warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are confumed out of their place. 18 The paths of their way are turned afide: they go to nothing, and perish. 19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them. 29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it. 30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste difcern perverse things? CHAP. VII. 20 They were confound-S there not an appointed ed, because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed. 21 For now ye are nothing; ye fee my cafting down, and are afraid. 22 Did I fay, Bring unto me? or give a reward for me of your fubftance? 23 Or deliver me from the enemy's hand? or redeem me from the hand of the mighty? 24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue and cause me to understand wherein I have erred. 25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing prove? 26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the fpeeches of one that is defperate, which are as wind? 27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherlefs, and ye dig a pit for your friend. 28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you, if I lye. time to man upon earth? are not his days alfo like the days of an hireling? 2 As a fervant earnestly defireth the fhadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: 3 So am I made to poffefs months of vanity, and wearifome nights are appointed to me. 4 When I lie down, I fay, When shall I arife, and the night be gone? and I am full of toffings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. 5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of duft; my fkin is broken, and become loathfome. 6 My days are fwifter than a weaver's fhuttle, and are spent without hope. 7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye fhall no more fee good. 8 The eye of him that hath feen me, fhall fee me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. 9 As the cloud is confumed, and vanifheth away: fo he that goeth down to the grave fhall come up no more. 10 He fhall return no more to his houfe, neither fhall his place know him any more. II Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will fpeak in the anguish of my fpirit: I will complain in the bitterness of my foul... 12 Am I a fea, or a whale, that thou fetteft a watch over me ? 13 When I fay, My bed fhall comfort me, my couch fhall ease my complaint: 14 Then thou fcareft me with dreams, and terrifieft me through vifions: 2 How long wilt thou fpeak thefe things? and how long hall the words of thy mouth be like a ftrong wind? 3 Doth God pervert judg 15 So that my foul choof-ment? or doth the Almighty eth ftrangling, and death ra- pervert juftice? ther than life. 16 I loath it I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity. 17 What is man, that thou shouldeft magnify him? and that thou fhouldeft fet thine heart upon him? 1 18 And that thou fhouldeft vifit him every morning, and 4 If thy children have finned against him, and he hath caft them away for their tranfgreffion; 5 If thou wouldeft feek unto God betimes, and make thy fupplications to the Almighty; 6 if thou wert pure and upright; furely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness profperous. 7 Though thy beginning was fmall, yet thy latter end 20 I have finned, what should greatly increase. try him every moment? 19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I fwallow down my fpittle? 8 For 8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the fearch of their fathers: 9 For we are but of yelterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a fhadow. 10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? II Can the rush grow up without mire can the flag grow without water? 12 Whilft it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. 2 I know it is fo of a 13 So are the paths of all truth: but how shall man that forget God, and the hy-be juft with God? pocrite's hope fhall perifh: 14 Whofe hope fhall be cut off, and whofe truft fhall be a fpider's web. 15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not ftand: he fhall hold it faft, but it fhall not endure. 16 He is green before the fun, and his branch fhooteth forth in his garden. 17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and he feeth the place of ftones. 18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, faying, I have not feen thee. 19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the 3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. 4 He is wife in heart, and mighty in ftrength : who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prof pered? 5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. 6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. 7 Which commandeth the fun, and it riseth not; and fealeth up the stars. 8 Which alone fpreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon upon the waves of the fea, judgment, who shall fet me 10 Which doeth great things paft finding out; yea, and wonders without number. II Lo, he goeth by me, and I fee him not: he paffeth on alfo, but I perceive him not. 12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will fay unto him, What doeft thou? 13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do ftoop under him. 14 How much lefs fhall I answer him, and choofe out my words to reafon with him? 15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not anfwer, but I would make fupplication to my judge. 16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. 17 For he breaketh me with a tempeft, and multiplieth my wounds without caufe. 18 He will not fuffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. 19 If I fpeak of ftrength, lo, be is ftrong: and if of 20 If I justify myself, my own mouth fhall condemn me; if I fay, I am perfect, it fhall alfo prove me perverfe. 21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my foul; I would defpife my life. 22 This is one thing, therefore I faid it, he deftroyeth the perfect, and the wicked. 23 If the fcourge flay fuddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. 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? 25 Now my days are fwifter than a poft: they flee away, they fee no good. 26 They are paffed away as the fwift fhips; as the eagle that hafteth to the prey. 27 If I fay, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself; 28 I am afraid of all my forrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. 29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain ? 30 If I wash myself with fnow- fnow-water, and make my | of man? are thy years as hands never fo clean; man's days, 31 Yet fhalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes fhall abhor me. 32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I fhould anfwer him, and we should come together in judgment. 33 Neither is there any days-man betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: 35 Then would I fpeak, and not fear him: but it is not fo with me. CHAP. X. 6 That thou enquireft after mine iniquity, and searcheft after my fin? 7 Thou knoweft that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand. 8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me. 9 Remember, I befeech thee, that thou haft made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into duft again? 10 Haft thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? II Thou haft clothed me with skin and flesh, and haft M life. I will leave my finews. Y foul is weary of my fenced me with bones and complaint upon myself; I will fpeak in the bitterness of my foul. 12 Thou haft granted me life and favour, and thy vifitation hath preferved my fpi rit. 13 And these things haft 2 I will fay unto God, Do not condemn me; fhew me wherefore thou contend-thou hid in thine heart; I eft with me. know that this is with thee. 3 Is it good unto thee that thou fhouldeft opprefs, that thou fhouldeft defpife the work of thine hands, and fhine upon the counsel of the wicked? 14 If I fin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. 15 If I be wicked, wo unto me! and if I be righ4 Haft thou eyes of flefhteous, yet will I not lift up or feeft thou as man seeth? my head: I am full of con Are thy days as the days fufion; therefore fee thou |