Day 230 of 730

¹Then Job answered,

²"Even today my complaint is rebellious. His hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.

³Oh that I knew where I might find him! That I might come even to his seat!

⁴I would set my cause in order before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

⁵I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would tell me.

⁶Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No, but he would listen to me.

⁷There the upright might reason with him, so I should be delivered forever from my judge.

⁸"If I go east, he is not there; if west, I can't find him;

⁹He works to the north, but I can't see him. He turns south, but I can't catch a glimpse of him.

¹⁰But he knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I shall come forth like gold.

¹¹My foot has held fast to his steps. I have kept his way, and not turned aside.

¹²I haven't gone back from the commandment of his lips. I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

¹³But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? What his soul desires, even that he does.

¹⁴For he performs that which is appointed for me. Many such things are with him.

¹⁵Therefore I am terrified at his presence. When I consider, I am afraid of him.

¹⁶For God has made my heart faint. The Almighty has terrified me.

¹⁷Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.

¹"Why aren't times laid up by the Almighty? Why do not those who know him see his days?

²There are people who remove the landmarks. They violently take away flocks, and feed them.

³They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, and they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

⁴They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.

⁵Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children.

⁶They cut their provender in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.

⁷They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.

⁸They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.

⁹There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,

¹⁰So that they go around naked without clothing. Being hungry, they carry the sheaves.

¹¹They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.

¹²From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God doesn't regard the folly.

¹³"These are of those who rebel against the light. They do not know its ways, nor abide in its paths.

¹⁴The murderer rises with the light. He kills the poor and needy. In the night he is like a thief.

¹⁵The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, 'No eye shall see me.' He disguises his face.

¹⁶In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They do not know the light.

¹⁷For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.

¹⁸"They are foam on the surface of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They do not turn into the way of the vineyards.

¹⁹Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does Sheol those who have sinned.

²⁰The womb shall forget him. The worm shall feed sweetly on him. He shall be no more remembered. Unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree.

²¹He devours the barren who do not bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.

²²Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.

²³God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.

²⁴They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.

²⁵If it isn't so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?"

¹Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock, you who sit above the cherubim, shine forth.

²Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might! Come to save us!

³Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.

⁴Lord God of Hosts, How long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?

⁵You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in large measure.

⁶You make us a source of contention to our neighbors. Our enemies laugh among themselves.

⁷Turn us again, God of Hosts. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.

⁸You brought a vine out of Egypt. You drove out the nations, and planted it.

⁹You cleared the ground for it. It took deep root, and filled the land.

¹⁰The mountains were covered with its shadow. Its boughs were like God's cedars.

¹¹It sent out its branches to the sea, Its shoots to the River.

¹²Why have you broken down its walls, so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?

¹³The boar out of the wood ravages it. The wild animals of the field feed on it.

¹⁴Turn again, we beg you, God of Hosts. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,

¹⁵the stock which your right hand planted, the branch that you made strong for yourself.

¹⁶It's burned with fire. It's cut down. They perish at your rebuke.

¹⁷Let your hand be on the man of your right hand, on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.

¹⁸So we will not turn away from you. Revive us, and we will call on your name.

¹⁹Turn us again, Lord God of Hosts. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.

¹A wise son listens to his father's instruction, but a scoffer doesn't listen to rebuke.

²By the fruit of his lips, a man enjoys good things; but the unfaithful crave violence.

³He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

⁴The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

⁵A righteous man hates lies, but a wicked man brings shame and disgrace.

⁶Righteousness guards the way of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

⁷There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

⁸The ransom of a man's life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats.

⁹The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

¹⁰Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom.

¹¹Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away, but he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

¹³Whoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded.

¹⁴The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death.

¹⁵Good understanding wins favor; but the way of the unfaithful is hard.

¹⁶Every prudent man acts from knowledge, but a fool exposes folly.

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy gains healing.

¹⁸Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline, but he who heeds correction shall be honored.

¹⁹Longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.

²⁰One who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

²¹Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.

²²A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.

²³An abundance of food is in poor people's fields, but injustice sweeps it away.

²⁴One who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him.

²⁵The righteous one eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.