And life unto the bitter in soul; Which long for death, but it cometh not; And are glad, when they can find the grave? For my sighing cometh before I eat, And my roarings are poured out like the waters. For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, And that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; Yet trouble came. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? t But who can withhold himself from speaking? Behold, thou hast instructed many, And thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholdeh him that was falling, And thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, And the uprightness of thy ways? Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, They that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions, are broken. And the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad. It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: An image was before mine eyes, There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his maker? And his angels he charged with folly: How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Which are crushed before the moth? They are destroyed from morning to evening: They perish for ever without any regarding it. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? They die, even without wisdom. Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; And to which of the saints wilt thou turn? For wrath killeth the foolish man, And envy slayeth the silly one. I have seen the foolish taking root: And the robber swalloweth up their substance. As the sparks fly upward. I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause: To set up on high those that be low; That those which mourn may be exalted to safety. So that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. From their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. And iniquity stoppeth her mouth. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and his hands make whole. Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. And in war from the power of the sword. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; And thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, But Job answered and said, Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, sea: Therefore my words are swallowed up. |