

¹ And Job answered and said,

² No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

³ But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

⁴ I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

⁵ He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

⁶ The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

⁷ But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

⁸ Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

⁹ Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

¹⁰ In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

¹¹ Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

¹² With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

¹³ With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

¹⁴ Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

¹⁵ Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

¹⁶ With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

¹⁷ He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

¹⁸ He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

¹⁹ He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

²⁰ He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

²¹ He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

²² He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

²³ He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

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.

²⁵ They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

Job Chapter 13

¹ Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

² What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

³ Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

⁴ But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

⁵ O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

⁶ Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

⁷ Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

⁸ Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

⁹ Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

¹⁰ He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

¹¹ Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

¹² Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

¹³ Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

¹⁴ Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

¹⁵ Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

¹⁶ He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

¹⁷ Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

¹⁸ Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

¹⁹ Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

²⁰ Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

²¹ Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

²² Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

²³ How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

²⁴ Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

²⁵ Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

²⁶ For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

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.

²⁸ And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Job Chapter 14

¹ Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

² He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

³ And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

⁴ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

⁵ Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

⁶ Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

⁷ For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

⁸ Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

⁹ Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

¹⁰ But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

¹¹ As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

¹² So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

¹³ O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

¹⁴ If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

¹⁵ Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

¹⁶ For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

¹⁷ My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

¹⁸ And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

¹⁹ The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

²⁰ Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

²¹ His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

²² But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

Job Chapter 15

¹ Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

² Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

³ Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

⁴ Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

⁵ For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

⁶ Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

⁷ Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

⁸ Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

⁹ What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

¹⁰ With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

¹¹ Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

¹² Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

¹³ That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

¹⁴ What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

¹⁵ Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

¹⁶ How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

¹⁷ I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

¹⁸ Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:

¹⁹ Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

²⁰ The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

²¹ A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

²² He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

²³ He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

²⁴ Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

²⁵ For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

²⁶ He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

²⁷ Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

²⁸ And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

²⁹ He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.

³⁰ He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.

³¹ Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

³² It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.

³³ He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

³⁴ For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

³⁵ They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

Job Chapter 16

¹ Then Job answered and said,

² I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

³ Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

⁴ 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.

⁵ But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

⁶ Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

⁷ But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

⁸ 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.

⁹ He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

¹⁰ They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

¹¹ God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

¹² 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.

¹³ His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

¹⁴ He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

¹⁵ I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

¹⁶ My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

¹⁷ Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

¹⁸ O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

¹⁹ Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

²⁰ My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

²¹ O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

²² When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

Job Chapter 17

¹ My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

² Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?

³ Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

⁴ For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

⁵ He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.

⁶ He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret.

⁷ Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.

⁸ Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.

⁹ The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

¹⁰ But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

¹¹ My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.

¹² They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.

¹³ If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

¹⁴ I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

¹⁵ And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

¹⁶ They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.

Job Chapter 18

¹ Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

² How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.

³ Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?

⁴ He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?

⁵ Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.

⁶ The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.

⁷ The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

⁸ For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.

⁹ The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.

¹⁰ The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.

¹¹ Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.

¹² His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.

¹³ It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.

¹⁴ His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.

¹⁵ It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

¹⁶ His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.

¹⁷ His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.

¹⁸ He shall be driven from light into darkness, 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 were affrighted.

²¹ Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.

Job Chapter 19

¹ Then Job answered and said,

² 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 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 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 my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.

²⁰ My bone cleaveth to my skin 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, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

²³ 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, 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, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

²⁸ But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

²⁹ Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Job Chapter 20

¹ Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

² Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

³ I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

⁴ Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

⁵ That the triumphing of the wicked is 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 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: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

⁹ The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

¹⁰ His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

¹¹ His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

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 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, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

¹⁶ He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.

¹⁷ He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

¹⁸ That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

¹⁹ Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

²⁰ Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

²¹ There shall 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 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: terrors are upon him.

²⁶ All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; 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.

Job Chapter 21

¹ But Job answered and said,

² Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

³ 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 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

⁶ 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 in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

¹⁴ Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

¹⁵ What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

¹⁶ Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

¹⁷ How oft is the 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, 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 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, and the worms shall cover them.

²⁷ 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 grave, and shall 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 falsehood?

Job Chapter 22

¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

² Can a man be profitable unto God, 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 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 the mighty man, he had the earth; and the 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.

¹² Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

¹³ And thou sayest, 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, 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 substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

²¹ Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

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 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 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; and he shall save the humble person.

³⁰ He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.

Job Chapter 23

¹ Then Job answered and said,

² Even to day is my complaint bitter: 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; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

⁸ Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

⁹ On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

¹⁰ But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

¹¹ My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

¹² Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

¹³ But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

¹⁴ For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

¹⁵ Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

¹⁶ For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

¹⁷ Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

Job Chapter 24

¹ Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?

² Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.

³ They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

⁴ They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.

⁵ Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.

⁶ They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.

⁷ They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.

⁸ They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.

⁹ They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.

¹⁰ They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;

¹¹ Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.

¹² Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.

¹³ They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.

¹⁴ The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.

¹⁵ The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

¹⁶ In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

¹⁷ For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.

¹⁸ He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.

¹⁹ Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.

²⁰ The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.

²¹ He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.

²² He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.

²³ Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.

²⁴ They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.

²⁵ And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?

Job Chapter 25

¹ Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

² Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places.

³ Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?

⁴ How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

⁵ Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.

⁶ How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Job Chapter 26

¹ But Job answered and said,

² How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?

³ How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?

⁴ To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?

⁵ Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.

⁶ Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.

⁷ He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

⁸ He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.

⁹ He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.

¹⁰ He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.

¹¹ The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.

¹² He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.

¹³ By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

¹⁴ Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

Job Chapter 27

¹ Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

² As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;

³ All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

⁴ My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

⁵ God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

⁶ My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

⁷ Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

⁸ For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

⁹ Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?

¹⁰ Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

¹¹ I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

¹² Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?

¹³ This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.

¹⁴ If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

¹⁵ Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.

¹⁶ Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;

¹⁷ He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

¹⁸ He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.

¹⁹ The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.

²⁰ Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.

²¹ The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.

²² For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

²³ Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

Job Chapter 28

¹ Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.

² Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

³ He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

⁴ The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

⁵ As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

⁶ The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

⁷ There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:

⁸ The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.

⁹ He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

¹⁰ He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

¹¹ He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

¹² But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

¹³ Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

¹⁴ The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

¹⁵ It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

¹⁶ It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

¹⁷ The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

¹⁸ No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

¹⁹ The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

²⁰ Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

²¹ Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

²² Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

²³ God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

²⁴ For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

²⁵ To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

²⁶ When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

²⁷ Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

²⁸ And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Job Chapter 29

¹ Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

² Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

³ When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

⁴ As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

⁵ When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

⁶ When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

⁷ When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

⁸ The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.

⁹ The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

¹⁰ The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

¹¹ When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

¹² Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

¹³ The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

¹⁴ I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

¹⁵ I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

¹⁶ I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

¹⁷ And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

¹⁸ Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

¹⁹ My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

²⁰ My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

²¹ Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel.

²² After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them.

²³ And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

²⁴ If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

²⁵ I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

Job Chapter 30

¹ But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

² Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?

³ For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.

⁴ Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.

⁵ They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)

⁶ To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

⁷ Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.

⁸ They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.

⁹ And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.

¹⁰ They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.

¹¹ Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.

¹² Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.

¹³ They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.

¹⁴ They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.

¹⁵ Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.

¹⁶ And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.

¹⁷ My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.

¹⁸ By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.

¹⁹ He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.

²⁰ I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.

²¹ Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.

²² Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.

²³ For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.

²⁴ Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.

²⁵ Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

²⁶ When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

²⁷ My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.

²⁸ I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.

²⁹ I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.

³⁰ My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

³¹ My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

Job Chapter 31

¹ I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

² For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

³ Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

⁴ Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

⁵ If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

⁶ Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

⁷ If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

⁸ Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

⁹ If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;

¹⁰ Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

¹¹ For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

¹² For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

¹³ If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

¹⁴ What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

¹⁵ Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

¹⁶ If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

¹⁷ Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

¹⁸ (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)

¹⁹ If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

²² Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

²³ For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

²⁴ If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;

²⁵ If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;

²⁶ If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

²⁷ And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

²⁸ This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

²⁹ If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

³⁰ Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

³¹ If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

³² The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

³³ If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:

³⁴ Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

³⁵ Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

³⁶ Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

³⁷ I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

³⁸ If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

³⁹ If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

⁴⁰ Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.