JOB 13

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Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God13:1

“Behold, my eye has seen all this,

my ear has heard and understood it. 2

What you know, I also know;

I am not inferior to you. 3

But I would speak to the Almighty,

and I desire to argue my case with God. 4

As for you, you whitewash with lies;

worthless physicians are you all. 5

Oh that you would keep silent,

and it would be your wisdom! 6

Hear now my argument

and listen to the pleadings of my lips. 7

Will you speak falsely for God

and speak deceitfully for him? 8

Will you show partiality toward him?

Will you plead the case for God? 9

Will it be well with you when he searches you out?

Or can you deceive him, as one deceives a man? 10

He will surely rebuke you

if in secret you show partiality. 11

Will not his majesty terrify you,

and the dread of him fall upon you? 12

Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;

your defenses are defenses of clay.
13

“Let me have silence, and I will speak,

and let come on me what may. 14

Why should I take my flesh in my teeth

and put my life in my hand? 15

Though he slay me, I will hope in him;

yet I will argue my ways to his face. 16

This will be my salvation,

that the godless shall not come before him. 17

Keep listening to my words,

and let my declaration be in your ears. 18

Behold, I have prepared my case;

I know that I shall be in the right. 19

Who is there who will contend with me?

For then I would be silent and die. 20

Only grant me two things,

then I will not hide myself from your face: 21

withdraw your hand far from me,

and let not dread of you terrify me. 22

Then call, and I will answer;

or let me speak, and you reply to me. 23

How many are my iniquities and my sins?

Make me know my transgression and my sin. 24

Why do you hide your face

and count me as your enemy? 25

Will you frighten a driven leaf

and pursue dry chaff? 26

For you write bitter things against me

and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. 27

You put my feet in the stocks

and watch all my paths;

you set a limit for the soles of my feet. 28

Man wastes away like a rotten thing,

like a garment that is moth-eaten.

JOB 14

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Job Continues: Death Comes Soon to All14:1

“Man who is born of a woman

is few of days and full of trouble. 2

He comes out like a flower and withers;

he flees like a shadow and continues not. 3

And do you open your eyes on such a one

and bring me into judgment with you? 4

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?

There is not one. 5

Since his days are determined,

and the number of his months is with you,

and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass, 6

look away from him and leave him alone,

that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day.
7

“For there is hope for a tree,

if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,

and that its shoots will not cease. 8

Though its root grow old in the earth,

and its stump die in the soil, 9

yet at the scent of water it will bud

and put out branches like a young plant. 10

But a man dies and is laid low;

man breathes his last, and where is he? 11

As waters fail from a lake

and a river wastes away and dries up, 12

so a man lies down and rises not again;

till the heavens are no more he will not awake

or be roused out of his sleep. 13

Oh that you would hide me in Sheol,

that you would conceal me until your wrath be past,

that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14

If a man dies, shall he live again?

All the days of my service I would wait,

till my renewal should come. 15

You would call, and I would answer you;

you would long for the work of your hands. 16

For then you would number my steps;

you would not keep watch over my sin; 17

my transgression would be sealed up in a bag,

and you would cover over my iniquity.
18

“But the mountain falls and crumbles away,

and the rock is removed from its place; 19

the waters wear away the stones;

the torrents wash away the soil of the earth;

so you destroy the hope of man. 20

You prevail forever against him, and he passes;

you change his countenance, and send him away. 21

His sons come to honor, and he does not know it;

they are brought low, and he perceives it not. 22

He feels only the pain of his own body,

and he mourns only for himself.”

PROVERBS 12

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12:1

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but he who hates reproof is stupid. 2

A good man obtains favor from the Lord,

but a man of evil devices he condemns. 3

No one is established by wickedness,

but the root of the righteous will never be moved. 4

An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,

but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. 5

The thoughts of the righteous are just;

the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. 6

The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,

but the mouth of the upright delivers them. 7

The wicked are overthrown and are no more,

but the house of the righteous will stand. 8

A man is commended according to his good sense,

but one of twisted mind is despised. 9

Better to be lowly and have a servant

than to play the great man and lack bread. 10

Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,

but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. 11

Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,

but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. 12

Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers,

but the root of the righteous bears fruit. 13

An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,

but the righteous escapes from trouble. 14

From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good,

and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him. 15

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

but a wise man listens to advice. 16

The vexation of a fool is known at once,

but the prudent ignores an insult. 17

Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,

but a false witness utters deceit. 18

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,

but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 19

Truthful lips endure forever,

but a lying tongue is but for a moment. 20

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,

but those who plan peace have joy. 21

No ill befalls the righteous,

but the wicked are filled with trouble. 22

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,

but those who act faithfully are his delight. 23

A prudent man conceals knowledge,

but the heart of fools proclaims folly. 24

The hand of the diligent will rule,

while the slothful will be put to forced labor. 25

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,

but a good word makes him glad. 26

One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,

but the way of the wicked leads them astray. 27

Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,

but the diligent man will get precious wealth. 28

In the path of righteousness is life,

and in its pathway there is no death.

PSALM 92

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How Great Are Your WorksA Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.
92:1

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2

to declare your steadfast love in the morning,

and your faithfulness by night, 3

to the music of the lute and the harp,

to the melody of the lyre. 4

For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;

at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5

How great are your works, O Lord!

Your thoughts are very deep! 6

The stupid man cannot know;

the fool cannot understand this: 7

that though the wicked sprout like grass

and all evildoers flourish,

they are doomed to destruction forever; 8

but you, O Lord, are on high forever. 9

For behold, your enemies, O Lord,

for behold, your enemies shall perish;

all evildoers shall be scattered.
10

But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;

you have poured over me fresh oil. 11

My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;

my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12

The righteous flourish like the palm tree

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13

They are planted in the house of the Lord;

they flourish in the courts of our God. 14

They still bear fruit in old age;

they are ever full of sap and green, 15

to declare that the Lord is upright;

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

PSALM 93

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The Lord Reigns93:1

The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty;

the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.

Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. 2

Your throne is established from of old;

you are from everlasting.
3

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,

the floods have lifted up their voice;

the floods lift up their roaring. 4

Mightier than the thunders of many waters,

mightier than the waves of the sea,

the Lord on high is mighty!
5

Your decrees are very trustworthy;

holiness befits your house,

O Lord, forevermore.