The Bible Story Part 304

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips should a.s.suage your grief.

G.o.d delivereth me to the unG.o.dly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.

I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.

His archers compa.s.s me round about, {198} My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death; Although there is no violence in mine hands, And my prayer is pure.

O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have no resting place.

Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high.

My friends scorn me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto G.o.d; That he would maintain the right of a man with G.o.d, And of a son of man with his neighbour!

For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct, The grave is ready for me.

Surely there are mockers with me, And mine eye abideth in their provocation.

But return ye, all of you, and come now: And I shall not find a wise man among you.

My days are past, my purposes are broken off, Even the thoughts of my heart.

They change the night into day: The light, say they, is near unto the darkness.

If I look for Sheol as mine house: If I have spread my couch, in the darkness; If I have said to corruption, "Thou art my father"; To the worm, "Thou art my mother, and my sister"; {199} Where then is my hope?

And as for my hope, who shall see it?

It shall go down to the bars of Sheol, When once there is rest in the dust.

BILDAD.

How long will ye lay snares for words?

Consider, and afterwards we will speak.

Wherefore are we counted as beasts, And are become unclean in your sight?

Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee?

Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?

Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, And the spark of his fire shall not s.h.i.+ne.

The light shall be dark in his tent, And his lamp above him shall be put out.

The steps of his strength shall be straitened, And his own counsel shall cast him down.

He shall be rooted out of his tent wherein he trusteth; And he shall be brought to the king of terrors.

He shall be driven from light into darkness, And chased out of the world.

He shall have neither son nor son's son among his people, Nor any remaining where he sojourned.

They that come after shall be astonished at his day, As they that went before were frightened.

Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous, And this is the place of him that knoweth not G.o.d.

{200}

JOB.

How long will ye vex my soul, And break me in pieces with words?

These ten times have ye reproached me: Ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me.

And if indeed I have erred, Mine error remaineth with myself.

If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, And plead against me my reproach: Know now that G.o.d hath wronged me in my cause, And hath compa.s.sed me with his net.

Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry for help, but there is no judgment.

He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pa.s.s, And hath set darkness in my paths.

He hath put my brethren far from me, And mine acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.

My kinsfolk have failed, And my familiar friends have forgotten me.

Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; For the hand of G.o.d hath touched me.

Why do ye persecute me as G.o.d, And are not satisfied with my flesh?

Oh that my words were now written!

Oh that they were inscribed in a book!

That with an iron pen and lead They were graven in the rock for ever!

But I know that my redeemer liveth, {201} And that he shall stand up at the last upon the earth: And after my skin hath been thus destroyed, Yet from my flesh shall I see G.o.d: Whom I shall see for myself, And mine eyes shall behold, and not another.

ZOPHAR.

Knowest thou not this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth, That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the G.o.dless but for a moment?

Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds; He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

The eye which saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more behold him.

For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away an house, and he shall not build it up.

Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.

There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of everyone that is in misery shall come upon him.

The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him. {202} The increase of his house shall depart, His goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

This is the portion of a wicked man from G.o.d, And the heritage appointed unto him by G.o.d.

JOB.

Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.

Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.

As for me, is my complaint to man?

And why should I not be impatient?

Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?

Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.

Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of G.o.d upon them.

They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.

They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.

They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol.

Yet they said unto G.o.d, "Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? {203} And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?"

Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out?

That their calamity cometh upon them?

That G.o.d distributeth sorrows in his anger?

That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?

Ye say, G.o.d layeth up his iniquity for his children.

Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it.

Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off in the midst?

Shall any teach G.o.d knowledge?

Seeing he judgeth those that are high.