Bible in Basic English (1949)
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Job
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Job 3
To those whose desire is for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret wealth;
Let the dark and the black night take it for themselves; let it be covered with a cloud; let the dark shades of day send fear on it.
Or as a child dead at birth I might never have come into existence; like young children who have not seen the light.
Let its morning stars be dark; let it be looking for light, but may it not have any; let it not see the eyes of the dawn.
For I have a fear and it comes on me, and my heart is greatly troubled.
Job made answer and said,
Let destruction take the day of my birth, and the night on which it was said, A man child has come into the world.
That day--let it be dark; let not God take note of it from on high, and let not the light be shining on it;
There the prisoners are at peace together; the voice of the overseer comes not again to their ears.
There the passions of the evil are over, and those whose strength has come to an end have rest.
Then, opening his mouth, and cursing the day of his birth,
As for that night, let it have no fruit; let no voice of joy be sounded in it;
Who are glad with great joy, and full of delight when they come to their last resting-place;
That night--let the thick dark take it; let it not have joy among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.
Let it be cursed by those who put a curse on the day; who are ready to make Leviathan awake.
In place of my food I have grief, and cries of sorrow come from me like water.
Why did the knees take me, or why the breasts that they might give me milk?
The small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
Or with rulers who had gold, and whose houses were full of silver;
I have no peace, no quiet, and no rest; nothing but pain comes on me.
With kings and the wise ones of the earth, who put up great houses for themselves;
For then I might have gone to my rest in quiet, and in sleep have been in peace,
To a man whose way is veiled, and who is shut in by God?
Why did death not take me when I came out of my mother's body, why did I not, when I came out, give up my last breath?
Because it did not keep the doors of my mother's body shut, so that trouble might be veiled from my eyes.
Why does he give light to him who is in trouble, and life to the bitter in soul;
Job 7
Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment?
So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.
As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:
O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good.
The eye of him who sees me will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.
My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.
My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope.
When I go to my bed, I say, When will it be time to get up? but the night is long, and I am turning from side to side till morning light.
A cloud comes to an end and is gone; so he who goes down into the underworld comes not up again.
What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,
Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;
I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.
So I will not keep my mouth shut; I will let the words come from it in the pain of my spirit, my soul will make a bitter outcry.
Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me?
He will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of him.
So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.
When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;
And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?
If I have done wrong, what have I done to you, O keeper of men? why have you made me a mark for your blows, so that I am a weariness to myself?
How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?
And why do you not take away my sin, and let my wrongdoing be ended? for now I go down to the dust, and you will be searching for me with care, but I will be gone.
Job 4
Truly, you have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong;
The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions.
And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:
What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.
Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.
He who was near to falling has been lifted up by your words, and you have given strength to bent knees.
Though the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;
In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,
Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:
Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?
But now it has come on you and it is a weariness to you; you are touched by it and your mind is troubled.
If their tent-cord is pulled up, do they not come to an end, and without wisdom?
And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?
A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.
By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.
May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?
Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;
Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;
If one says a word, will it be a weariness to you? but who is able to keep from saying what is in his mind?
Job 1
When a great wind came rushing from the waste land against the four sides of the house, and it came down on the young men, and they are dead; and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
And the Lord said to the Satan, Where do you come from? And the Satan said in answer, From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.
Then Job got up, and after parting his clothing and cutting off his hair, he went down on his face to the earth, and gave worship, and said,
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. He was without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil.
And the Lord said to the Satan, See, I give all he has into your hands, only do not put a finger on the man himself. And the Satan went out from before the Lord.
With nothing I came out of my mother's body, and with nothing I will go back there; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; let the Lord's name be praised.
And there was a day when the sons of the gods came together before the Lord, and the Satan came with them.
His sons regularly went to one another's houses, and every one on his day gave a feast: and at these times they sent for their three sisters to take part in their feasts with them.
And the Lord said to the Satan, Have you taken note of my servant Job, for there is no one like him on the earth, a man without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil?
And there was a day when his sons and daughters were feasting in the house of their oldest brother,
And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The Chaldaeans made themselves into three bands, and came down on the camels and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
In all this Job did no sin, and did not say that God's acts were foolish.
And a man came to Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses were taking their food by their side:
And at the end of their days of feasting, Job sent and made them clean, getting up early in the morning and offering burned offerings for them all. For, Job said, It may be that my sons have done wrong and said evil of God in their hearts. And Job did this whenever the feasts came round.
And the Satan said in answer to the Lord, Is it for nothing that Job is a god-fearing man?
But now, put out your hand against all he has, and he will be cursing you to your face.
And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The fire of God came down from heaven, burning up the sheep and the goats and the young men completely, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
Have you yourself not put a wall round him and his house and all he has on every side, blessing the work of his hands, and increasing his cattle in the land?
And this one was still talking when another came, and said, Your sons and your daughters were feasting together in their oldest brother's house,
And of cattle he had seven thousand sheep and goats, and three thousand camels, and a thousand oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great number of servants. And the man was greater than any of the sons of the east.
And the men of Sheba came against them and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
And he had seven sons and three daughters.
Job 6
Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh brass?
Now then, let your eyes be turned to me, for truly I will not say what is false to your face.
Is there evil in my tongue? is not the cause of my trouble clear to me?
And Job made answer and said,
Under the burning sun they are cut off, and come to nothing because of the heat.
Did I say, Give me something? or, Make a payment for me out of your wealth?
How pleasing are upright words! but what force is there in your arguments?
If only my passion might be measured, and put into the scales against my trouble!
For then its weight would be more than the sand of the seas: because of this my words have been uncontrolled.
So have you now become to me; you see my sad condition and are in fear.
Or, Get me out of the power of my hater? or, Give money so that I may be free from the power of the cruel ones?
My words may seem wrong to you, but the words of him who has no hope are for the wind.
For the arrows of the Ruler of all are present with me, and their poison goes deep into my spirit: his army of fears is put in order against me.
Truly, you are such as would give up the child of a dead man to his creditors, and would make a profit out of your friend.
If only I might have an answer to my prayer, and God would give me my desire!
Give me teaching and I will be quiet; and make me see my error.
The camel-trains go out of their way; they go up into the waste and come to destruction.
If only he would be pleased to put an end to me; and would let loose his hand, so that I might be cut off!
Does the ass of the fields give out his voice when he has grass? or does the ox make sounds over his food?
My friends have been false like a stream, like streams in the valleys which come to an end:
My soul has no desire for such things, they are as disease in my food.
Have I strength to go on waiting, or have I any end to be looking forward to?
He whose heart is shut against his friend has given up the fear of the Ruler of all.
Let your minds be changed, and do not have an evil opinion of me; yes, be changed, for my righteousness is still in me.
I have no help in myself, and wisdom is completely gone from me.
They were put to shame because of their hope; they came and their hope was gone.
The camel-trains of Tema were searching with care, the bands of Sheba were waiting for them:
Will a man take food which has no taste without salt? or is there any taste in the soft substance of purslain?
So I would still have comfort, and I would have joy in the pains of death, for I have not been false to the words of the Holy One.
Which are dark because of the ice, and the snow falling into them;
Job 5
See, we have made search with care, and it is so; it has come to our ears; see that you take note of it for yourself.
You will be certain that your seed will be great, and your offspring like the plants of the earth.
When there is need of food he will keep you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
Give now a cry for help; is there anyone who will give you an answer? and to which of the holy ones will you make your prayer?
Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.
He will keep you safe from the evil tongue; and you will have no fear of wasting when it comes.
But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.
He will keep you safe from six troubles, and in seven no evil will come near you.
But as for me, I would make my prayer to God, and I would put my cause before him:
For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.
In the daytime it becomes dark for them, and in the sunlight they go feeling about as if it was night.
Their produce is taken by him who has no food, and their grain goes to the poor, and he who is in need of water gets it from their spring.
Who makes the designs of the wise go wrong, so that they are unable to give effect to their purposes.
Now his children have no safe place, and they are crushed before the judges, for no one takes up their cause.
But trouble is man's fate from birth, as the flames go up from the fire.
For evil does not come out of the dust, or trouble out of the earth;
For you will be in agreement with the stones of the earth, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
He takes the wise in their secret designs, and the purposes of the twisted are cut off suddenly.
You will come to your last resting-place in full strength, as the grain is taken up to the crushing-floor in its time.
So the poor man has hope, and the mouth of the evil-doer is stopped.
Lifting up those who are low, and putting the sad in a safe place;
You will make sport of destruction and need, and will have no fear of the beasts of the earth.
For after his punishment he gives comfort, and after wounding, his hands make you well.
Who gives rain on the earth, and sends water on the fields:
I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly the curse came on his house.
Who does great things outside our knowledge, wonders without number:
And you will be certain that your tent is at peace, and after looking over your property you will see that nothing is gone.
Job 2
And the Lord said to the Satan, Where do you come from? And the Satan said in answer, From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.
And he took a broken bit of a pot, and, seated in the dust, was rubbing himself with the sharp edge of it.
And Job's three friends had word of all this evil which had come on him. And they came every one from his place, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. So they came together to a meeting-place, in order that they might go and make clear to Job their grief for him, and give him comfort.
But now, if you only put your hand on his bone and his flesh, he will certainly be cursing you to your face.
And there was a day when the sons of the gods came together before the Lord, and the Satan came with them.
And the Lord said to the Satan, Have you taken note of my servant Job, for there is no one like him on the earth, a man without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil? and he still keeps his righteousness, though you have been moving me to send destruction on him without cause.
And he said to her, You are talking like one of the foolish women. If we take the good God sends us, are we not to take the evil when it comes? In all this Job kept his lips from sin.
And the Satan went out from before the Lord, and sent on Job an evil disease covering his skin from his feet to the top of his head.
And they took their seats on the earth by his side for seven days and seven nights: but no one said a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
And lifting up their eyes when they were still far off, it did not seem that the man they saw was Job because of the change in him. And they gave way to bitter weeping, with signs of grief, and put dust on their heads.
And his wife said to him, Are you still keeping your righteousness? Say a curse against God, and put an end to yourself.
And the Satan said in answer to the Lord, Skin for skin, all a man has he will give for his life.
And the Lord said to the Satan, See, he is in your hands, only do not take his life.
Job 8
Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,
If you are clean and upright; then he will certainly be moved to take up your cause, and will make clear your righteousness by building up your house again.
So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:
If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;
Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.
How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.
And though your start was small, your end will be very great.
Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?
Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:
When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.
Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?
He is looking to his family for support, but it is not there; he puts his hope in it, but it comes to nothing.
(For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:)
His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.
He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.
The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.
If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.
Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.
Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.
Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.
Job 9
If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.
See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?
If it is a question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?
Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.
God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
For he is not a man as I am, that I might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.
If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
And Job made answer and said,
He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?
Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.
If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;
They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?
Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.
For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.
Job 10
That you would send new witnesses against me, increasing your wrath against me, and letting loose new armies on me.
That you take note of my sin, searching after my wrongdoing,
Your hands made me, and I was formed by you, but then, changing your purpose, you gave me up to destruction.
That, if I did wrong, you would take note of it, and would not make me clear from sin:
Have you eyes of flesh, or do you see as man sees?
Before I go to the place from which I will not come back, to the land where all is dark and black,
And for me to have been as if I had not been; to have been taken from my mother's body straight to my last resting-place.
Why then did you make me come out of my mother's body? It would have been better for me to have taken my last breath, and for no eye to have seen me,
Are not the days of my life small in number? Let your eyes be turned away from me, so that I may have a little pleasure,
O keep in mind that you made me out of earth; and will you send me back again to dust?
I will say to God, Do not put me down as a sinner; make clear to me what you have against me.
Was I not drained out like milk, becoming hard like cheese?
That, if I was an evil-doer, the curse would come on me; and if I was upright, my head would not be lifted up, being full of shame and overcome with trouble.
By you I was clothed with skin and flesh, and joined together with bones and muscles.
What profit is it to you to be cruel, to give up the work of your hands, looking kindly on the design of evil-doers?
My soul is tired of life; I will let my sad thoughts go free in words; my soul will make a bitter outcry.
You have been kind to me, and your grace has been with me, and your care has kept my spirit safe.
A land of thick dark, without order, where the very light is dark.
And that if there was cause for pride, you would go after me like a lion; and again put out your wonders against me:
Are your days as the days of man, or your years like his,
Though you see that I am not an evil-doer; and there is no one who is able to take a man out of your hands?
But you kept these things in the secret of your heart; I am certain this was in your thoughts:
Job 11
Are all these words to go unanswered? and is a man seen to be right because he is full of talk?
Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,
Are you able to take God's measure, to make discovery of the limits of the Ruler of all?
But if only God would take up the word, opening his lips in argument with you;
If he goes on his way, shutting a man up and putting him to death, who may make him go back from his purpose?
Are your words of pride to make men keep quiet? and are you to make sport, with no one to put you to shame?
Longer in measure than the earth, and wider than the sea.
You may say, My way is clean, and I am free from sin in your eyes.
For in his eyes men are as nothing; he sees evil and takes note of it.
And would make clear to you the secrets of wisdom, and the wonders of his purpose!
They are higher than heaven; what is there for you to do? deeper than the underworld, and outside your knowledge;
But the eyes of the evil-doers will be wasting away; their way of flight is gone, and their only hope is the taking of their last breath.
But if you put your heart right, stretching out your hands to him;
And so a hollow-minded man will get wisdom, when a young ass of the field gets teaching.
And your life will be brighter than day; though it is dark, it will become like the morning.
Sleeping with no fear of danger; and men will be desiring to have grace in your eyes;
And you will be safe because there is hope; after looking round, you will take your rest in quiet;
If you put far away the evil of your hands, and let no wrongdoing have a place in your tent;
For your sorrow will go from your memory, like waters flowing away:
Then truly your face will be lifted up, with no mark of sin, and you will be fixed in your place without fear:
Job 13
Will it be good for you to be searched out by him, or have you the thought that he may be guided into error like a man?
Will not his glory put you in fear, so that your hearts will be overcome before him?
Will you say in God's name what is not right, and put false words into his mouth?
Keep quiet, and let me say what is in my mind, whatever may come to me.
Will you have respect for God's person in this cause, and put yourselves forward as his supporters?
Give ear to the argument of my mouth, and take note of the words of my lips.
The same things are in my mind as in yours; I am equal to you.
He will certainly put you right, if you have respect for persons in secret.
If only you would keep quiet, it would be a sign of wisdom!
But you put a false face on things; all your attempts to put things right are of no value.
But I would have talk with the Ruler of all, and my desire is to have an argument with God.
I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
Truly, my eye has seen all this, word of it has come to my ear, and I have knowledge of it.
Your wise sayings are only dust, and your strong places are only earth.
And you put chains on my feet, watching all my ways, and making a limit for my steps;
Why is your face veiled from me, as if I was numbered among your haters?
And that will be my salvation, for an evil-doer would not come before him,
Give ear with care to my words, and keep what I say in your minds.
What is the number of my evil-doings and my sins? give me knowledge of them.
Will you be hard on a leaf in flight before the wind? will you make a dry stem go more quickly on its way?
For you put bitter things on record against me, and send punishment on me for the sins of my early years;
Then at the sound of your voice I will give answer; or let me put forward my cause for you to give me an answer.
Truly, he will put an end to me; I have no hope; but I will not give way in argument before him;
See now, I have put my cause in order, and I am certain that I will be seen to be right.
Is any one able to take up the argument against me? If so, I would keep quiet and give up my breath.
Though a man comes to nothing like a bit of dead wood, or like a robe which has become food for the worm.
Take your hand far away from me; and let me not be overcome by fear of you.
Only two things do not do to me, then I will come before your face:
Job 12
He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?
He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;
Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.
Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;
Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.
But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;
No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.
Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.
Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.
He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.
With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?
He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;
In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
And Job made answer and said,
It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!
He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?
With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.
They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.
Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.
There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.
He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;
Job 14
Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment.
The waters go from a pool, and a river becomes waste and dry;
My wrongdoing is corded up in a bag, and my sin is shut up safe.
He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again.
If his days are ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given him a fixed limit past which he may not go;
If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.
But truly a mountain falling comes to dust, and a rock is moved from its place;
The stones are crushed small by the force of the waters; the dust of the earth is washed away by their overflowing: and so you put an end to the hope of man.
His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.
For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end.
So man goes down to his last resting-place and comes not again: till the heavens come to an end, they will not be awake or come out of their sleep.
If death takes a man, will he come to life again? All the days of my trouble I would be waiting, till the time came for me to be free.
Though its root may be old in the earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust;
At the sound of your voice I would give an answer, and you would have a desire for the work of your hands.
You overcome him for ever, and he is gone; his face is changed in death, and you send him away.
For now my steps are numbered by you, and my sin is not overlooked.
Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.
If only you would keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might come to your memory again!
As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.
But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?
Is it on such a one as this that your eyes are fixed, with the purpose of judging him?
Still, at the smell of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant.
Job 16
Their mouths are open wide against me; the blows of his bitter words are falling on my face; all of them come together in a mass against me.
It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.
Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.
I am broken by his wrath, and his hate has gone after me; he has made his teeth sharp against me: my haters are looking on me with cruel eyes;
I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.
Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.
Job 15
Why is your heart uncontrolled, and why are your eyes lifted up;
Will a wise man make answer with knowledge of no value, or will he give birth to the east wind?
Were you present at the secret meeting of God? and have you taken all wisdom for yourself?
The evil man is in pain all his days, and the number of the years stored up for the cruel is small.
Let him not put his hope in what is false, falling into error: for he will get deceit as his reward.
(The things which wise men have got from their fathers, and have not kept secret from us;
It is by your mouth, even yours, that you are judged to be in the wrong, and not by me; and your lips give witness against you.
Were you the first man to come into the world? or did you come into being before the hills?
How much less one who is disgusting and unclean, a man who takes in evil like water!
He does not get wealth for himself, and is unable to keep what he has got; the heads of his grain are not bent down to the earth.
For your mouth is guided by your sin, and you have taken the tongue of the false for yourself.
And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
Take note and give ear to my words; and I will say what I have seen:
What knowledge have you which we have not? is there anything in your mind which is not in ours?
What is man, that he may be clean? and how may the son of woman be upright?
Are the comforts of God not enough for you, and the gentle word which was said to you?
So that you are turning your spirit against God, and letting such words go out of your mouth?
Truly, he puts no faith in his holy ones, and the heavens are not clean in his eyes;
For only to them was the land given, and no strange people were among them:)
Will he make arguments with words in which is no profit, and with sayings which have no value?
With us are men who are grey-haired and full of years, much older than your father.
Truly, you make the fear of God without effect, so that the time of quiet worship before God is made less by your outcry.
Job 17
As for him who is false to his friend for a reward, light will be cut off from the eyes of his children.
My spirit is broken, my days are ended, the last resting-place is ready for me.
Be pleased, now, to be responsible for me to yourself; for there is no other who will put his hand in mine.
Still the upright keeps on his way, and he who has clean hands gets new strength.
But come back, now, all of you, come; and I will not see a wise man among you.
Where then is my hope? and who will see my desire?
They are changing night into day; they say, The light is near the dark.
My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the desires of my heart.
If I say to the earth, You are my father; and to the worm, My mother and my sister;
Will they go down with me into the underworld? Will we go down together into the dust?
Job 18
Why do we seem as beasts in your eyes, and as completely without knowledge?
For the light of the sinner is put out, and the flame of his fire is not shining.
His strength is made feeble for need of food, and destruction is waiting for his falling footstep.
The twisted cord is put secretly in the earth to take him, and the cord is placed in his way.
At his fate those of the west are shocked, and those of the east are overcome with fear.
His foot is taken in the net; he comes into its grip.
He has no offspring or family among his people, and in his living-place there is no one of his name.
The steps of his strength become short, and by his design destruction overtakes him.
His skin is wasted by disease, and his body is food for the worst of diseases.
Truly, these are the houses of the sinner, and this is the place of him who has no knowledge of God.
In his tent will be seen that which is not his, burning stone is dropped on his house.
He is sent away from the light into the dark; he is forced out of the world.
Job 19
Truly, I make an outcry against the violent man, but there is no answer: I give a cry for help, but no one takes up my cause.
His wrath is burning against me, and I am to him as one of his haters.
All the men of my circle keep away from me; and those dear to me are turned against me.
He has put off my glory from me, and taken the crown from my head.
Ten times now you have made sport of me; it gives you no sense of shame to do me wrong.
Even young children have no respect for me; when I get up their backs are turned on me.
My breath is strange to my wife, and I am disgusting to the offspring of my mother's body.
I am strange to my women-servants, and seem to them as one from another country.
At my cry my servant gives me no answer, and I have to make a prayer to him.
And Job made answer and said,
If only my words might be recorded! if they might be put in writing in a book!
My bones are joined to my skin, and I have got away with my flesh in my teeth.
Whom I will see on my side, and not as one strange to me. My heart is broken with desire.
And ... without my flesh I will see God;
Have pity on me, have pity on me, O my friends! for the hand of God is on me.
But I am certain that he who will take up my cause is living, and that in time to come he will take his place on the dust;
Why are you cruel to me, like God, for ever saying evil against me?
And with an iron pen and lead be cut into the rock for ever!
If you say, How cruel we will be to him! because the root of sin is clearly in him:
Be in fear of the sword, for the sword is the punishment for such things, so that you may be certain that there is a judge.
Job 20
For this cause my thoughts are troubling me and driving me on.
I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.
Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;
The produce of his house is taken away into another country, like things given into the hands of others in the day of wrath.
This is the reward of the evil man, and the heritage given to him by God.
All his wealth is stored up for the dark: a fire not made by man sends destruction on him, and on everything in his tent.
The heavens make clear his sin, and the earth gives witness against him.
God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.
Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.
He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;
Like the waste from his body he comes to an end for ever: those who have seen him say, Where is he?
Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,
The eye which saw him sees him no longer; and his place has no more knowledge of him.
His children are hoping that the poor will be kind to them, and his hands give back his wealth.
He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.
Though evil-doing is sweet in his mouth, and he keeps it secretly under his tongue;
Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,
He takes the poison of snakes into his mouth, the tongue of the snake is the cause of his death.
He is gone like a dream, and is not seen again; he goes in flight like a vision of the night.
His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.
Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.
He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God.
His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.
He is pulling it out, and it comes out of his back; and its shining point comes out of his side; he is overcome by fears.
Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;
There is no peace for him in his wealth, and no salvation for him in those things in which he took delight.
That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?
He is forced to give back the fruit of his work, and may not take it for food; he has no joy in the profit of his trading.
Job 21
Give attention with care to my words; and let this be your comfort.
Then Job made answer and said,
Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld.
Take note of me and be full of wonder, put your hand on your mouth.
What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him?
Though they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways.
How frequently is the light of the evil-doers put out, or does trouble come on them? how frequently does his wrath take them with cords?
You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it!
Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them.
At the very thought of it my flesh is shaking with fear.
Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)
They make songs to the instruments of music, and are glad at the sound of the pipe.
Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power?
Their ox is ready at all times to give seed; their cow gives birth, without dropping her young.
Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all!
Their children are ever with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance,
How frequently are they as dry stems before the wind, or as grass taken away by the storm-wind?
Is anyone able to give teaching to God? for he is the judge of those who are on high.
For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended?
Together they go down to the dust, and are covered by the worm.
One comes to his end in complete well-being, full of peace and quiet:
And another comes to his end with a bitter soul, without ever tasting good.
His buckets are full of milk, and there is no loss of strength in his bones.
Who will make his way clear to his face? and if he has done a thing, who gives him punishment for it?
How the evil man goes free in the day of trouble, and has salvation in the day of wrath?
Job 22
Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!
Will you keep the old way by which evil men went?
You do not give water to the tired traveller, and from him who has no food you keep back bread.
Thick clouds are covering him, so that he is unable to see; and he is walking on the arch of heaven.
Is it possible for a man to be of profit to God? No, for a man's wisdom is only of profit to himself.
Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.
Is not God as high as heaven? and see the stars, how high they are!
For it was the man with power who had the land, and the man with an honoured name who was living in it.
Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?
Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.
The upright saw it and were glad: and those who had done no wrong made sport of them,
Job 23
Job 24
Job 25
Job 26
Job 27
Job 28
Job 29
Job 30
Job 31
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