The wicked often prosper. JOB, XII, XIII. God's wisdom and power. 18 And thou shalt be secure, because 12 h With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. 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 a make suit unto thee. 8 CHAPTER XII. Job's answer to Zophar: He censureth the arrogance of his friends; 6 showeth that the wicked often prosper in this world; 9 and dis 13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. 8 14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he 'shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. 16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. 17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, courseth concerning the wisdom and power of God. [B. c. 1520.] and P maketh the judges fools. Prov. 3. 24. d Prov. 14, 2. Mal. 3. 15. Heb. all flesh of man. 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. and 10 weakeneth the strength of the mighty. 21 He poureth contempt upon princes, 22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the 8 shadow of death. 11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? The shortness of 23 How many are mine iniquities sins? make me to know my transgres and my sin. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, holdest me for thine enemy? 25 P Wilt thou break a leaf driven to fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stub 26 For thou writest bitter things ag me, and makest me to possess the in ties of my youth. 27 Thou puttest my feet also in stocks, and lookest narrowly unto. al paths; thou settest a print upon the of my feet. 28 And he, as a rotten thing, consu as a garment that is moth-eaten. CHAPTER XIV. 4. Job entreateth God for a respite from his sufferings in ris shortness of life, 7 and because the dead return not; waiteth submissively for his change. 16 By reason of creature is subject to corruption. [B. c. 1520.] 12 Your remembrances are like unto MAN that is born of a woman is ' 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? h 15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust а days, and full of trouble. 2 b He cometh forth like a flower, a cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow continueth not. 3 And dost thou open thine eyes such a one, and "bringest me into jud in him but I will maintain mine own with thee? ways before him. 16 He also shall be my salvation: for a 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. k 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 m 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. CHAP. XIII.a ch. 12. 3. b ch. 23. 3. & 31. 35. c ch. 6. 21. & 16. 2. d Prov. 17. 28. e ch. 17. 5. & 32. 21. & 36. 4. Heb. Be silent from me. f ch. 18. 4. g 1 Sam. 28. 21. Ps. 119. 109. h Ps. 23. 4. Prov. 14. 32. i ch. 27. 5. k ch. 33. 6. Is. 50. 8. 1 ch. 9. 34. n Deut. 32. 20. Ps. 13. 1. & 44. 24. & 88. 14. Is. Ruth 1. 21. ch. 16. 9. & 19. 11. & 33. 10. Lam. 2. 5. Ps. 25. 7. 3 Heb. observest. • Heb. roots. "Heb. prove, or, argue. & 33. 7. m Ps. 39. 10. е 4 2 Who can bring a clean thing an unclean? not one. 5 Seeing his days are determine number of his months are with thee hast appointed his bounds that he pass; g 6 Turn from him, that he may 3r he shall accomplish, has a hireling, h 7 For there is hope of a tree, if it down, that it will sprout again, an the tender branch thereof will not cea 8 Though the root thereof wax the earth, and the stock thereof die ground; 9 Yet through the scent of water bud, and bring forth boughs like a pl 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. CHAPTER XV. The reply of Eliphaz: He reproveth Job for impiety in what he had uttered; 17 and showeth the misery that cometh upon the wicked. [B. c. 1520.] THEN answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, 2 Should a wise man utter 1vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? • Heb. is weakened, or, cut off. k Ps. 102. 26. Is. 51. 6. & 65, 17, & 66. 22. Acts 3. 21. Rom. 8. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 7, 10, 11. Rev. 20. 11. & 21. 1. 1 ch. 13. 15. m ver. 7. n ch. 13. 22, 0 ch. 10, 0, 14. & 13. 27. & 31. 4. & 31. 21. Ps. 56. 8. & 139. 1, 2, 3. Prov. 5. 21. Jer. 32. 19. p Deut. 32. 34. Jos. 13. 12. • Heb. fudeth. Heb. overflowest. q Ecc. 9. 5. 1s. 03. 16. Eliphaz reproveth Job. 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. a 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? с 8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? 9 d What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us? е 10 With us are both the gray headed 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. 16h How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? 2 Heb. thou makest void. b Ps. 90. 2. Prov. CHAP. XV. — Heb, knowledge of wind. 3 Or, speech. Heb. teacheth. a Luke 19. 22. 8. 25. c Rom. 11. 34. 1 Cor. 2. 11. d ch. 13. 2. e ch. 32. 6, 7. f1 Kings 8. 46, 2 Chr. 6. 36. ch. 14. 4. Ps. 14. 3. Prov. 20. 9. Ecc. 7. 20. 1 John 1. 8, 15. ch. 4. 18. & 25. 5. h ch. 4. 19. Ps. 14. 3. & 53. 2 1 Joel 3. 17. The misery of the wicked. m JOB, XVI. 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 The great trials of Job. CHAPTER XVI. Job's answer: He reproveth his friends for their want of sympa thy; 7 showeth the greatness of his sufferings; 17 and asseruth his integrity. [B. c. 1520.] THEN 2 I have heard many such things: 1 miserable comforters are ye all. THEN Job answered and said, 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. b 5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief. 3 6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: 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. d 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. i |