Job
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English: New American Standard Bible |
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Job 22 [Commentary] [Map]
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Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded, |
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"Can a vigorous man be of use to God, Or a wise man be useful to himself?
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"Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, Or profit if you make your ways perfect?
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"Is it because of your reverence that He reproves you, That He enters into judgment against you?
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"Is not your wickedness great, And your iniquities without end?
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"For you have taken pledges of your brothers without cause, And stripped men naked.
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"To the weary you have given no water to drink, And from the hungry you have withheld bread.
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"But the earth belongs to the mighty man, And the honorable man dwells in it.
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"You have sent widows away empty, And the strength of the orphans has been crushed.
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"Therefore snares surround you, And sudden dread terrifies you,
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Or darkness, so that you cannot see, And an abundance of water covers you.
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"Is not God in the height of heaven? Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!
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"You say, `What does God know? Can He judge through the thick darkness?
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`Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see; And He walks on the vault of heaven.'
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"Will you keep to the ancient path Which wicked men have trod,
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Who were snatched away before their time, Whose foundations were washed away by a river?
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"They said to God, `Depart from us!' And `What can the Almighty do to them?'
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"Yet He filled their houses with good things; But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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"The righteous see and are glad, And the innocent mock them,
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Saying, `Truly our adversaries are cut off, And their abundance the fire has consumed.'
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"Yield now and be at peace with Him; Thereby good will come to you.
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"Please receive instruction from His mouth And establish His words in your heart.
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"If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,
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And place your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
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Then the Almighty will be your gold And choice silver to you.
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"For then you will delight in the Almighty And lift up your face to God.
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"You will pray to Him, and He will hear you; And you will pay your vows.
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"You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways.
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"When you are cast down, you will speak with confidence, And the humble person He will save.
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"He will deliver one who is not innocent, And he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."
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Job 23 [Commentary]
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Then Job replied, |
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"Even today my complaint is rebellion; His hand is heavy despite my groaning.
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"Oh that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat!
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"I would present my case before Him And fill my mouth with arguments.
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"I would learn the words which He would answer, And perceive what He would say to me.
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"Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power? No, surely He would pay attention to me.
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"There the upright would reason with Him; And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
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"Behold, I go forward but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
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When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.
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"But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
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"My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.
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"I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
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"But He is unique and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does.
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"For He performs what is appointed for me, And many such decrees are with Him.
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"Therefore, I would be dismayed at His presence; When I consider, I am terrified of Him.
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"It is God who has made my heart faint, And the Almighty who has dismayed me,
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But I am not silenced by the darkness, Nor deep gloom which covers me.
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Job 24 [Commentary]
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"Why are times not stored up by the Almighty, And why do those who know Him not see His days?
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"Some remove the landmarks; They seize and devour flocks.
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"They drive away the donkeys of the orphans; They take the widow's ox for a pledge.
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"They push the needy aside from the road; The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.
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"Behold, as wild donkeys in the wilderness They go forth seeking food in their activity, As bread for their children in the desert.
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"They harvest their fodder in the field And glean the vineyard of the wicked.
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"They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering against the cold.
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"They are wet with the mountain rains And hug the rock for want of a shelter.
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"Others snatch the orphan from the breast, And against the poor they take a pledge.
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"They cause the poor to go about naked without clothing, And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.
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"Within the walls they produce oil; They tread wine presses but thirst.
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"From the city men groan, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet God does not pay attention to folly.
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"Others have been with those who rebel against the light; They do not want to know its ways Nor abide in its paths.
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"The murderer arises at dawn; He kills the poor and the needy, And at night he is as a thief.
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"The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, `No eye will see me.' And he disguises his face.
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"In the dark they dig into houses, They shut themselves up by day; They do not know the light.
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"For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness, For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness.
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"They are insignificant on the surface of the water; Their portion is cursed on the earth. They do not turn toward the vineyards.
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"Drought and heat consume the snow waters, So does Sheol those who have sinned.
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"A mother will forget him; The worm feeds sweetly till he is no longer remembered. And wickedness will be broken like a tree.
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"He wrongs the barren woman And does no good for the widow.
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"But He drags off the valiant by His power; He rises, but no one has assurance of life.
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"He provides them with security, and they are supported; And His eyes are on their ways.
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"They are exalted a little while, then they are gone; Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.
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"Now if it is not so, who can prove me a liar, And make my speech worthless?"
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NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE
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