They that hate thee, shall be confounded, and the dwellings of the ungodly shall come to naught."

He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength. Who ever prospered that took part against him?

He removeth the earth out of her place, that her pillars shake withal.

If I had called upon him, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had heard my voice!

As for the world, he giveth it over into the power of the wicked; and he shall cover the faces of the judges thereof. Is it not so? Where is he - or who is he - that can show the contrary?

They are passed away, as the ships that be good under sail, and as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey.

For he that I must give answer unto, and with whom I go to law, is not a man as I am.

that thou makest such inquisition for my wickedness, and searchest out my sin?

Whereas, notwithstanding, thou knowest that I am no wicked person, and that there is no man able to deliver me out of thine hand.

O remember, I beseech thee, how that thou madest me of the mould of the earth, and shalt bring me into dust again.

Thou hast granted me life, and done me good: and the diligent heed that thou tookest upon me hath preserved my spirit.

Though thou hidest these things in thine heart, yet am I sure that thou rememberest them all.

Thou bringest fresh witnesses against me, and thy wrath increasest thou upon me; very many are the plagues that I am in.

Wherefore hast thou brought me out of my mother's womb? O that I had perished, and that no eye had seen me.

Shall not my short life come so soon to an end? O hold thee from me, let me alone, that I may ease myself a little

before I go thither, from whence I shall not turn again. Namely, to that land of darkness and shadow of death:

"Should not he that maketh many words, be answered? Should he that babbleth much, be commended therein?

Wilt thou say unto God, 'The thing that I take in hand is perfect, and I am clean in thy sight'?

O that God would speak, and open his lips against thee,

that he might show thee out of his secret wisdom how manifold his law is! Then shouldest thou know that God had forgotten thee, because of thy sins.

For it is he that knoweth the vanity of men. He seeth their wickedness also; should he not then consider it?

if thou wouldst put away the wickedness which thou hast in hand, so that no ungodliness dwelt in thy house;

Then shouldest thou forget thy misery, and think no more upon it, than upon the waters that run by.

Then mightest thou have comfort, in the hope that thou hast; and sleep quietly, when thou art buried.

Thus, he that calleth upon God, and whom God heareth, is mocked of his neighbour; the godly and innocent man is laughed to scorn.

"The houses of robbers are in wealth and prosperity; and they that maliciously meddle against God, dwell without care: yea, God giveth all things richly with his hand.

What is he, but he knoweth that the hand of the LORD made all these?

Have not the ears pleasure in hearing, and the mouth in tasting the thing that it eateth?

Yea, with God is wisdom and strength - it is he that hath counsel and foreknowledge.

With him is strength and wisdom: he knoweth both the deceiver and him that is deceived.

He poureth out confusion upon princes, and comforteth them that have been oppressed.

He changeth the heart of the princes and kings of the earth, and disapointeth them; so that they go wandering out of the way,

Look what ye know, that same do I know also, neither am I inferior unto you.

Would God ye kept your tongue, that ye might be taken for wise men!

Shall that help you, when he calleth you to reckoning? Think ye to beguile him, as a man is beguiled?

Behold, now have I prepared my judgment, and know that I shall be found righteous.

What is he that will go to law with me? For if I hold my tongue, I shall die.

And then send for me to the law, that I may answer for myself: or else, let me speak, and give thou the answer.

Whereas I, notwithstanding, must consume like as a foul carrion, and as a cloth that is moth eaten.

Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of divers miseries.

Who can make it clean, that cometh from an unclean thing? Nobody.

Go from him, that he may rest until his day come: which he looketh for, like as a hireling doth.

"If a tree be cut down, there is some hope yet, that it will sprout and shoot forth the branches again;

O that thou wouldest keep me, and hide me in the hell, until thy wrath were stilled: and to appoint me a time, wherein thou mightest remember me.

Thou prevailest against him, so that he passeth away; thou changes his estate, and puttest him from thee.

Thou reprovest with words, that are worth nothing; and speakest the things which can do no good!

Art thou the first man that ever was born? Or, wast thou made before the hills?

Hast thou heard the secret counsel of God, that all wisdom is too little for thee?

What knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, but we can the same?

that thy mind is so puffed up against God and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

What is man, that he should be clean? What hath he, which is born of a woman, whereby he might be known to be righteous?

"I will tell thee; hear me. I will show thee a thing, that I know;

unto whom only the land was given, that no stranger should come among them.

When he goeth forth to get his living, he thinketh plainly, that the day of darkness is at hand.

I could speak as ye do also. But would God, that your soul were in my soul's stead: then should I heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.

But now that God hath sent me adversity, thou hast troubled all my congregation.

And that thou hast filled me with wrinkles, my flesh is witness; and my leanness riseth up against me and beareth witness thereof in my face.

For lo, my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth me, is above in the height.

The righteous also will keep his way, and he that hath clean hands, will ever be stronger and stronger.

What helpeth then my long tarrying? Or, who will fulfill the thing that I look for?

All that I have, shall go down into the pit, and lie with me in the dust."

"Fearfulness shall make him afraid on every side, that he shall not know where to get out.

Such are now the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God."

But if ye will enhance yourselves against me, and accuse me to be a wicked person because of the shame that is come upon me;

know this then: that it is God which hath handled me so violently, and hath compassed me about with his net.

"He hath hedged up my way, that I cannot pass; he hath set darkness in my gate.

O that my words were written, O that they were put in a book:

"For I am sure that my redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise out of the earth in the latter day:

that I shall be clothed again with this skin, and see God in my flesh.

But beware of the sword, for the sword will be avenged of wickedness. And be sure, that there is a judgment."

Knowest thou not this, namely: that from the beginning - ever since the creation of man upon earth -

the praise of the ungodly hath been short, and that the joy of the hypocrites continued but the twinkling of an eye?

Though he be magnified up to the heaven, so that his head reacheth into the clouds:

yet he perisheth at the last, like dung. Insomuch that they which have seen him, say, 'Where is he?'

He vanisheth as a dream, so that he can no more be found, and passeth away as a vision in the night.

So that the eye which saw him before, getteth now no sight of him, and his place knoweth him no more.

That he favoured, that would he not forsake; but kept it close in his throat.

The bread that he did eat is turned to the poison of serpents, within his body.

The riches that he devoured, shall he vomit out again; for God shall draw them out of his belly.

so that he shall no more see the rivers, and brooks of honey and butter.

He devoured so greedily that he left nothing behind; therefore his goods shall not prosper.

so that if he flee the iron weapons, he shall be shot with the steel bow.

The substance that he hath in his house, shall be taken away and perish, in the day of the LORD's wrath.

This is the portion that the wicked shall have of God, and the heritage that he may look for of the LORD."

Suffer me a little, that I may speak also, and then laugh my words to scorn, if ye will.

Is it with a man, that I make this disputation? Which if it were so, should not my spirit be then in sore trouble?

Their bullock gendereth, and that not out of time: their cow calveth, and is not unfruitful.

What manner of fellow is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, to submit ourselves unto him?'

Yea, they shall be even as chaff before the wind, and as dust that the storm carrieth away.

And though God save their children from such sorrow, yet will he so reward themselves, that they shall know it.

Ask any man that goeth by the way, and - if ye will not regard their tokens and deeds - he shall tell you,

that the wicked is kept unto the day of destruction, and that the ungodly shall be brought forth in the day of wrath.

Who dare reprove him for his ways to his face? Who rewardeth him for the ungraciousness that he doth?

How vain, then, is the comfort that ye give me? Are not your answers clean contrary to right and truth?"

"May a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

Is it any advantage to the Almighty that thou art righteous? Or what doth it profit him, that thy ways are perfect?

Now because that God is higher than the heavens, and because thou seest the stars are so high,

Tush, the clouds cover him that he may not see, for he dwelleth in heaven.'

"Well, thou wilt keep the old way, that all wicked men have gone:

see that their increase shall be hewn down, and their posterity consumed with fire.