The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

If I sin, then Thou markest me, and Thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet shall I not lift up my head — being filled with ignominy and looking upon mine affliction.

And if it exalt itself, Thou huntest me as a lion; and again Thou showest Thyself marvellous upon me.

Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, and increasest Thine indignation upon me; host succeeding host against me.

Wherefore then hast Thou brought me forth out of the womb? Would that I had perished, and no eye had seen me!

I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

Are not my days few? Cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself; a land of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:

Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be accounted right?

Thy boastings have made men hold their peace, and thou hast mocked, with none to make thee ashamed;

And thou hast said: 'My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in Thine eyes.'

But oh that God would speak, and open His lips against thee;

And that He would tell thee the secrets of wisdom, that sound wisdom is manifold! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

Canst thou find out the deep things of God? Canst thou attain unto the purpose of the Almighty?

It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than the nether-world; what canst thou know?

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

If He pass by, and shut up, or gather in, then who can hinder Him?

For He knoweth base men; and when He seeth iniquity, will He not then consider it?

But an empty man will get understanding, when a wild ass's colt is born a man.

If thou set thy heart aright, and stretch out thy hands toward Him —

If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away, and let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents —

Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear;

For thou shalt forget thy misery; thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away;

And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday; though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt look about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall have no way to flee, and their hope shall be the drooping of the soul.

Then Job answered and said:

No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, a man that called upon God, and He answered him; the just, the innocent man is a laughing-stock,

A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease, a thing ready for them whose foot slippeth.

The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, in whatsoever God bringeth into their hand.

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee;

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee;

Who knoweth not among all these, that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. —

Doth not the ear try words, even as the palate tasteth its food?

Is wisdom with aged men, and understanding in length of days? —

With Him is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.

Behold, He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

Behold, He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; also He sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

With Him is strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.

He leadeth counsellors away stripped, and judges maketh He fools.

He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth their loins with a girdle.

He leadeth priests away stripped, and overthroweth the mighty.

He removeth the speech of men of trust, and taketh away the sense of the elders.

He poureth contempt upon princes, and looseth the belt of the strong.

He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth the nations, and leadeth them away.

He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

They grope in the dark without light, and He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

What ye know, do I know also; I am not inferior unto you.

Notwithstanding I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

But ye are plasterers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it would be your wisdom.

Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

Will ye speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for Him?

Will ye show Him favour? Will ye contend for God?

Would it be good that He should search you out? Or as one mocketh a man, will ye mock Him?

He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly show favour.

Shall not His majesty terrify you, and His dread fall upon you?

Your memorials shall be like unto ashes, your eminences to eminences of clay.

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

Wherefore? I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.

Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him; but I will argue my ways before Him.

This also shall be my salvation, that a hypocrite cannot come before Him.

Hear diligently my speech, and let my declaration be in your ears.

Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and die.

Only do not two things unto me, then will I not hide myself from Thee:

Withdraw Thy hand far from me; and let not Thy terror make me afraid.

Then call Thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and answer Thou me.

How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.

Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, and holdest me for Thine enemy?

Wilt Thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt Thou pursue the dry stubble?

That Thou shouldest write bitter things against me, and make me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.

Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; Thou drawest Thee a line about the soles of my feet;

Though I am like a wine-skin that consumeth, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

He cometh forth like a flower, and withereth; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

And dost Thou open Thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with Thee?

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with Thee, and Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

Look away from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.

But man dieth, and lieth low; yea, man perisheth, and where is he?

As the waters fail from the sea, and the river is drained dry;

So man lieth down and riseth not; till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.

Oh that Thou wouldest hide me in the nether-world, that Thou wouldest keep me secret, until Thy wrath be past, that Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! —

If a man die, may he live again? All the days of my service would I wait, till my relief should come —

Thou wouldest call, and I would answer Thee; Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of Thy hands.

But now Thou numberest my steps, Thou dost not even wait for my sin;

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and Thou heapest up mine iniquity.

And surely the mountain falling crumbleth away, and the rock is removed out of its place;