Job 7-9

¹Is there not a warfare to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?

²As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, And as a hireling that looketh for his wages: ³So am I made to possess months of misery, And wearisome nights are appointed to me.

⁴When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

⁵My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; My skin closeth up, and breaketh out afresh.

⁶My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope.

⁷Oh remember that my life is a breath: Mine eye shall no more see good.

⁸The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more; Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be.

⁹As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, So he that goeth down to Sheol shall come up no more.

¹⁰He shall return no more to his house, Neither shall his place know him any more.

¹¹Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

¹Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

²As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

³So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

⁴When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

⁵My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

⁶My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

⁷O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

⁸The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

⁹As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

¹⁰He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

¹¹Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

¹²Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, That thou settest a watch over me?

¹³When I say, My bed shall comfort me, My couch shall ease my complaint; ¹⁴Then thou scarest me with dreams, And terrifiest me through visions: ¹⁵So that my soul chooseth strangling, And death rather than these my bones.

¹⁶I loathe my life; I would not live alway: Let me alone; for my days are vanity.

¹⁷What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, And that thou shouldest set thy mind upon him, ¹⁸And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, And try him every moment?

¹⁹How long wilt thou not look away from me, Nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

²⁰If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?

²¹And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; And thou wilt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.

¹²Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

¹³When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;

¹⁴Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

¹⁵So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

¹⁶I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

¹⁷What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

¹⁸And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

¹⁹How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

²⁰I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

²¹And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

¹Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

¹Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

²How long wilt thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?

³Doth God pervert justice? Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness?

²How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

³Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

⁴If thy children have sinned against him, And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression; ⁵If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty; ⁶If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

⁴If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

⁵If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

⁶If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

⁷And though thy beginning was small, Yet thy latter end would greatly increase.

⁸For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out ⁹(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow); ¹⁰Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, And utter words out of their heart?

⁷Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

⁸For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

⁹(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

¹⁰Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

¹¹Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water?

¹²Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.

¹³So are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish: ¹⁴Whose confidence shall break in sunder, And whose trust is a spider’s web.

¹¹Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

¹²Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

¹³So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:

¹⁴Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.

¹⁵He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.

¹⁶He is green before the sun, And his shoots go forth over his garden.

¹⁷His roots are wrapped about the stone -heap, He beholdeth the place of stones.

¹⁸If he be destroyed from his place, Then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

¹⁹Behold, this is the joy of his way; And out of the earth shall others spring.

²⁰Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

¹⁵He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

¹⁶He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

¹⁷His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

¹⁸If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

¹⁹Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

²⁰Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

²¹He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.

²²They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.

²¹Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

²²They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

¹Then Job answered and said,

¹Then Job answered and said,

²Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?

³If he be pleased to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand.

⁴He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?—

²I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

³If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

⁴He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

⁵Him that removeth the mountains, and they know it not, When he overturneth them in his anger; ⁶That shaketh the earth out of its place, And the pillars thereof tremble; ⁷That commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And sealeth up the stars; ⁸That alone stretcheth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea; ⁹That maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south; ¹⁰That doeth great things past finding out, Yea, marvellous things without number.

¹¹Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: He passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

¹²Behold, he seizeth the prey, who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?

¹³God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.

⁵Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

⁶Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

⁷Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

⁸Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

⁹Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

¹⁰Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

¹¹Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

¹²Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

¹³If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

¹⁴How much less shall I answer him, And choose out my words to reason with him?

¹⁵Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.

¹⁶If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.

¹⁷For he breaketh me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause.

¹⁴How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

¹⁵Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

¹⁶If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

¹⁷For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

¹⁸He will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness.

¹⁹If we speak of strength, lo, he is mighty! And if of justice, Who, saith he, will summon me?

²⁰Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.

²¹I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.

²²It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

¹⁸He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

¹⁹If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

²⁰If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

²¹Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

²²This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

²³If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the trial of the innocent.

²⁴The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covereth the faces of the judges thereof: If it be not he, who then is it?

²⁵Now my days are swifter than a post: They flee away, they see no good.

²⁶They are passed away as the swift ships; As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.

²⁷If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer;

²³If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

²⁴The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

²⁵Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

²⁶They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

²⁷If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

²⁸I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

²⁹I shall be condemned; Why then do I labor in vain?

³⁰If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean; ³¹Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.

²⁸I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

²⁹If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

³⁰If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

³¹Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

³²For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, That we should come together in judgment.

³³There is no umpire betwixt us, That might lay his hand upon us both.

³⁴Let him take his rod away from me, And let not his terror make me afraid: ³⁵Then would I speak, and not fear him; For I am not so in myself.

³²For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

³³Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

³⁴Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

³⁵Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.