Is not thy fear of G.o.d thy confidence, And thy hope the integrity of thy ways?

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, And mine ear received a whisper thereof. {186} In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake.

Then a spirit glided before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.

It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; A form was before mine eyes: There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than G.o.d?

Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; And his angels he chargeth with folly: How much more them that dwell in houses of clay.

But man is born unto trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

But as for me, I would seek unto G.o.d, And unto G.o.d would I commit my cause: Who doeth great things and unsearchable; Marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, And sendeth waters upon the fields: So that he setteth up on high those that be low; And those which mourn are exalted to safety.

He frustrateth the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: {187} And the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

They meet with darkness in the daytime, And grope at noonday as in the night.

But he saveth from the sword of their mouth, Even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

So the poor hath hope, And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

Behold, happy is the man whom G.o.d correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; He woundeth, and his hands make whole.

In famine he shall redeem thee from death; 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 dearth 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.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, Like as a shock of corn cometh in in its season.

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

JOB.

Oh that my vexation were but weighed, And my calamity laid in the balances together!

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas: Therefore have my words been rash. {188} For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up: The terrors of G.o.d do set themselves in array against me.

Oh that I might have my request; And that G.o.d would grant me the thing that I long for!

Even that it would please G.o.d to crush me; That he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

Then should I yet have comfort; Yea, I would exult in pain that spareth not: For I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

What is my strength, that I should wait?

And what is mine end, that I should be patient?

Is my strength the strength of stones?

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, As the channel of brooks that pa.s.s away; Which are black by reason of the ice, And wherein the snow hideth itself: When they grow warm, they vanish: When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

The caravans that travel by the way of them turn aside; They go up into the waste, and perish.

The caravans of Tema looked, The companies of Sheba waited for them.

They were ashamed because they had hoped; They came thither, and were confounded.

See now,--ye are just like that, Ye see a terror, and are afraid.

Did I say, Give unto me?

Or, Offer a present for me of your substance? {189} Or, Deliver me from the adversary's hand?

Or, Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?

Teach me, and I will hold my peace: And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

JOB.

(He speaks now to the Lord.)

What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, And that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him, And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, And try him every moment?

If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men?

Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?

And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity?

For now shall I lie down in the dust; And thou shalt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.

BILDAD.

How long wilt thou speak these things?

And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?

Doth G.o.d pervert judgment?

Or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

If thy children have sinned against him, And he have delivered them into the hand of their transgression: {190} If thou wouldest seek diligently unto G.o.d, And make thy supplication to the Almighty; If thou wert pure and upright; Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out: (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow:) Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, And utter words out of their heart?

"Can the rush grow up without mire?

Can the flag grow without water?"

Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.

So are the paths of all that forget G.o.d; And the hope of the G.o.dless man shall perish: Whose confidence shall break in sunder, And whose trust is a spider's web.

He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.

He is green before the sun, And his shoots go forth over his garden.

His roots are wrapped about the heap, He beholdeth the place of stones.

If he be destroyed from his place, Then it shall deny him, saying, "I have not seen thee." {191} Behold, G.o.d will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.

JOB.

Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with G.o.d?

Should he desire to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand.

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?

Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not.

When he overturneth them in his anger.

Who shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.

Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; And sealeth up the stars.

Who alone stretcheth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south.

Who doeth great things past finding out; Yea, marvellous things without number.

Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: He pa.s.seth on also, but I perceive him not. {192} If we speak of the strength of the mighty, lo, he is there!

And if of judgment, who will appoint me a time?

Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.

I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.

It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

Now my days are swifter than a courier: They flee away, they see no good.