Chapter 25

¹ Then Baldad the Sauchite answered and said,

² What beginning or fear is his--even he that makes all things in the highest? ³ For let none think that there is a respite for robbers: and

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upon whom will there not come a snare from him? ⁴ For how shall a mortal be just before the Lord? or who that is born of a woman shall purify himself? ⁵ If he gives an order to the moon, then it shines not; and the stars are not pure before him. ⁶ But alas! man is corruption, and the son of man a worm.

Chapter 26

¹ But Job answered and said,

² To whom dost thou attach thyself, or whom art thou going to assist? is it not he that has much strength, and he who has a strong arm? ³ To whom hast thou given counsel? is it not to him who has all wisdom? whom wilt thou follow? is it not one who has the greatest power? ⁴ To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose breath is it that has come forth from thee?

⁵ Shall giants be born from under the water and the ¹inhabitants thereof? ⁶ Hell is naked before him, and destruction has no covering. ⁷ He stretches out the north wind upon nothing, and he upon nothing hangs the earth; ⁸ binding water in his clouds, and the cloud is not rent under it. ⁹ He keeps back the face of his throne, stretching out his cloud upon it. ¹⁰ He has encompassed the face of the water by an appointed ordinance, until the end of light and darkness. ¹¹ The pillars of heaven are prostrate and astonished at his rebuke. ¹² He has calmed the sea with his might, and by his wisdom the whale has been overthrown. ¹³ And the barriers of heaven fear him, and by a command he has slain the apostate dragon. ¹⁴ Behold, these are parts of his way; and we will hearken to him at the ²least intimation of his word: but the strength of his thunder who knows, when he shall employ itt?

Chapter 27

¹ And Job further continued and said in his ³parable,

² As God lives, who has thus judge me; and the Almighty, who has embittered my soul; ³ verily, while my breath is yet in me, and the breath of God which remains to me is in my nostrils, ⁴ my lips shall not speak evil words, neither shall my soul meditate unrighteous thoughts. ⁵ Far be it from me that I should justify you till I die; for I will not let go my innocence, ⁶ but keeping fast to my righteousness I will by no means let it go: for I am not conscious to myself of having done any thing ⁴amiss. ⁷ Nay rather, but let mine enemies be as the overthrow of the ungodly, and they that rise up against me, as the destruction of transgressors.

⁸ For what is the hope of the ungodly, that he holds to it? will he indeed trust in the Lord and be saved? ⁹ Will God hear his prayer? or, when distress has come upon him, ¹⁰ has he any confidence before him? or will God hear him as he calls upon him?

¹¹ Yet now I will tell you what is in the hand of the Lord: I will not lie concerning the things which are with the Almighty. ¹² Behold, ye all know that ye are adding vanity to vanity. ¹³ This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of oppressors shall come upon them from the Almighty. ¹⁴ And if their children be many, they shall be for slaughter: and if they grow up, they shall beg. ¹⁵ And they that survive of him shall utterly perish, and no one shall pity their widows. ¹⁶ Even if he should gather silver as earth, and

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prepare gold as clay; ¹⁷ All these things shall the righteous gain, and the truehearted shall possess his wealth. ¹⁸ And his house is gone like moths, and like a spider's web. ¹⁹ The rich man shall lie down, and shall not continue: he has opened his eyes, and he is not. ²⁰ Pains have come upon him as water, and darkness has carried him away by night. ²¹ And a burning wind shall catch him, and he shall depart, and it shall utterly drive him out of his place. ²² And God shall cast trouble upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand. ^{23 5}He shall cause men to clap their hands against them, and shall hiss him out of his place.