11 Can the rush grow up without 7 Which commandeth the sun, mire? can the flag grow without and it riseth not; and sealeth up the water? stars; 12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. w 13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: i 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 Jaughing, 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. CHAP. IX. but how should man be just with God? 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. t 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 bit terness. 19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong; and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead ? 3 If he will contend with him, het 20 If I justify myself, mine_own cannot answer him one of a thou- mouth shall condemn me: If I say, sand. I am perfect, it shall also prove me t 4 He is wise in heart, and migh-perverse. S5 Which removeth the moun- 6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble; 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, be will laugh at the trial of the in nocent. 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? t 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 snowwater, 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. CHAP X. 7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thy hand. t8 Thy 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, wo 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; i 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 My soul is weary of mynt upon war ar against et will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. d 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 thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? 4 Hast thou eyes of flesh ? seest thou as man seeth? or 5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days, 6 That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? 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 dark. ness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness. 2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? 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. w 20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving CHAP. XII. 3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee asham-up of the ghost. ed? 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. t7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? E8 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 thy heart, and stretch out thy hands toward him; 14 If iniquity be in thy 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 steadfast, and shalt not fear: 16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away; 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. k 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. E7 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. 17 And thine age shall be clearer 14 Behold, he breaketh down than the noon day: thou shalt shine and it cannot be built again: he forth, thou shalt be as the morning.shutteth up a man, and there can be 18 And thou shalt be secure, be- no opening. cause there is hope; yea, thou shalt | 15 Behold, he withholdeth the E 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. 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 ve do secretly accept persons. d 11 Shall not his excellency make 18 He looseth the bond of kings, you afraid? and his dread fall upon and girdeth their loins with a gir-you? dle. 12 Your remembrances are like 19 He leadeth princes away unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. 20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. E 21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. 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 my hand? d 15 Though he slay me, yet will I 22 He discovereth deep things trust in him; but I will maintain out of darkness, and bringeth out to mine own ways before him. light the shadow of death. 16 He also shall be my salvation: 23 He increaseth the nations, and for a hypocrite shall not come before destroyeth them he enlargeth the him. nations, and straighteneth 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. CHAP. XIII. 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, shall give up the ghost. I 20 Only do not two things unto O, mine eye hath seen all this, me: then will I not hide myself 10, derstood it. 21 Withdraw thy hand far from afraid. 2 What ye know, the same do Ime: and let not thy dread make me know also: I am not inferior unto you. 13 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. 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. 5 0 that ye would altogether 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy hold your peace; and it should be face, and holdest me for thine eneyour wisdom. my? 6 Hear now my reasoning, and i 25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven hearken to the pleadings of my to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the lips. dry stubble? 7 Will ye speak wickedly for 26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to pos- again all the days of my appointsess the iniquities of my youth. ed time will I wait, till my change 27 Thou puttest my feet also in come. the stocks, and lookest narrowly | 15 Thou shalt call, and I will unto all my paths; thou settest a answer thee: thou wilt have a deprint upon the heels of my feet. sire to the work of thy hands. 28 And he, as a rotten thing, con- 16 For now thou numberest my sumeth, as a garment that is moth-steps: dost thou not watch over my i 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 a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? 4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. t 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 a hireling, his day. S7 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? 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. E 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. CHAP. XV. fHEN answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, TH 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? c 4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. 11 As the waters fail from the 5 For thy mouth uttereth thine insea, and the flood decayeth and dri-iquity, and thou choosest the tongue eth 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. d 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! d* 14 If a man die, shall he livel 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 |