1 Or, and him The fatherless also, 'that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish 13 that had &c. 2 Or, clothed came upon me: And I caused the widow's heart to sing for I put on righteousness, and it 'clothed me : itself with me My justice was as a robe and a 'diadem. 3 Or, turban I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the needy: 4 Or, the cause And the cause of him that I knew not I which I knew not 5 Heb. great teeth. 6 Or, beside Heb. with. 7 Or, the phenix 8 Heb. opened. 9 Or, by searched out. And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And I shall multiply my days as 'the sand: And the dew lieth all night upon my branch: And my bow is renewed in my hand. And kept silence for my counsel. And they opened their mouth wide as for the 10 Or, I smiled 10 If I laughed on them, they "believed it not; on them when they had no confidence 11 Or, were not confident down. I chose out their way, and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 But now they that are younger than I have me i 30 in derision, Whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my flock. 2 Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? Men in whom 'ripe age is perished. 3 They are gaunt with want and famine; 1 Or, vigour "They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of 2 Or, They flee wasteness and desolation. 4 They pluck salt-wort by the bushes; And the roots of the broom are their meat. 5 They are driven forth from the midst of men ; They cry after them as after a thief. 6 'In the clefts of the valleys must they dwell, In holes of the earth and of the rocks. 7 Among the bushes they bray; into the wilder- 6 Under the 'nettles they 'are gathered together. Or, wild 8 They are children of fools, yea, children of base men; They were scourged out of the land. 9 And now I am become their song, Yea, I am a byword unto them. 10 They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, II For he hath loosed "his cord, and afflicted me, 12 Upon my right hand rise the 12rabble; They thrust aside my feet, And they cast up against me their ways of destruction, 13 They 1mar my path, 14 They set forward my calamity, Even men that have no helper. "As through a wide breach they come: vetches 8 Heb. men of no name. 9 Or, are outcasts from the land 10 Or, at the sight of me 11 According to another reading, my cord (or bowstring). 12 Or, brood 13 Or, break up 14 Or, As a wide breaking In the midst of the ruin they roll themselves in of waters upon me. 15 Terrors are turned upon me, 15 They chase 16mine honour as the wind; And my welfare is passed away as a cloud. 16 And now my soul is poured out "within me; Days of affliction have taken hold upon me. 15 Or, Thou chasest 16 Or, my nobility 17 Heb. upon. 1 Or, corroded In the night season my bones are 'pierced in 17 and drop away from me 2 Heb. from off. 3 Or, my sinews take &c. 4 Or, By his great force is &c. 5 Or, the house of meeting for &c. 6 Or, Howbeit doth not one stretch out the hand in his calamity therefore cry for me, And the pains that gnaw me take no rest. "By the great force of my disease is my garment 18 It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. And I am become like dust and ashes. I cry unto thee, and thou dost not answer me : 19 20 21 With the might of thy hand thou persecutest me. Thou liftest me up to the wind, thou causest me 22 to ride upon it ; And thou dissolvest me in the storm. 6 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, 23 Surely against a ruinous heap he will not put 24 Though it be in his destruction, one may utter a fall? or in his Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? help? 7 Or, blackened, but not by the sun And when I waited for light, there came dark ness. My bowels boil, and rest not; Days of affliction are come upon me. I go 'mourning without the sun : I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help. I am a brother to jackals, And a companion to ostriches. 25 26 27 28 29 And my pipe into the voice of them that weep. I made a covenant with mine eyes; I 31 How then should I look upon a maid? 2 'For what is the portion of God from above, And the heritage of the Almighty from on high? I have of God 3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity? 4 Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps? 5 If I have walked with vanity, And my foot hath hasted to deceit ; 6 (Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity ;) 7 If my step hath turned out of the way, And mine heart walked after mine eyes, 8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; 9 Yea, let 'the produce of my field be rooted out. II For that were an heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: 1 Or, For what portion should ...and what heritage &c.? Is there not calamity &c.? 2 Or, my Heb. my offspring produce. 12 For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruc- 3 Heb. tion, And would root out all mine increase. 13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, When they contended with me: 14 What then shall I do when God riseth up ? 15 Did not he that made me in the womb make And did not one fashion us in the womb? 16 If I have withheld 'the poor from their desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 17 Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; Abaddon. See ch. xxvi. 6. 4 Or, aught that the poor desired 1 Heb. the light. 2 Heb. my hand hath kissed my mouth. 3 Or, denied God Heb. palate. 5 Or, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied. (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as 18 with a father, And I have been her guide from my mother's If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, 19 If his loins have not blessed me, And if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; 20 If I have lifted up my hand against the father- 21 less, Because I saw my help in the gate: Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder 22 And mine arm be broken from the bone. And by reason of his excellency I could do If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; 23 24 25 26 27 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, For I should have 'lied to God that is above. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated 29 me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him; (Yea, I suffered not my 'mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse ;) If the men of my tent said not, Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his flesh? 30 31 |