Online Bible

2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?But ^awho can refrain ¹from speaking?3 “Behold ^ayou have admonished many,And you have strengthened weak hands.4 “Your words have ¹helped the tottering to stand,And you have strengthened ²feeble knees.5 “But now it has come to you, and you ^aare impatient;It ^btouches you, and you are dismayed.6 “Is not your ¹^afear of God ^byour confidence,And the integrity of your ways your hope?

7 “Remember now, ^awho ever perished being innocent?Or where were the upright destroyed?8 “According to what I have seen, ^athose who plow iniquityAnd those who sow trouble harvest it.9 “By ^athe breath of God they perish,And ^bby the ¹blast of His anger they come to an end.10 “The ^aroaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion,And the teeth of the young lions are broken.11 “The ^alion perishes for lack of prey,And the ^bwhelps of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word ^awas brought to me stealthily,And my ear received a ^bwhisper of it.13 “Amid disquieting ^athoughts from the visions of the night,When deep sleep falls on men,14 Dread came upon me, and trembling,And made ¹all my bones shake.15 “Then a ¹spirit passed by my face;The hair of my flesh bristled up.16 “It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;A form was before my eyes;There was silence, then I heard a voice:17 ‘Can ^amankind be just ¹before God?Can a man be pure ²before his ^bMaker?18 ‘^aHe puts no trust even in His servants;And against His angels He charges error.19 ‘How much more those who dwell in ^ahouses of clay,Whose ^bfoundation is in the dust,Who are crushed before the moth!20 ‘^aBetween morning and evening they are broken in pieces;Unobserved, they ^bperish forever.21 ‘Is not their ^atent-cord plucked up within them?They die, yet ^bwithout wisdom.’