JOB 8:1-11:20
8:1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
8:2 How long wilt thou speak these [things]? and [how long shall] the words of thy mouth [be like] a strong wind?
8:3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
8:4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;
8:5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
8:6 If thou [wert] pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
8:7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
8:8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
8:9 (For we [are but of] yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth [are] a shadow:)
8:10 Shall not they teach thee, [and] tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
8:11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
8:12 Whilst it [is] yet in his greenness, [and] not cut down, it withereth before any [other] herb.
8:13 So [are] the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:
8:14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust [shall be] a spider’s web.
8:15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.
8:16 He [is] green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.
8:17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, [and] seeth the place of stones.
8:18 If he destroy him from his place, then [it] shall deny him, [saying], I have not seen thee.
8:19 Behold, this [is] the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
8:20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect [man], neither will he help the evil doers:
8:21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
8:22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.
9:1 Then Job answered and said,
9:2 I know [it is] so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
9:3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
9:4 [He is] wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened [himself] against him, and hath prospered?
9:5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
9:6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
9:7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
9:8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9:9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
9:10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
9:11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
9:12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
9:13 [If] God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
9:14 How much less shall I answer him, [and] choose out my words [to reason] with him?
9:15 Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer, [but] I would make supplication to my judge.
9:16 If I had called, and he had answered me; [yet] would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
9:17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
9:18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
9:19 If [I speak] of strength, lo, [he is] strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time [to plead]?
9:20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: [if I say], I [am] perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
9:21 [Though] I [were] perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
9:22 This [is] one [thing], therefore I said [it], He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
9:23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
9:24 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?
9:25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
9:26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle [that] hasteth to the prey.
9:27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort [myself]:
9:28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
9:29 [If] I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
9:30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
9:31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
9:32 For [he is] not a man, as I [am, that] I should answer him, [and] we should come together in judgment.
9:33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, [that] might lay his hand upon us both.
9:34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
9:35 [Then] would I speak, and not fear him; but [it is] not so with me.
10:1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
10:2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.
10:3 [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?
10:4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?
10:5 [Are] thy days as the days of man? [are] thy years as man’s days,
10:6 That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?
10:7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and [there is] none that can deliver out of thine hand.
10:8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
10:9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?
10:10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?
10:11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.
10:12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.
10:13 And these [things] hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this [is] with thee.
10:14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
10:15 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;
10:16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.
10:17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war [are] against me.
10:18 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!
10:19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
10:20 [Are] not my days few? cease [then, and] let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
10:21 Before I go [whence] I shall not return, [even] to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;
10:22 A land of darkness, as darkness [itself; and] of the shadow of death, without any order, and [where] the light [is] as darkness.
11:1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
11:2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?
11:3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
11:4 For thou hast said, My doctrine [is] pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.
11:5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;
11:6 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].
11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
11:8 [It is] as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?
11:9 The measure thereof [is] longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
11:10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?
11:11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider [it]?
11:12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born [like] a wild ass’s colt.
11:13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;
11:14 If iniquity [be] in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
11:15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
11:16 Because thou shalt forget [thy] misery, [and] remember [it] as waters [that] pass away:
11:17 And [thine] age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
11:18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig [about thee, and] thou shalt take thy rest in safety.
11:19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make [thee] afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
11:20 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.