JOB XXX. A. C. 2130. * Heb, of fewer days than 1. + Or, dark as the night. 1 Job's honour is turned into extreme contempt. 15 His prosperity into calamity. 1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock. 2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished? 3 For want and famine they were + solitary; fleeing into Heb. yester the wilderness in former time desolate and waste. night. Heb. holes. Heb. men of no name. y Ps. xxxv. 15. & Ixix. 12. * Heb, and withho'd not spitile from my face. + Heh, my principal one. Heb. turned to be cruel. Heb. the strength of thy hand, 4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat. 5 They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief ;) 6 To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys, in § caves of the earth, and in the rocks. 7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together. 8 They were children of fools, yea, children of || base men: they were viler than the earth. * 9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword. 10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face. 11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me. 12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction. 13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper. 14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters : in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me. : 15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue † my soul as the wind and my welfare passeth away as a cloud. 16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me. 17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest. 18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. 19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes. 20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not. 21 Thou art & become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me. 22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to A.C. 2130. ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance. 23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. * Or, wisdom. 24 Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the † grave, + Heb. heap. though they cry in his destruction. 25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor? 26 When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness. 27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me. 28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation. a z P. xxxv. 13, 14. Rom. xii. him that was hard of day. 29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to a Ps. cii. 6. Sowls. 30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat. 31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep. Or, ostriches. JOB XXXI. Job maketh a solemn protestation of his integrity in several duties. 1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? 2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? 3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? 4 b Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? 5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hasted to deceit ; 6 | Let me be weighed in an even balance, that may know mine integrity. hath God 7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; 8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out. 9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door ; 10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. 11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. b 2 Chr. xvi. 9. ch. xxxiv. 21. Prov. v. 21. & xv. 3. Heb. let him weigh me in balances of justice. A.C. 2130. 12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. 13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; 14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? 15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? * Or, did he and * did not one fashion us in the womb? not fashion us in one womb? 16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; 18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as +That is, the with a father, and I have guided † her from my mother's widow. + Or, the chanel bone. womb ;) 19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; 20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; 21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: 22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. 23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure. 24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; 25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and be Heb. found cause mine hand had § gotten much; much. Heb. the light. 26 If I beheld || the sun when it shined, or the moon Heb. bright, walking in brightness; + Heb. my 27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or +my hand hath kis mouth hath kissed my hand: sed my mouth. + Heb. my palate. 28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. 29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: 30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. 31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied. 32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened Or, to the my doors § to the traveller. way. || Or, after the manner of men. 33 If I covered my transgressions as || Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom : 34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of A.C. 2130. the door? 35 Oh that one would hear me! *behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. 36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. 37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him. 38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; 39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life : 40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended. SECTION XXI. Elihu, who had hitherto been silent, takes up the Argument, and shews that Affliction is sent by God for wise though inscrutable Purposes, and that the Duty of Man is Submission. JOB XXXII. 1 Eliku is angry with Job and his three friends. 6 Because wisdom cometh not from age, he excuseth the boldness of his youth. 11 He reproveth them for not satisfying of Job. 16 His zeal to speak. Or, behold, ht Almighty will answer me, + Heb, weep. Heb. the strength the soul of the owners thereof 1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because IIeb. from he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified than God. answering. himself rather + Heb. his 3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were §elder than he. 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. soul. Heb. expect ed Job in words. Heb. elder for days. days. 6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am || young, and ye are very old; wherefore || Heb. few of I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. * Heb. fear7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. ed. a ch. xxxviii. 8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of 36. Prov. ii. 6. the Almighty giveth them understanding. Eccles. ii. 26. Dan. i. 17. & ii. 21. A.C. 2130. 9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. 10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion. *Heb. under- * standings. + Heb. words. + Or, ordered his words. Heb. they removed 11 Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say. 12 Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words: 13 Lest should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man. ye 14 Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches. 15 They were amazed, they answered no more: § they speeches from left off speaking. themselves. Heb. words. * Heb. the spirit of my belly. + Heb. is not opened. Heb. that I may breathe. 16 When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more ;) 17 I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion. 18 For I am full of || matter, * the spirit within me constraineth me. 19 Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. 20 I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer. 21 Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. 22 For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away. JOB XXXIII. 1 Elihu offereth himself instead of God, with sincerity and meekness, to reason with Job. 8 He excuseth God from giving man an account of his ways, by his greatness. 14 God calleth man to repentance by visions, 19 by afflictions, 23 and by his ministry. 31 He inciteth Job to attention. 1 Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words. 2 Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue Heb. in my hath spoken § in my mouth. palate. bch. ix. 34, 35. & xiii. 20, 21. & xxxi. 33. Heb. according to thy mouth. *Heb. cut out of the clay. 3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. 4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. 5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up. b 6 Behold, I am || according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am * formed out of the clay. |