Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, are mighty in power? Their seed is established in their sight with them, And their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; They take the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the organ. And in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; The counsel of the wicked is far from me. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! And how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. They are as as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away. God layeth up his iniquity for his children: He rewardeth him, and he shall know it. His eyes shall see his destruction, And he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. Seeing he judgeth those that are high. Being wholly at ease and quiet. His breasts are full of milk, And his bones are moistened with marrow. And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, And never eateth with pleasure. They shall lie down alike in the dust, And the worms shall cover them. Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? And who shall repay him what he hath done? Yet shall he be brought to the grave, And shall remain in the tomb. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, As there are innumerable before him. Seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood? Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, CHAPTER 22 Can a man be profitable unto God, As he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfe&t? Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment? And thine iniquities infinite? For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, And stripped the naked of their clothing. Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, Thou hast sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken. Or darkness, that thou canst not see; And behold the height of the stars, how high they are! And thou sayest, How doth God know? Can he judge through the dark cloud? Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; Which wicked men have trodden? Which were cut down out of time, Whose foundation was overflown with a flood: And what can the Almighty do for them? And the innocent laugh them to scorn. Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace: Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, up, If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built And the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. And thou shalt have plenty of silver. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall And thou shalt pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: And the light shall shine upon thy ways. When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; And he shall save the humble person. He shall deliver the island of the innocent: And it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands. Even to day is my complaint bitter: CHAPTER 23 |