Before
CHRIST,
1520.
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to 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 its food?
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 counselors 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 revealeth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth to light the shades of death.
23 He increaseth nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth 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.
CHAP. XIII
1 1 Job reproveth his friends of partiality. 14 He professeth his confidence in God, 20 and intreateth to know his own sins, and God's purpose in afflicting him.
1 Lo, my eye hath seen all this, my ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior to 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 would 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 excellence make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Your remembrances are like to 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 Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
15 Though he shall slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain my own 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.
19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall expire.
20 Only do not two things to me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
21 Withdraw thy 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 my iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24 Why hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thy 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 to 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.
CHAP. XIV
1 1 Job intreateth God for favour, by the shortness of life, and certainty of death. 7 Though life once lost be irrecoverable, yet he waiteth for his change. 16 By sin the creature is subject to corruption.
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 thy eyes upon such one, and bring 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 is 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.
7 For there is hope of a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender branch will not cease.
8 Though its root shall become old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground;
9 Yet through the scent of water it
