Moff JOB Chapter 12

12 Then Eyob answered:

3 

But I have brains as well as you;

why, anyone knows all you say.

4 

[[A man whose prayers were answered once by God,

is now derided by his friends!--

a just, a blameless man, derided!

5 

Men at ease sneer at the unfortunate;

when a man falters, there are blows for him.

6 

It is the plunderers who live unharmed;

those who provoke God are secure,

who make a god of their own power.]]

7 

Ask the very beasts, and they will teach you;

ask the wild birds--they will tell you;

8 

crawling creatures will instruct you,

fish in the sea will inform you:

9 

for which of them all knows not

that this is the Eternal’s way,

10 

in whose control lies every living soul,

and the whole life of man.

11 

Does not a man’s mind test what he is told,

as the palate tastes food for itself?

12 

Wisdom, you argue, lies with 12 aged men,

a long life means intelligence?

13 

Nay, wisdom and authority belong to God;

strength and knowledge are his own.

14 

He breaks down: there is no rebuilding;

imprisons: there is no release.

15 

He holds the rain back: earth is dry;

he lets it loose: the land is overwhelmed.

16 

Power and providence belong to him:

he is behind deceiver and deceived,

17 

he strips statesmen of their wits,

and makes a fool of councillors,

18 

he dismantles royalty,

and drives off kings in chains,

19 

he marches priests away barefoot,

their ancient orders he o’er-throws,

20 

orators he renders speechless,

aged men lose their judgment

21 

he pours contempt on lords,

and he unnerves the powerful,

22 

dark policies he brings to light,

and shady mysteries he exposes;

23 

he will extend a nation, to undo it,

he will enlarge a nation, then enslave it;

24 

he will distract its leading men

and set them in a pathless waste astray,

25 

where in the dark they grope without a light,

wandering aimless like a drunken wight.

13 

I have seen all this for myself,

I have myself heard it and noted it;

2 

what you know, I know too,

I am no more fool than you.

3 

Only--I would appeal to the Almighty,

it is with God that I would fain join issue.

4 

You whitewash everything with lies,

you patch up futile arguments, all of you

5 

If you would only hold your peace,

then you might pass for wise men!

6 

listen now to the charge I bring,

hear what I have to urge;

17 

listen to all I say,

give me a hearing as I plead my case.

7 

Will you bring unfair arguments for God?

Will you tell lies on his behalf?

8 

Will you be sycophants of the Almighty?

Will you be special pleaders for God?

9 

Will it be well when he probes you?

Can you deceive him like a man?

10 

No, he will punish you,

if you are sycophants of his in secret

11 

Should not his majesty cause you to shudder?

should not the dread of him seize you?

12 

Your maxims crumble like mere ashes,

your arguments collapse like mounds of clay.

13 

Silence! let me alone--I must have speech,

whatever happens!

14 

I will run any risks,

hazard my very life!

15 

He may kill me--what else can I expect?--

but I will maintain my innocence to his face.

16 

This should be in my favour,

that before him no godless man dare come.

18 

I foresee how my case will go,

I know the verdict will be mine.

19 

Will anyone disprove my innocence?

then I would be dumb and die!

20 

Spare me two things alone, O God,

and then I need not hide away from thee;

21 

lift off thy heavy hand,

scare me not with thy terrors,

22 

then I will answer thy summons--

or, answer thou my summons.

23 

Tell me all I have done wrong,

let me know what sin I am guilty of.

24 

Thou wilt not? Why art thou unfriendly,

why treat me as thine enemy?

25 

Wilt thou harry a poor fluttering leaf?

Wilt thou pursue a withered straw?

26 

A bitter sentence thou hast passed on me,

that I must pay for errors of my youth!

27 

Thou fastenest logs to my feet,

thou watchest every step I take;

thou hast clipped my roots,

5 

and hemmed my growth in narrow bounds.

14 

Man born of woman

lives but a few days and is full of trouble;

2 

he flowers and fades,

he is a fleeting shadow.

3 

And thou wilt fasten upon such!

Thou wilt bring him to justice,