Job 10-12

¹My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

¹My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

²I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.

²I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

³Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, That thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, And shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

⁴Hast thou eyes of flesh? Or seest thou as man seeth?

⁵Are thy days as the days of man, Or thy years as man’s days, ⁶That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, And searchest after my sin, ⁷Although thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand?

⁸Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me Together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

⁹Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; And wilt thou bring me into dust again?

³Is 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?

⁴Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

⁵Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days,

⁶That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?

⁷Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

⁸Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

⁹Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

¹⁰Hast thou not poured me out as milk, And curdled me like cheese?

¹¹Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews.

¹²Thou hast granted me life and lovingkindness; And thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

¹³Yet these things thou didst hide in thy heart; I know that this is with thee: ¹⁴If I sin, then thou markest me, And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

¹⁵If I be wicked, woe unto me; And if I be righteous, yet shall I not lift up my head; Being filled with ignominy, And looking upon mine affliction.

¹⁰Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

¹¹Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

¹²Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

¹³And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

¹⁴If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

¹⁵If 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;

¹⁶And if my head exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion; And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.

¹⁷Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, And increasest thine indignation upon me: Changes and warfare are with me.

¹⁸Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me.

¹⁹I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

¹⁶For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

¹⁷Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

¹⁸Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

¹⁹I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

²⁰Are not my days few? cease then, And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, ²¹Before I go whence I shall not return, Even to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death; ²²The land dark as midnight, The land of the shadow of death, without any order, And where the light is as midnight.

²⁰Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

²¹Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

²²A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

¹Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

¹Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

²Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified?

³Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

⁴For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in thine eyes.

²Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

³Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

⁴For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

⁵But oh that God would speak, And open his lips against thee, ⁶And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

⁵But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

⁶And 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.

⁷Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

⁷Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

⁸It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

⁹The measure thereof is longer than the earth, And broader than the sea.

¹⁰If he pass through, and shut up, And call unto judgment, then who can hinder him?

¹¹For he knoweth false men: He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.

¹²But vain man is void of understanding, Yea, man is born as a wild ass’s colt.

¹³If thou set thy heart aright, And stretch out thy hands toward him; ¹⁴If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away, And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents.

¹⁵Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: ¹⁶For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away, ¹⁷And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday; Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

¹⁸And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; Yea, thou shalt search about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety.

⁸It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

⁹The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

¹⁰If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

¹¹For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

¹²For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.

¹³If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

¹⁴If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

¹⁵For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

¹⁶Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

¹⁷And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

¹⁸And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

¹⁹Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; Yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

²⁰But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, And they shall have no way to flee; And their hope shall be the giving up of the ghost.

¹⁹Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

²⁰But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

¹Then Job answered and said,

¹And Job answered and said,

²No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall die with you.

³But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

⁴I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, I who called upon God, and he answered: The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.

²No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

³But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

⁴I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

⁵In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.

⁶The tents of robbers prosper, And they that provoke God are secure; Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

⁷But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee: ⁸Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

⁹Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this, ¹⁰In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

¹¹Doth not the ear try words, Even as the palate tasteth its food?

¹²With aged men is wisdom, And in length of days understanding.

¹³With God is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.

⁵He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

⁶The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

⁷But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

⁸Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

⁹Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

¹⁰In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

¹¹Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

¹²With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

¹³With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

¹⁴Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

¹⁵Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

¹⁶With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.

¹⁷He leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.

¹⁸He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.

¹⁹He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.

²⁰He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders.

²¹He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.

²²He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

²³He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.

²⁴He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

²⁵They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

¹⁴Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

¹⁵Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

¹⁶With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

¹⁷He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

¹⁸He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

¹⁹He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

²⁰He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

²¹He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

²²He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

²³He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

²⁴He 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.

²⁵They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.