Bible reading for the day: 007_01-Jan-07_Job14-16Job 14:2 "Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain. Job 14:3 "You also open Your eyes on him And bring him into judgment with Yourself. Job 14:4 "Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one! Job 14:5 "Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass. Job 14:6 "Turn Your gaze from him that he may rest, Until he fulfills his day like a hired man. Job 14:7 "For there is hope for a tree, When it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And its shoots will not fail. Job 14:8 "Though its roots grow old in the ground And its stump dies in the dry soil, Job 14:9 At the scent of water it will flourish And put forth sprigs like a plant. Job 14:10 "But man dies and lies prostrate. Man expires, and where is he? Job 14:11 "As water evaporates from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dried up, Job 14:12 So man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no longer, He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep. Job 14:13 "Oh that You would hide me in Sheol, That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You, That You would set a limit for me and remember me! Job 14:14 "If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait Until my change comes. Job 14:15 "You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for the work of Your hands. Job 14:16 "For now You number my steps, You do not observe my sin. Job 14:17 "My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You wrap up my iniquity. Job 14:18 "But the falling mountain crumbles away, And the rock moves from its place; Job 14:19 Water wears away stones, Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth; So You destroy man's hope. Job 14:20 "You forever overpower him and he departs; You change his appearance and send him away. Job 14:21 "His sons achieve honor, but he does not know it; Or they become insignificant, but he does not perceive it. Job 14:22 "But his body pains him, And he mourns only for himself." -------- Job 15:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded, Job 15:2 "Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge And fill himself with the east wind? Job 15:3 "Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which are not profitable? Job 15:4 "Indeed, you do away with reverence And hinder meditation before God. Job 15:5 "For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of the crafty. Job 15:6 "Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your own lips testify against you. Job 15:7 "Were you the first man to be born, Or were you brought forth before the hills? Job 15:8 "Do you hear the secret counsel of God, And limit wisdom to yourself? Job 15:9 "What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not? Job 15:10 "Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older than your father. Job 15:11 "Are the consolations of God too small for you, Even the word spoken gently with you? Job 15:12 "Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash, Job 15:13 That you should turn your spirit against God And allow such words to go out of your mouth? Job 15:14 "What is man, that he should be pure, Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Job 15:15 "Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight; Job 15:16 How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water! Job 15:17 "I will tell you, listen to me; And what I have seen I will also declare; Job 15:18 What wise men have told, And have not concealed from their fathers, Job 15:19 To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them. Job 15:20 "The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless. Job 15:21 "Sounds of terror are in his ears; While at peace the destroyer comes upon him. Job 15:22 "He does not believe that he will return from darkness, And he is destined for the sword. Job 15:23 "He wanders about for food, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is at hand. Job 15:24 "Distress and anguish terrify him, They overpower him like a king ready for the attack, Job 15:25 Because he has stretched out his hand against God And conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty. Job 15:26 "He rushes headlong at Him With his massive shield. Job 15:27 "For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh. Job 15:28 "He has lived in desolate cities, In houses no one would inhabit, Which are destined to become ruins. Job 15:29 "He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure; And his grain will not bend down to the ground. Job 15:30 "He will not escape from darkness; The flame will wither his shoots, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away. Job 15:31 "Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward. Job 15:32 "It will be accomplished before his time, And his palm branch will not be green. Job 15:33 "He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine, And will cast off his flower like the olive tree. Job 15:34 "For the company of the godless is barren, And fire consumes the tents of the corrupt. Job 15:35 "They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception." -------- Job 16:1 Then Job answered, Job 16:2 "I have heard many such things; Sorry comforters are you all. Job 16:3 "Is there no limit to windy words? Or what plagues you that you answer? Job 16:4 "I too could speak like you, If I were in your place. I could compose words against you And shake my head at you. Job 16:5 "I could strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain. Job 16:6 "If I speak, my pain is not lessened, And if I hold back, what has left me? Job 16:7 "But now He has exhausted me; You have laid waste all my company. Job 16:8 "You have shriveled me up, It has become a witness; And my leanness rises up against me, It testifies to my face. Job 16:9 "His anger has torn me and hunted me down, He has gnashed at me with His teeth; My adversary glares at me. Job 16:10 "They have gaped at me with their mouth, They have slapped me on the cheek with contempt; They have massed themselves against me. Job 16:11 "God hands me over to ruffians And tosses me into the hands of the wicked. Job 16:12 "I was at ease, but He shattered me, And He has grasped me by the neck and shaken me to pieces; He has also set me up as His target. Job 16:13 "His arrows surround me. Without mercy He splits my kidneys open; He pours out my gall on the ground. Job 16:14 "He breaks through me with breach after breach; He runs at me like a warrior. Job 16:15 "I have sewed sackcloth over my skin And thrust my horn in the dust. Job 16:16 "My face is flushed from weeping, And deep darkness is on my eyelids, Job 16:17 Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure. Job 16:18 "O earth, do not cover my blood, And let there be no resting place for my cry. Job 16:19 "Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And my advocate is on high. Job 16:20 "My friends are my scoffers; My eye weeps to God. Job 16:21 "O that a man might plead with God As a man with his neighbor! Job 16:22 "For when a few years are past, I shall go the way of no return.
====== TODAY ================= Day 5 -- 5 January: Job 6-9======================= Today's Date: |