Day 236 of 365

¹"My soul is weary of my life. I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

²I will tell God, 'Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.

³Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked?

⁴Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees?

⁵Are your days as the days of mortals, or your years as man's years,

⁶that you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?

⁷Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

⁸"'Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether, yet you destroy me.

⁹Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?

¹⁰Haven't you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?

¹¹You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.

¹²You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.

¹³Yet you hid these things in your heart. I know that this is with you:

¹⁴if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

¹⁵If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still shall not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.

¹⁶If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.

¹⁷You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me.

¹⁸"'Why, then, have you brought me forth out of the womb? I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me.

¹⁹I should have been as though I had not been. I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

²⁰Aren't my days few? Cease then. Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,

²¹before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

²²the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.'"

¹Then Zophar, the Naamathite, answered,

²"Shouldn't the multitude of words be answered? Should a man full of talk be justified?

³Should your boastings make men hold their peace? When you mock, shall no man make you ashamed?

⁴For you say, 'My doctrine is pure. I am clean in your eyes.'

⁵But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you,

⁶that he would show you the secrets of wisdom! For true wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

⁷"Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

⁸They are high as heaven. What can you do? They are deeper than Sheol. What can you know?

⁹Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

¹⁰If he passes by, or confines, or convenes a court, then who can oppose him?

¹¹For he knows false men. He sees iniquity also, even though he doesn't consider it.

¹²An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey's colt.

¹³"If you set your heart aright, stretch out your hands toward him.

¹⁴If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away. Do not let unrighteousness dwell in your tents.

¹⁵Surely then you shall lift up your face without spot; Yes, you shall be steadfast, and shall not fear:

¹⁶for you shall forget your misery. You shall remember it as waters that are passed away.

¹⁷Life shall be clearer than the noonday. Though there is darkness, it shall be as the morning.

¹⁸You shall be secure, because there is hope. Yes, you shall search, and shall take your rest in safety.

¹⁹Also you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. Yes, many shall court your favor.

²⁰But the eyes of the wicked shall fail. They shall have no way to flee. Their hope shall be the giving up of the spirit."

¹Then Job answered,

²"No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

³But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn't know such things as these?

⁴I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.

⁵In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

⁶The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their God in their hands.

⁷"But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.

⁸Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

⁹Who doesn't know that in all these, the hand of the Lord has done this,

¹⁰in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?

¹¹Doesn't the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

¹²With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.

¹³"With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

¹⁴Behold, he breaks down, and it can't be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

¹⁵Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

¹⁶With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.

¹⁷He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

¹⁸He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

¹⁹He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

²⁰He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

²¹He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

²²He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.

²³He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

²⁴He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

²⁵They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

¹Hear, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

²Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

³Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.

⁴Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

⁵For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

⁶Hear, Lord, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions.

⁷In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.

⁸There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds.

⁹All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.

¹⁰For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.

¹¹Teach me your way, Lord. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name.

¹²I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forevermore.

¹³For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

¹⁴God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they do not hold regard for you before them.

¹⁵But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

¹⁶Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your handmaid.

¹⁷Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Lord, have helped me, and comforted me.

¹Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

²It isn't good to have zeal without knowledge; nor being hasty with one's feet and missing the way.

³The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against the Lord.

⁴Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free.

⁶Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

⁷All the relatives of the poor shun him: how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.

⁸He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.

⁹A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.

¹⁰Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

¹¹The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.

¹²The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife's quarrels are a continual dripping.

¹⁴House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

¹⁵Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

¹⁶He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.

¹⁷He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord; he will reward him.

¹⁸Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.

¹⁹A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again.

²⁰Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.

²¹There are many plans in a man's heart, but the Lord's counsel will prevail.

²²That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.

²³The fear of the Lord leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble.

²⁴The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

²⁶He who robs his father and drives away his mother, is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

²⁷If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity.

²⁹Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools.