15:31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

15:32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.

15:33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

15:34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

15:35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

16:1 Then Job answered and said, 16:2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

16:3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? 16:4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

16:5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should a.s.swage your grief.

16:6 Though I speak, my grief is not a.s.swaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? 16:7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

16:8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

16:9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

16:10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

16:11 G.o.d hath delivered me to the unG.o.dly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

16:12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

16:13 His archers compa.s.s me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

16:14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

16:15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

16:16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death; 16:17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

16:18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

16:19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

16:20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto G.o.d.

16:21 O that one might plead for a man with G.o.d, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour! 16:22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

17:1 My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

17:2 Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation? 17:3 Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me? 17:4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

17:5 He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.

17:6 He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret.

17:7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.

17:8 Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.

17:9 The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

17:10 But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

17:11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.

17:12 They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.

17:13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? 17:16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.

18:1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 18:2 How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.

18:3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight? 18:4 He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place? 18:5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.

18:6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.

18:7 The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

18:8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.

18:9 The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.

18:10 The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.

18:11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.

18:12 His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.

18:13 It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.

18:14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.

18:15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

18:16 His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.

18:17 His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.

18:18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.