5 As God liveth, who hath taken vices which ye wrongfully imagine against me for ye say, Where is away my judgment; and the Althe reward of the righteous? and mighty, who hath vexed my soul; where are the retributions of the all the while my breath is in me, wicked? Have ye not asked them and the spirit of God is in my nos that go by the way? and do ye not trils; my lips shall not speak wickknow their tokens, that the wicked edness, nor my tongue utter deceit. are reserved to the day of destruc- 6 Till I die I will not remove mine tion? they shall be brought forth to integrity from me : my righteousness the day of wrath. I hold fast, and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. unto me. SELECTION VIII. A good conscience is content in appealing 7 Oh that I were as in months to God for justice and judgment. past, as in the days when God preTHEN Job answered and said, served me; when his candle shined Oh that I knew where I might upon my head, and when by his light find Him! that I might come even to I walked through darkness; when the his seat! I would order my cause ear heard me, then it blessed me; before him, and fill my mouth with and when the eye saw me, it gave arguments: I would know the witness to me: because I delivered words which he would answer me, the poor that cried, and the fatherand understand what he would say less, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the 3 Behold, I go forward, but he is lame: I was a father to the poor: not there; and backward,but I cannot and the cause which I knew not I perceive him on the left hand, searched out. : I chose out their where he doth work, but I cannot way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a behold him he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: but he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 2 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge. 4 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined: neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor? 8 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity: Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; if I have withheld the poor from their desire, more than God's? for thou saidst, or have caused the eyes of the widow What advantage will it be unto me? to fail; or have eaten my morsel my-and, What profit shall I have, if I be self alone, and the fatherless hath cleansed from my sin? 2 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee. Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. If thou sinnest, what doest thou not eaten thereof; if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; if his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; if I have lifted up my against Him? or if thy transgreshand against the fatherless, when I sions be multiplied, what doest thou saw my help in the gate: then let mine unto Him? If thou be righteous, arm fall from my shoulder blade, and what givest thou Him? or what remine arm be broken from the bone.ceiveth He of thine hand? Thy 9 If I have made gold my hope, wickedness may hurt a man as thou or have said to the fine gold, Thou art; and thy righteousness may art my confidence; if I rejoiced be- profit the son of man. cause my wealth was great, and be- 3 By reason of the multitude of cause mine hand had gotten much; oppressions they make the oppressed if I beheld the sun when it shined, to cry: they cry out by reason of or the moon walking in brightness; the arm of the mighty: but none and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for I should have denied the God that is above. saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night; who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? Io If I rejoiced at the destruction 4 There they cry, but none giveth of him that hated me, or lifted up answer, because of the pride of evil myself when evil found him; or suf-men: for surely God will not hear fered my mouth to sin by wishing a vanity, neither will the Almighty recurse to his soul: if my land cry gard it: although thou sayest thou against me, or the furrows thereof shalt not see him, yet judgment is complain; if I have eaten the fruits before him; therefore trust thou in thereof without money, or have caus- him. ed the owners thereof to lose their 5 Behold, God is mighty, and delife then, let thistles grow instead spiseth not any: he is mighty in of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. strength and wisdom. He withII The words of Job are ended. draweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings are they on the SELECTION IX. throne; yea, he doth establish them Consider God's goodness and greatness. for ever, and they are exalted: if LIHU spake moreover, and said, they be bound in fetters, and be Thinkest thou this to be right, holden in cords of affliction; then that thou saidst, My righteousness is he sheweth them their work, and EL their transgressions that they have is given, and the breadth of the exceeded: he openeth also their ear waters is straitened: also by waterto discipline, and commandeth that ing he wearieth the thick cloud, he they return from iniquity. If they scattereth his bright cloud, and it is obey and serve him, they shall spend turned round about by his counsels: their days in prosperity, and their that they may do whatsoever he years in pleasures: but if they obey commandeth them upon the face of not, they shall perish, and they shall the world in the earth: he causeth die without knowledge. it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. 10 Hearken unto this: stand still, 6 Behold, God exalteth by his power who teacheth like him? who hath enjoined him his way? and consider the wondrous works of or who can say, Thou hast wrought God. Dost thou know when God iniquity? Remember that thou disposed them, and caused the magnify his work, which men be- light of his cloud to shine? hold: every man may see it, may Dost thou know the balancbehold it afar off. ings of the clouds, the wondrous 7 Behold, God is great, and we works of him which is perfect in know him not, neither can the num- knowledge? how thy garments are ber of his years be searched out: warm, when he quieteth the earth by for he maketh small the drops of the south wind? Hast thou with water; they pour down rain accord- him spread out the sky, which is ing to the vapor thereof, which the strong, and as a molten looking clouds do drop and distil upon man glass? abundantly. Also can any under- II Teach us what we shall say stand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle? behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea. 8 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth; he directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth, he thundereth with the voice of his unto Him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. 12 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict. SELECTION X. Fob is brought to see and acknowledge the wisdom and righteousness of God. THEN the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? gird up now thy loins like a man; for I excellency; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend: he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. 9 Out of the south cometh the will demand of thee, and answer whirlwind, and cold out of the thou me. north by the breath of God frost 2 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? de- 8 Hast thou entered into the clare, if thou hast understanding! treasures of the snow? or hast thou Who hath laid the measures thereof, seen the treasures of the hail? By if thou knowest ? or who hath what way is the light parted, which stretched the line upon it? where- scattereth the east wind upon the upon are the foundations thereof earth? Who hath divided a waterfastened? or who laid the corner course for the overflowing of waters, stone thereof; when the morning or a way for the lightning of thunstars sang together, and all the sons der; to cause it to rain on the earth, of God shouted for joy? where no man is; on the wilderness, 3 Or who shut up the sea with wherein there is no man; to satisfy doors, when it brake forth, as if it the desolate and waste ground; and had issued out of the womb? when to cause the bud of the tender herb I made the cloud the garment there- to spring forth? Hath the rain a of, and thick darkness a swaddling- father? or who hath begotten the band for it, and brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? 4 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? drops of dew? out of whose womb 5 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in search of the depth? thee? canst thou send lightnings, 6 Have the gates of death been that they may go, and say unto thee, opened unto thee? or hast thou Here we are? seen the doors of the shadow of death? 10 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given 7 Hast thou perceived the breadth understanding to the heart? Who of the earth? declare if thou know- can number the clouds in wisdom? est it all where is the way where or who can stay the bottles of heavlight dwelleth? and as for darkness, en, when the dust groweth into where is the place thereof, that thou hardness, and the clods cleave fast shouldest take it to the bound together? thereof, and that thou shouldest II Who provideth for the raven know the paths to the house there- his food? when his young ones cry of? Knowest thou it, because thou unto God, they wander for lack of wast then born? or because the num-meat. Gavest thou the goodly wings ber of thy days is great? unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? Doth the CONCLUSION. hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch AND the LORD turned the cap her wings toward the south? Doth tivity of Job, when he prayed the eagle mount up at thy com- for his friends: also the LORD gave mand, and make her nest on high? 12 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. Job twice as much as he had before. 2 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. 13 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowlledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too won-sand yoke of oxen, and a thousand derful for me, which I knew not. she asses: he had also seven sons and three daughters. 14 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak; I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 3 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thou 4 And after this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. 5 So Job died, being old and full of days. HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-PSALMS. SELECTION I. forth fruit in due season: his leaf BLESSED is the man that walk- shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 3 As for the ungodly, it is not so with them; they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away eth not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scorner whose delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law from the face of the earth: they doth he exercise himself day and shall not be able to stand in the night. judgment, neither sinners in the 2 He shall be like a tree planted congregation of the righteous. by the waterside, that will bring 4 The LORD knoweth the way of |