“Now a word was brought to me stealthily, And my ear received a whisper of it.
“Then a spirit passed by my face; The hair of my flesh bristled up.
“It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice:
‘Can mankind be just before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?
“His harvest the hungry devour And take it to a place of thorns, And the schemer is eager for their wealth.
“My brothers have acted deceitfully like a wadi, Like the torrents of wadis which vanish,
“Indeed, you have now become such, You see a terror and are afraid.
“Have I said, ‘Give me something,’ Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’
“Is not man forced to labor on earth, And are not his days like the days of a hired man?
“As a slave who pants for the shade, And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,
“My flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and runs.
“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And come to an end without hope.
“When a cloud vanishes, it is gone, So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up.
“Am I the sea, or the sea monster, That You set a guard over me?
“I waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
“Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?
“How long will you say these things, And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
“For we are only of yesterday and know nothing, Because our days on earth are as a shadow.
“Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the rushes grow without water?
Whose confidence is fragile, And whose trust a spider’s web.
“His roots wrap around a rock pile, He grasps a house of stones.
“Lo, God will not reject a man of integrity, Nor will He support the evildoers.
“In truth I know that this is so; But how can a man be in the right before God?
“If one wished to dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
Who commands the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars;
“For He bruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause.
“If it is a matter of power, behold, He is the strong one! And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?
“Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good.
“For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him, That we may go to court together.
‘Have You eyes of flesh? Or do You see as a man sees?
‘Are Your days as the days of a mortal, Or Your years as man’s years,
‘Should my head be lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion; And again You would show Your power against me.
“Would He not let my few days alone? Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer
“Shall a multitude of words go unanswered, And a talkative man be acquitted?
And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity.
“An idiot will become intelligent When the foal of a wild donkey is born a man.
“I am a joke to my friends, The one who called on God and He answered him; The just and blameless man is a joke.
“Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt; He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
“He loosens the bond of kings And binds their loins with a girdle.
“He deprives of intelligence the chiefs of the earth’s people And makes them wander in a pathless waste.
“They grope in darkness with no light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
“Will it be well when He examines you? Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
“This also will be my salvation, For a godless man may not come before His presence.
“Will You cause a driven leaf to tremble? Or will You pursue the dry chaff?
“You put my feet in the stocks And watch all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet,
While I am decaying like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
“Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.
“Turn Your gaze from him that he may rest, Until he fulfills his day like a hired man.
“For there is hope for a tree, When it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And its shoots will not fail.
At the scent of water it will flourish And put forth sprigs like a plant.
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995
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