JOB 9

« Job 8 | Job 9 | Job 10 »

Job Replies: There Is No Arbiter  9:1 Then Job answered and said:
2

“Truly I know that it is so:

But how can a man be in the right before God? 3

If one wished to contend with him,

one could not answer him once in a thousand times. 4

He is wise in heart and mighty in strength

—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?— 5

he who removes mountains, and they know it not,

when he overturns them in his anger, 6

who shakes the earth out of its place,

and its pillars tremble; 7

who commands the sun, and it does not rise;

who seals up the stars; 8

who alone stretched out the heavens

and trampled the waves of the sea; 9

who made the Bear and Orion,

the Pleiades and the chambers of the south; 10

who does great things beyond searching out,

and marvelous things beyond number. 11

Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not;

he moves on, but I do not perceive him. 12

Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back?

Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
13

“God will not turn back his anger;

beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab. 14

How then can I answer him,

choosing my words with him? 15

Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him;

I must appeal for mercy to my accuser. 16

If I summoned him and he answered me,

I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. 17

For he crushes me with a tempest

and multiplies my wounds without cause; 18

he will not let me get my breath,

but fills me with bitterness. 19

If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty!

If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him? 20

Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me;

though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse. 21

I am blameless; I regard not myself;

I loathe my life. 22

It is all one; therefore I say,

‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ 23

When disaster brings sudden death,

he mocks at the calamity of the innocent. 24

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;

he covers the faces of its judges—

if it is not he, who then is it?
25

“My days are swifter than a runner;

they flee away; they see no good. 26

They go by like skiffs of reed,

like an eagle swooping on the prey. 27

If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’ 28

I become afraid of all my suffering,

for I know you will not hold me innocent. 29

I shall be condemned;

why then do I labor in vain? 30

If I wash myself with snow

and cleanse my hands with lye, 31

yet you will plunge me into a pit,

and my own clothes will abhor me. 32

For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him,

that we should come to trial together. 33

There is no arbiter between us,

who might lay his hand on us both. 34

Let him take his rod away from me,

and let not dread of him terrify me. 35

Then I would speak without fear of him,

for I am not so in myself.

JOB 10

« Job 9 | Job 10 | Job 11 »

Job Continues: A Plea to God10:1

“I loathe my life;

I will give free utterance to my complaint;

I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2

I will say to God, Do not condemn me;

let me know why you contend against me. 3

Does it seem good to you to oppress,

to despise the work of your hands

and favor the designs of the wicked? 4

Have you eyes of flesh?

Do you see as man sees? 5

Are your days as the days of man,

or your years as a man’s years, 6

that you seek out my iniquity

and search for my sin, 7

although you know that I am not guilty,

and there is none to deliver out of your hand? 8

Your hands fashioned and made me,

and now you have destroyed me altogether. 9

Remember that you have made me like clay;

and will you return me to the dust? 10

Did you not pour me out like milk

and curdle me like cheese? 11

You clothed me with skin and flesh,

and knit me together with bones and sinews. 12

You have granted me life and steadfast love,

and your care has preserved my spirit. 13

Yet these things you hid in your heart;

I know that this was your purpose. 14

If I sin, you watch me

and do not acquit me of my iniquity. 15

If I am guilty, woe to me!

If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head,

for I am filled with disgrace

and look on my affliction. 16

And were my head lifted up, you would hunt me like a lion

and again work wonders against me. 17

You renew your witnesses against me

and increase your vexation toward me;

you bring fresh troops against me.
18

“Why did you bring me out from the womb?

Would that I had died before any eye had seen me 19

and were as though I had not been,

carried from the womb to the grave. 20

Are not my days few?

Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer 21

before I go—and I shall not return—

to the land of darkness and deep shadow, 22

the land of gloom like thick darkness,

like deep shadow without any order,

where light is as thick darkness.”

PROVERBS 7

« Proverbs 6 | Proverbs 7 | Proverbs 8 »

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.
24

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.

LUKE 15

« Luke 14 | Luke 15 | Luke 16 »

The Parable of the Lost Sheep  15:1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
    3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. The Parable of the Lost Coin8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The Parable of the Prodigal Son11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
    17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
    25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”