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- But Job answered and said,
- Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
- Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
- As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
- Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
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- Then Job replied:
- "Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you give me.
- Bear with me while I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.
- "Is my complaint directed to man? Why should I not be impatient?
- Look at me and be astonished; clap your hand over your mouth.
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- Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
- Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
- Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
- Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
- Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
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- When I think about this, I am terrified; trembling seizes my body.
- Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
- They see their children established around them, their offspring before their eyes.
- Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not upon them.
- Their bulls never fail to breed; their cows calve and do not miscarry.
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- They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
- They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
- They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
- Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
- What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
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- They send forth their children as a flock; their little ones dance about.
- They sing to the music of tambourine and harp; they make merry to the sound of the flute.
- They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.
- Yet they say to God, 'Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways.
- Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?'
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- Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
- How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
- They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
- God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
- His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
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- But their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stand aloof from the counsel of the wicked.
- "Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does calamity come upon them, the fate God allots in his anger?
- How often are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a gale?
- It is said, 'God stores up a man's punishment for his sons.' Let him repay the man himself, so that he will know it!
- Let his own eyes see his destruction; let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
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- For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
- Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
- One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
- His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
- And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
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- For what does he care about the family he leaves behind when his allotted months come to an end?
- "Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since he judges even the highest?
- One man dies in full vigor, completely secure and at ease,
- his body well nourished, his bones rich with marrow.
- Another man dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good.
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- They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
- Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
- For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
- Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
- That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
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- Side by side they lie in the dust, and worms cover them both.
- "I know full well what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
- You say, 'Where now is the great man's house, the tents where wicked men lived?'
- Have you never questioned those who travel? Have you paid no regard to their accounts-
- that the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, that he is delivered from the day of wrath?
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- Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
- Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
- The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
- How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
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- Who denounces his conduct to his face? Who repays him for what he has done?
- He is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.
- The soil in the valley is sweet to him; all men follow after him, and a countless throng goes before him.
- "So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!"
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