times; and the turtle and the 35 Behold, my servants shall crane and the swallow observe sing for joy of heart, but ye the time of their coming : but · shall cry for sorrow of heart, my people know not the judge- and shall howl for vexation of ment of the Lord.

spirit. 32 How do ye say, We are 36 Behold, the Lord's hand wise, and the law of the Lord is is not shortened, that it cannot with us? Lo, certainly in vain save, neither his ear heavy, that he made it.

it cannot hear. 33 When I called, ye did not 37 But your iniquities have answer : when I spake, ye did separated between you and your not hear, but did evil before mine God: and your sins have hid eyes, and did choose that where- his face from you that he will in I delighted not.

not hear. 34 Therefore thus saith the 38 Therefore ye shall be as Lord God: Behold, my servants the morning cloud, and as the shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: early dew that passeth away, behold, my servants shall drink, as the chaff that is driven with but ye shall be thirsty: behold, the whirlwind out of the floor, my servants shall rejoice, but ye and as the smoke out of the shall be ashamed:

chimney.

SECTION XX.Frailty of Man.

:

eth away

LESSON CXVI.

6 Shall we receive good at

the hand of God, and shall we LORD, what is man, that thou not receive evil? In all it is takest knowledge of him? or the Lord: let him do what the son of man, that thou ma- seemeth him good. kest account of him ?

7 I have sinned: what shall 2 Man is like to vanity: his I do unto thée, O thou preserver days are as a shadow that pass- of men? why hast thou set me

as a mark against thee, so that 3 What is man, that thou I am a burden to myself? shouldest magnify him ? and 8 As a servant earnestly dethat thou shouldest set thine sireth the shadow, and as an heart upon him ?

hireling looketh for the reward 4 And that thou shouldest of his work: visit him every morning and 9 So am I nade to possess try him every moment? months of vanity, and weari.

15 Naked came I out of my some nights are appointed to mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither : the Lord gave,

10 When I lie down, I say, and the Lord hath taken away; When shall I arise, and the blessed be the name of the Lord. night be gone ? and I am full

me.

a

of tossings to and fro unto the 24 Surely every man walketh dawning of the day.

in a vain show; surely they are 11 Wilt thou break a leaf disquieted in vain : he heapeth driven to and fro, and wilt thou up riches, and knoweth not who pursue the dry stubble? shall gather them.

12 If I say, I will forget my 25 When thou with rebukes complaint, I will leave off my dost correct man for iniquity, heaviness, and comfort myself: thou makest his beauty to con13 I am afraid of all my sor- sume away

like a moth: surely rows, I know that thou wilt not every man is vanity. hold me innocent.

26 Deliver me from all my 14 And why dost thou not transgressions: make me not the pardon my transgression, and reproach of the foolish. take away my iniquity? for 27 I was dumb, I opened now shall I sleep in the dust, not my mouth; because thou and thou shalt seek me in the didst it. morning, but I shall not be. 28 Remove thy stroke away

15 Hast thou eyes of flesh ? from me: I am consumed by or seest thou as man seeth? the blow of thine hand.

16 Are thy days as the days 29 Hear my prayer, O Lord, of man? are thy years as man's and give ear unto my cry; hold days?

not thy peace at my tears : for 17 Thine hands have made I am a stranger with thee, and me and fashioned me together a sojourner, as all my fathers round about.

18 Remember, I beseech 30 O spare me, that I may thee, that thou hast made me recover strength, before I go as the clay; and wilt thou bring hence, and be no more. me into dust again?

31 O my God, take me not 19 There is none that can

away in the midst of my days : deliver out of thine hand.

thy years are throughout all 920 Lord, make me to know generations. mine end, and the measure of 32 And now, Lord, what wait my days, what it is; that I I for? my hope is in thee. may know how frail I am. 21 Behold, thou hast made my

LESSON CXVII. days as an hand-breadth; and mine age is as nothing before Now a thing was secretly thee: verily every man at his brought to me, and mine ear best state is altogether vanity. received a little thereof.

22 My days are like a shadow 2 In thoughts from the vi. that declineth; and I am wither- sions of the night, when deep

sleep falleth on men, 23 I am gone like the shadow 3 Fear came upon me, and that declineth, I am tossed up trembling, which made all my and down as a locust.

were.

a

stood up :

4 Then a spirit passed before may be profitable unto himmy face; the hair of my flesh self?

17 Is it any pleasure to the 5 It stood still, but I could Almighty, that thou art rightenot discern the form thereof: ous ? or is it gain to him, that an image was before mine eyes, thou makest thy ways perfect? there was silence, and I heard 18 Will he reprove thee for a voice, saying;

fear of thee? will he enter with 6 Shall mortal man be more thee into judgement ? just than God? shall a man be 19 Is not thy wickedness more pure than his Maker? great? and thine iniquities in

7 Behold, he put no trust in finite ? his servants; and his angels he 20 If thou sinnest, what docharged with folly :

est thou against him? or if thy 8 How much less in them transgressions be multiplied, that dwell in houses of clay, what doest thou unto him? whose foundation is in the dust, 21 If thou be righteous, what which are crushed before the givest thou him? or what remoth !

ceiveth he of thine hand ? 9 They are destroyed from 22 Thy wickedness may hurt morning to evening: they pe- a man as thou art;

and thy rish for ever without any re- righteousness may profit the garding it.

son of man, 10 Doth not their excellency 23 Behold, he taketh away, which is in them go away? they who can hinder him? who will die, even without wisdom. say unto him, What doest thou?

11 How then can man be 24 How much less shall I justified with God? or how can answer him, and choose out my he be clean that is born of a words to reason with him ? woman?

25 Whom, though I were 12 Behold, he putteth no righteous, yet would I not antrust in his saints; yea, the swer, but I would make

supheavens are not clean in his plication to my Judge. sight.

26 If I had called, and he 13 Behold, even to the moon, had answered me; yet would I and it shineth not; yea, the not believe that he had hearkstars are not pure in his sight: ened unto my voice.

14 How much less man, that 27 For he is not a man, as I is a worm; and the son of man, am, that I should answer him, which is a worm.

and we should come together 15 What is man, that he in judgement. should be clean ? and he which T28 How should man be just is born of a woman, that he with God? should be righteous ?

29 If he will contend with (16 Can a man be profitable him, he cannot answer him one unto God, as he that is wise of a thousand.

1

30 He is wise in heart, and 6 Who hath given him a mighty in strength: who hath charge over the earth, or who hardened himself against him, hath disposed the whole world? and hath prospered ?

7 If he set his heart upon 31 If I speak of strength, lo, man, if he gather unto himself he is strong: and if of judge- his spirit and his breath ; ment, who shall set me a time 8. All flesh shall perish toto plead ?

gether, and man shall turn again 32 If I justify myself, mine unto dust. own mouth shall condemn me; 9 Like as a father pitieth if I say, I am perfect, it shall his children, so the Lord pitieth also prove me perverse.

them that fear him : 33 Though I were perfect, 10 For he knoweth our frame; yet would I not know my soul; he remembereth that we are I would despise my life. dust.

11 As for man, his days are LESSON CXVIII. as grass : as a flower of the

field, so he flourisheth. Woe unto him that striveth with 12 For the wind passeth his Maker : let the potsherd over it, and it is gone; and the strive with the potsherds of the place thereof shall know it no earth: shall the clay say to him more. that fashioneth it, What mak- 13 Although affliction com. est thou? or thy work, He hath eth not forth of the dust, neither no hands?

doth trouble spring out of the 2 Shall the axe boast itself ground: against him that heweth there- 14 Yet man is born unto trou. with? or shall the saw magnify ble, as the sparks fly upward. itself against him that shaketh 15 And behold, at eveningit? as if the rod should shake tide trouble ; and before the itself against them that lifted it morning he is not. up, or as if the staff should lift 16 All Aesh is grass, and all up itself, as if it were no wood. the goodliness thereof is as the

3 Is it fit to say to a king, flower of the field. Thou art wicked ? and to 17 The grass withereth, the princes, Ye are ungodly? flower fadeth, because the spirit

4 How much less to him that of the Lord bloweth upon it : accepteth not the persons of surely the people is grass. princes, nor regardeth the rich 18 The grass withereth, the more than the poor! for they flower fadeth : but the word of all are the work of his hands. our God shall stand for ever.

5 In a moment shall they die, (19 O Lord, I know that the and the people shall be troubled way of man is not in himself : at midnight, and pass away: it is not in man that walketh to and the mighty shall be taken direct his steps. away without hand.

20 Man doth not live by bread

of thy

:

fly away

only; but by every word that me, that thou mayest be righteproceedeth out of the mouth of ous ? the Lord doth man live.

7 Hast thou an arm like God? 21 So teach us to number or canst thou thunder with a our days, that we may apply voice like him ? our hearts unto wisdom.

8 Deck thyself now with ma22 For we are but of yester- jesty and excellency, and array day, and know nothing: thyself with glory and beauty : 23 Because our days upon

9 Cast abroad the

rage earth are a shadow.

wrath : and behold every one 24 For we spend our years that is proud, and abase him : as a tale that is told.

10 Look on every one that 25 The days of our years are is proud, and bring him low: threescore years and ten: and and tread down the wicked in if by reason of strength they be their place : fourscore years, yet is their 11 Hide them in the dust to. strength labour and sorrow; gether, and bind their faces in for it is soon cut off, and we secret:

12 Then will I also confess

unto thee, that thine own right LESSON CXIX.

hand can save thee.

13 O Israel, thou hast deThe pride of thine heart hath stroyed thyself, but in me is deceived thee, thou that dwell- thine help. est in the clefts of the rock, 14 I will be thy king: where whose habitation is high; that is any other that may save thee saith in his heart, Who shall in all thy cities ? bring me down to the ground ? 15 My spirit shall not always

2 And thou sayest in thine strive with man, for that he is heart, My power and the might flesh. of mine hand hath gotten me 16 Boast not thyself of tothis wealth.

morrow: for thou knowest not 3 But thou shalt remember what a day may bring forth. the Lord thy God : for it is he 17 Put not your trust in that giveth thee power to get princes, nor in the son of

man, wealth.

in whom there is no help. 4 Though thou exalt thyself 18 His breath goeth forth, he as the eagle, and though thou returneth to his earth: in that set thy nest among the stars, very day his thoughts perish. thence will I bring thee down, 19 There is no king saved saith the Lord.

by the multitude of an host : a 5 Behold, as the clay is in mighty man is not delivered by the potter's hand, so art thou much strength. in my hand.

20 An horse is a vain thing

a 6 Wilt thou disannul my for safety: neither shall he dejudgement? wilt thou condemn liver any by his great strength.