Online Bible

2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?But ^awho can refrain ¹from speaking?3 “Behold, ^ayou have taught many,And you have strengthened weak hands.4 “Your words have helped the stumbling to stand,And you have strengthened ¹feeble knees.5 “But now it comes to you, and you ^aare impatient;It ^btouches you, and you are horrified.6 “Is your ¹^afear of God not ^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 ¹plow wrongdoingAnd 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 out.11 “The ^alion perishes for lack of prey,And the ^bcubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word ^awas brought to me secretly,And my ear received a ^bwhisper of it.13 “Amid disquieting ^athoughts from visions of the night,When deep sleep falls on people,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 stood up.16 “Something was standing still, but I could not recognize its appearance;A form was before my eyes;There was silence, then I heard a voice:17 ‘Can ^amankind be righteous ¹before God?Can a man be pure ²before his ^bMaker?18 ‘^aHe puts no trust even in His servants;And He accuses His angels of error.19 ‘How much more those who live 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;Unregarded, they ^bperish forever.21 ‘Is their ^atent-cord not pulled out within them?They die, yet ^bwithout wisdom.’