JOB 11

« Job 10 | Job 11 | Job 12 »

Zophar Speaks: You Deserve Worse  11:1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2

“Should a multitude of words go unanswered,

and a man full of talk be judged right? 3

Should your babble silence men,

and when you mock, shall no one shame you? 4

For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure,

and I am clean in God’s eyes.’ 5

But oh, that God would speak

and open his lips to you, 6

and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!

For he is manifold in understanding.

Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.
7

“Can you find out the deep things of God?

Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? 8

It is higher than heaven—what can you do?

Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? 9

Its measure is longer than the earth

and broader than the sea. 10

If he passes through and imprisons

and summons the court, who can turn him back? 11

For he knows worthless men;

when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it? 12

But a stupid man will get understanding

when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man!
13

“If you prepare your heart,

you will stretch out your hands toward him. 14

If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,

and let not injustice dwell in your tents. 15

Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish;

you will be secure and will not fear. 16

You will forget your misery;

you will remember it as waters that have passed away. 17

And your life will be brighter than the noonday;

its darkness will be like the morning. 18

And you will feel secure, because there is hope;

you will look around and take your rest in security. 19

You will lie down, and none will make you afraid;

many will court your favor. 20

But the eyes of the wicked will fail;

all way of escape will be lost to them,

and their hope is to breathe their last.”

JOB 12

« Job 11 | Job 12 | Job 13 »

Job Replies: The Lord Has Done This  12:1 Then Job answered and said:
2

“No doubt you are the people,

and wisdom will die with you. 3

But I have understanding as well as you;

I am not inferior to you.

Who does not know such things as these? 4

I am a laughingstock to my friends;

I, who called to God and he answered me,

a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock. 5

In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune;

it is ready for those whose feet slip. 6

The tents of robbers are at peace,

and those who provoke God are secure,

who bring their god in their hand.
7

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;

the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; 8

or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;

and the fish of the sea will declare to you. 9

Who among all these does not know

that the hand of the Lord has done this? 10

In his hand is the life of every living thing

and the breath of all mankind. 11

Does not the ear test words

as the palate tastes food? 12

Wisdom is with the aged,

and understanding in length of days.
13

“With God are wisdom and might;

he has counsel and understanding. 14

If he tears down, none can rebuild;

if he shuts a man in, none can open. 15

If he withholds the waters, they dry up;

if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. 16

With him are strength and sound wisdom;

the deceived and the deceiver are his. 17

He leads counselors away stripped,

and judges he makes fools. 18

He looses the bonds of kings

and binds a waistcloth on their hips. 19

He leads priests away stripped

and overthrows the mighty. 20

He deprives of speech those who are trusted

and takes away the discernment of the elders. 21

He pours contempt on princes

and loosens the belt of the strong. 22

He uncovers the deeps out of darkness

and brings deep darkness to light. 23

He makes nations great, and he destroys them;

he enlarges nations, and leads them away. 24

He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth

and makes them wander in a trackless waste. 25

They grope in the dark without light,

and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.

PROVERBS 11

« Proverbs 10 | Proverbs 11 | Proverbs 12 »

11:1

A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,

but a just weight is his delight. 2

When pride comes, then comes disgrace,

but with the humble is wisdom. 3

The integrity of the upright guides them,

but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. 4

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,

but righteousness delivers from death. 5

The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,

but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. 6

The righteousness of the upright delivers them,

but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. 7

When the wicked dies, his hope will perish,

and the expectation of wealth perishes too. 8

The righteous is delivered from trouble,

and the wicked walks into it instead. 9

With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,

but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. 10

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,

and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. 11

By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,

but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. 12

Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,

but a man of understanding remains silent. 13

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets,

but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. 14

Where there is no guidance, a people falls,

but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. 15

Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,

but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure. 16

A gracious woman gets honor,

and violent men get riches. 17

A man who is kind benefits himself,

but a cruel man hurts himself. 18

The wicked earns deceptive wages,

but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. 19

Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,

but he who pursues evil will die. 20

Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord,

but those of blameless ways are his delight. 21

Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished,

but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered. 22

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout

is a beautiful woman without discretion. 23

The desire of the righteous ends only in good,

the expectation of the wicked in wrath. 24

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;

another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,

and one who waters will himself be watered. 26

The people curse him who holds back grain,

but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. 27

Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,

but evil comes to him who searches for it. 28

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,

but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. 29

Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind,

and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

and whoever captures souls is wise. 31

If the righteous is repaid on earth,

how much more the wicked and the sinner!

PSALM 91

« Psalm 90 | Psalm 91 | Psalm 92 »

My Refuge and My Fortress91:1

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”
3

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence. 4

He will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 5

You will not fear the terror of the night,

nor the arrow that flies by day, 6

nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you. 8

You will only look with your eyes

and see the recompense of the wicked.
9

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—

the Most High, who is my refuge— 10

no evil shall be allowed to befall you,

no plague come near your tent.
11

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways. 12

On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone. 13

You will tread on the lion and the adder;

the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;

I will protect him, because he knows my name. 15

When he calls to me, I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and honor him. 16

With long life I will satisfy him

and show him my salvation.”