JOB 11

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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

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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.
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“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 7

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Warning Against the Adulteress7:1

My son, keep my words

and treasure up my commandments with you; 2

keep my commandments and live;

keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; 3

bind them on your fingers;

write them on the tablet of your heart. 4

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

and call insight your intimate friend, 5

to keep you from the forbidden woman,

from the adulteress with her smooth words.
6

For at the window of my house

I have looked out through my lattice, 7

and I have seen among the simple,

I have perceived among the youths,

a young man lacking sense, 8

passing along the street near her corner,

taking the road to her house 9

in the twilight, in the evening,

at the time of night and darkness.
10

And behold, the woman meets him,

dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. 11

She is loud and wayward;

her feet do not stay at home; 12

now in the street, now in the market,

and at every corner she lies in wait. 13

She seizes him and kisses him,

and with bold face she says to him, 14

“I had to offer sacrifices,

and today I have paid my vows; 15

so now I have come out to meet you,

to seek you eagerly, and I have found you. 16

I have spread my couch with coverings,

colored linens from Egyptian linen; 17

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,

aloes, and cinnamon. 18

Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;

let us delight ourselves with love. 19

For my husband is not at home;

he has gone on a long journey; 20

he took a bag of money with him;

at full moon he will come home.”
21

With much seductive speech she persuades him;

with her smooth talk she compels him. 22

All at once he follows her,

as an ox goes to the slaughter,

or as a stag is caught fast 23

till an arrow pierces its liver;

as a bird rushes into a snare;

he does not know that it will cost him his life.
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And now, O sons, listen to me,

and be attentive to the words of my mouth. 25

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her paths, 26

for many a victim has she laid low,

and all her slain are a mighty throng. 27

Her house is the way to Sheol,

going down to the chambers of death.

PSALM 91

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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.
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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.
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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.”