Historical
29 1 Job complaineth of the prosperity of the time past. 7, 21 His authority. 22 Justice and equity.
1 So Job proceeded, and continued his parable, saying,
2 Oh that I were as [a]in times past, when God preserved me!
3 When his [b]light shined upon mine head: and when by his light I walked through the [c]darkness,
4 As I was in the days of my youth: when [d]God’s providence was upon my tabernacle:
5 When the Almighty was yet with me, and my children round about me:
6 when I washed my paths [e]with butter, and when the rock poured me out rivers of oil:
7 When I went out to the gate, even to the judgment seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seat in the street.
8 The young men saw me, and [f]hid themselves, and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes stayed talk, and laid their hand on their [g]mouth.
10 The voice of princes was hid, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
11 And when the [h]ear heard me, it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to [i]me.
12 For I delivered the [j]poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
13 [k]The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to rejoice.
14 I put [l]on justice, and it covered me: my judgment was as a robe, and a crown.
15 I was the eyes to the blind, and I was the feet to the lame.
16 I was a father unto the poor, and when I knew not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
17 I brake also the jaws of the unrighteous man, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
18 Then I said, I shall die in my [m]nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 For my root is [n]spread out by the water, and the dew shall lie upon my branch.
20 My glory shall renew toward me, and my bow shall be restored in mine hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and held their tongue at my counsel.
22 After my words they replied not, and my talk [o]dropped upon them.
23 And they waited for me, as for the rain, and they opened their mouth [p]as for the latter rain.
24 If I [q]laughed on them, they believed it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance [r]to fall.
25 I appointed out [s]their way, and did sit as chief, and dwelt as a King in the army, and like him that comforteth the mourners.
30 1 Job complaineth that he is contemned of the most contemptible, 11, 21 because of his adversity and affliction. 23 Death is the house of all flesh.
1 But now they that are younger than I, [t]mock me: yea, they whose fathers I have refused to set with the [u]dogs of my flocks.
2 For whereto should the strength of their hands have served me, seeing age [v]perished in them?
3 For poverty and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wilderness, which is dark, desolate and waste.
4 They cut up [w]nettles by the bushes, and the juniper roots was their meat.
5 They were [x]chased forth from among men: they shouted at them, as at a thief.
6 Therefore they dwelt in the clefts of rivers, in the holes of the earth and rocks.
7 They roared among the bushes, and under the thistles they gathered themselves.
8 They were the children of fools, and the children of villains, which were more vile than the earth.
9 And now am I their [y]song, and I am their talk.
10 They abhor me, and flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
11 Because that God hath loosed my [z]cord and humbled me, [aa]they have loosed the bridle before me.
12 The youth rise up at my right hand: they have pushed my feet, and have trode on me as on the [ab]paths of their destruction.
13 They have destroyed my paths: they took pleasure at my calamity, they had no [ac]help.
14 They came as a great breach of waters, and [ad]under this calamity they come on heaps.
15 Fear is turned upon me: and they pursue my soul as the wind, and mine health passeth away as a cloud.
16 Therefore my soul is now [ae]poured out upon me, and the days of affliction have taken hold on me.
17 [af]It pierceth my bones in the night, and my sinews take no rest.
18 For the great vehemency is my garments changed, which compasseth me about, as the collar of my coat.
19 [ag]He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like ashes and dust.
20 When I cry unto thee, thou dost not hear me, neither regardest me, when I stand up.
21 Thou turnest thyself [ah]cruelly against me, and art enemy unto me with the strength of thine hand.
22 Thou takest me up and causest me to ride upon the [ai]wind, and makest my [aj]strength to fail.
23 Surely I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all the living.
24 Doubtless none can stretch his hand [ak]unto the grave, though they cry in his destruction.
25 Did not I weep with him that was in trouble? was not my soul in heaviness for the poor?
26 Yet when I looked for good, [al]evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 My bowels did boil without rest: for the days of affliction are come upon me.
28 I went mourning [am]without sun: I stood up in the Congregation [an]and cried.
29 I am a brother to the [ao]Dragons, and a companion to the Ostriches.
30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burnt with [ap]heat.
31 Therefore mine harp is turned to mourning, and mine organs into the voice of them that weep.
31 1 Job reciteth the innocence of his living and number of his virtues, which declareth what ought to be the life of the faithful.
1 I made a covenant with mine [aq]eyes: why then should I think on [ar]a maid?
2 For what portion should I have of God from above? and what inheritance of the almighty from on high?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked, and strange punishment to [as]the workers of iniquity?
4 Doth not he behold my ways, and tell all my steps?
5 If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot hath made haste to deceit?
6 Let God weigh me in the just balance, and he shall know my [at]uprightness.
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath [au]walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands,
8 Let me sow, and let another [av]eat: yea, let my plants be rooted out.
9 If mine heart hath been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at the door of my neighbor,
10 Let my wife [aw]grind unto another man, and let other men bow down upon her.
11 For this is a wickedness, and iniquity to be condemned.
12 Yea, this is a fire that shall devour [ax]to destruction, and which shall root out all my increase.
13 If I did contemn the judgment of my servant, and of my maid, when they [ay]did contend with me,
14 What then shall I do when [az]God standeth up? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answer?
15 He that hath made me in the womb, hath he not made [ba]him? hath not he alone fashioned us in the womb?
16 If I restrained the poor of their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow [bb]to fail,
17 Or have eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof,
18 (For from my youth hath he grown up with me [bc]as with a father, and from my mother’s womb have I been a guide unto her.)
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have lifted [bd]up mine hand against the fatherless, when I saw that I might help him in the gate,
22 Let mine [be]arm fall from my shoulder, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
23 For God’s punishment was [bf]fearful unto me, and I could not be delivered from his Highness.
24 If I made gold mine hope, or have said to the wedge of gold, Thou art my confidence,
25 If I rejoiced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,
26 If I did behold the [bg]sun, when it shined, or the moon walking in her brightness,
27 If mine heart did flatter me in secret, or if my mouth did kiss mine [bh]hand,
28 (This also had been an iniquity to be condemned: for I had denied the God [bi]above.)
29 If I rejoiced at his destruction that hated me, or was moved to joy when evil came upon him,
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse unto his soul.
31 Did not the men of my [bj]Tabernacle say, Who shall give us of his flesh? we cannot be satisfied.
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street, but I opened my doors unto him, that went by the way.
33 If I have hid [bk]my sins, as Adam, concealing mine iniquity in my bosom,
34 Though I could have made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did [bl]fear me: so I kept [bm]silence, and went not out of the door.
35 Oh that I had some to hear me! behold my [bn]sign that the Almighty will witness for me: though mine adversary should write a book against me,
36 Would not I take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a [bo]crown unto me?
37 I will tell him the number of my goings, and go unto him as to a [bp]prince.
38 If my land [bq]cry against me, or the furrows thereof complain together,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without silver: or if I have grieved [br]the souls of the masters thereof,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle in the stead of barley.
THE [bs]WORDS OF JOB ARE ENDED.
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