Job

¹ Then Sophar the Minæan answered and said,

² He that speaks much, should also hear on the other side: or does the fluent speaker think himself to be righteous? blessed is the short-lived offspring of woman.

³ Be not a speaker of many words; for is there none to answer thee?

⁴ For say not, I am pure in my works, and blameless before him.

⁵ But oh that the Lord would speak to thee, and open his lips with thee!

⁶ Then shall he declare to thee the power of wisdom; for it shall be double of that which is with thee: and then shalt thou know, that a just recompence of thy sins has come to thee from the Lord.

⁷ Wilt thou find out the traces of the Lord? or hast thou come to the end of that which the Almighty has made?

⁸ Heaven is high; and what wilt thou do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what dost thou know?

⁹ Or longer than the measure of the earth, or the breadth of the sea.

¹⁰ And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What hast thou done?

¹¹ For he knows the works of transgressors; and when he sees wickedness, he will not overlook it .

¹² But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman is like an ass of the desert.

¹³ For if thou hast made thine heart pure, and liftest up thine hands towards him;

¹⁴ if there is any iniquity in thy hands, put it far from thee, and let not unrighteousness lodge in thy habitation.

¹⁵ For thus shall thy countenance shine again, as pure water; and thou shalt divest thyself of uncleanness, and shalt not fear.

¹⁶ And thou shalt forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and thou shalt not be scared.

¹⁷ And thy prayer shall be as the morning star, and life shall arise to thee as from the noon-day.

¹⁸ And thou shalt be confident, because thou hast hope; and peace shall dawn to thee from out of anxiety and care.

¹⁹ For thou shalt be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against thee; and many shall charge, and make supplication to thee.

²⁰ But safety shall fail them; for their hope is destruction, and the eyes of the ungodly shall waste away.