Chapter 2

18:009:014 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

18:009:015 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

18:009:016 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

18:009:017 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

18:009:018 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

18:009:019 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

18:009:020 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

18:009:021 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

18:009:022 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

18:009:023 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

18:009:024 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?

18:009:025 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

18:009:026 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

18:009:027 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

18:009:028 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

18:009:029 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

18:009:030 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

18:009:031 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

18:009:032 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

18:009:033 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

18:009:034 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

18:009:035 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

18:010:001 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

18:010:002 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

18:010:003 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?

18:010:004 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

18:010:005 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,

18:010:006 That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?

18:010:007 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

18:010:008 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

18:010:009 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

18:010:010 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

18:010:011 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

18:010:012 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

18:010:013 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

18:010:014 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

18:010:015 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;

18:010:016 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

18:010:017 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

18:010:018 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!

18:010:019 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

18:010:020 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

18:010:021 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

18:010:022 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

18:011:001 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

18:011:002 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

18:011:003 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

18:011:004 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

18:011:005 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

18:011:006 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.

18:011:007 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

18:011:008 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

18:011:009 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

18:011:010 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

18:011:011 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

18:011:012 For vain men would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

18:011:013 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

18:011:014 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

18:011:015 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

18:011:016 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

18:011:017 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

18:011:018 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

18:011:019 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

18:011:020 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.

18:012:001 And Job answered and said,

18:012:002 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

18:012:003 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

18:012:004 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

18:012:005 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

18:012:006 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

18:012:007 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

18:012:008 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

18:012:009 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

18:012:010 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

18:012:011 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

18:012:012 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

18:012:013 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

18:012:014 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

18:012:015 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

18:012:016 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

18:012:017 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

18:012:018 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

18:012:019 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

18:012:020 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

18:012:021 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

18:012:022 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

18:012:023 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

18:012:024 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.

18:012:025 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

18:013:001 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

18:013:002 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

18:013:003 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

18:013:004 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

18:013:005 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

18:013:006 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

18:013:007 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

18:013:008 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

18:013:009 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

18:013:010 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

18:013:011 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

18:013:012 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

18:013:013 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

18:013:014 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

18:013:015 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

18:013:016 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

18:013:017 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

18:013:018 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

18:013:019 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

18:013:020 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

18:013:021 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

18:013:022 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

18:013:023 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

18:013:024 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

18:013:025 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

18:013:026 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

18:013:027 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.

18:013:028 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

18:014:001 Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.

18:014:002 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

18:014:003 And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

18:014:004 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

18:014:005 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

18:014:006 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

18:014:007 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.

18:014:008 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

18:014:009 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

18:014:010 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

18:014:011 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

18:014:012 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

18:014:013 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!

18:014:014 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

18:014:015 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

18:014:016 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

18:014:017 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

18:014:018 And surely the mountains falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

18:014:019 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.

18:014:020 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

18:014:021 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

18:014:022 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

18:015:001 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

18:015:002 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

18:015:003 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

18:015:004 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

18:015:005 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

18:015:006 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

18:015:007 Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

18:015:008 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

18:015:009 What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

18:015:010 With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

18:015:011 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

18:015:012 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

18:015:013 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

18:015:014 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

18:015:015 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

18:015:016 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

18:015:017 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

18:015:018 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:

18:015:019 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

18:015:020 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

18:015:021 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

18:015:022 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

18:015:023 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

18:015:024 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

18:015:025 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

18:015:026 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

18:015:027 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

18:015:028 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

18:015:029 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.

18:015:030 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.

18:015:031 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

18:015:032 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.

18:015:033 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

18:015:034 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

18:015:035 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

18:016:001 Then Job answered and said,

18:016:002 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

18:016:003 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

18:016:004 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.

18:016:005 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

18:016:006 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

18:016:007 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

18:016:008 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.

18:016:009 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

18:016:010 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

18:016:011 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

18:016:012 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.

18:016:013 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

18:016:014 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

18:016:015 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

18:016:016 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

18:016:017 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

18:016:018 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

18:016:019 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

18:016:020 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

18:016:021 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

18:016:022 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

18:017:001 My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

18:017:002 Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?

18:017:003 Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

18:017:004 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

18:017:005 He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.

18:017:006 He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret.

18:017:007 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.

18:017:008 Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.

18:017:009 The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

18:017:010 But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

18:017:011 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.

18:017:012 They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.

18:017:013 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

18:017:014 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

18:017:015 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

18:017:016 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.

18:018:001 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

18:018:002 How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.

18:018:003 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?

18:018:004 He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?

18:018:005 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.

18:018:006 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.

18:018:007 The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

18:018:008 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.

18:018:009 The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.