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First Reading: Job Chapter 10 and 11Job 10
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.
2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.
3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, That thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, And shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? Or seest thou as man seeth?
5 Are thy days as the days of man, Or thy years as man's days,
6 That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, And searchest after my sin,
7 Although thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand?
8 Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me Together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; And wilt thou bring me into dust again?
10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, And curdled me like cheese?
11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 Thou hast granted me life and lovingkindness; And thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.
13 Yet these things thou didst hide in thy heart; I know that this is with thee:
14 If I sin, then thou markest me, And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; And if I be righteous, yet shall I not lift up my head; Being filled with ignominy, And looking upon mine affliction.
16 And if `my head' exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion; And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.
17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, And increasest thine indignation upon me: Changes and warfare are with me.
18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me.
19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not my days few? cease then, And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
21 Before I go whence I shall not return, `Even' to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;
22 The land dark as midnight, `The land' of the shadow of death, without any order, And where the light is as midnight.
Job 11
1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified?
3 Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
4 For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in thine eyes.
5 But oh that God would speak, And open his lips against thee,
6 And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.
7 Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
8 It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?
9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, And broader than the sea.
10 If he pass through, and shut up, And all unto judgment, then who can hinder him?
11 For he knoweth false men: He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.
12 But vain man is void of understanding, Yea, man is born `as' a wild ass's colt.
13 If thou set thy heart aright, And stretch out thy hands toward him;
14 If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away, And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents.
15 Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
16 For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away,
17 And `thy' life shall be clearer than the noonday; Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.
18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; Yea, thou shalt search `about thee', and shalt take thy rest in safety.
19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; Yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, And they shall have no way to flee; And their hope shall be the giving up of the ghost.
Second Reading: Psalms Chapter 54 and 55
Psalms 54
1 Save me, O God, by thy name, And judge me in thy might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers are risen up against me, And violent men have sought after my soul: They have not set God before them. Selah
4 Behold, God is my helper: The Lord is of them that uphold my soul.
5 He will requite the evil unto mine enemies: Destroy thou them in thy truth.
6 With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice unto thee: I will give thanks unto thy name, O Jehovah, for it is good.
7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble; And mine eye hath seen `my desire' upon mine enemies. Psalm 55 For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David.
Psalms 55
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; And hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they cast iniquity upon me, And in anger they persecute me.
4 My heart is sore pained within me: And the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah
8 I would haste me to a shelter From the stormy wind and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, `and' divide their tongue; For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.
11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: Oppression and guile depart not from its streets.
12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; Then I could have borne it: Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; Then I would have hid myself from him:
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, My companion, and my familiar friend.
14 We took sweet counsel together; We walked in the house of God with the throng.
15 Let death come suddenly upon them, Let them go down alive into Sheol; For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.
16 As for me, I will call upon God; And Jehovah will save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan; And he will hear my voice.
18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me; For they were many `that strove' with me.
19 God will hear, and answer them, Even he that abideth of old, Selah `The men' who have no changes, And who fear not God.
20 He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: He hath profaned his covenant.
21 His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war: His words were softer than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.
22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 But thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in thee. Psalm 56 For the Chief Musician; set to Jonath elem rehokim. `A Psalm' of David. Michtam: when the Philistines took him in Gath.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
JOB
Part 4 of 4
The following is found in the book of Job:
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