1
But Iob aunswered, and sayde:
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O that my complaynt were truely wayed, and my punishment layde in the balaunces together:
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For nowe it woulde be heauier then the sande of the sea: and this is the cause, that my wordes fayle me.
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For the arrowes of the almightie are vpon me, the poyson therof hath drunke vp my spirite, and the terrible feares of God are set against me.
5
Doth the wild asse rore when he hath grasse?
or loweth the oxe when he hath fodder [inough]
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That which is vnsauerie, shall it be eaten without salt?
or is there any taste in the whyte of an egge?
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The thinges that sometime I might not away withel, are nowe my meate for very sorowe.
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O that I might haue my desire, and that God woulde graunt me the thing that I long for:
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O that God would begin and smite me, that he would let his hand go and take me cleane away:
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Then shoulde I haue some comfort, yea I woulde desire him in my payne that he would not spare, for I wil not be against the wordes of the holy one.
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For what powre haue I to endure?
And what is myne end, that my soule might be patient?
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Is my strength the strength of stones?
or is my fleshe of brasse?
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Is it not so that there is in me no helpe?
& that my substaunce is taken from me?
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He that is in tribulation, ought to be comforted of his neyghbour: but the feare of the almightie is cleane away.
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Myne owne brethren passe ouer by me as the water brooke, & as the ouerflowing of waters, whiche do hastly go away,
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Whiche are blackish be reason of the ice, and wherin the snowe is hyd.
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Which when they haue passed by do vanishe, and when the heate commeth they fayle out of their place.
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They depart from the course of their wonted chanell to other places, they runne in vayne and perishe.
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They that went to The man considered them, and they that went to Saba wayted for them.
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But they were confounded in their hope, they came thyther and were ashamed.
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Euen such truely are ye, nowe that ye see my miserie ye are afrayde.
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Did I desire you to bring vnto me, or to geue me any of your substaunce?
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To deliuer me from the enemies hand, or to saue me from the hande of the tyrauntes?
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Teache me, and I will hold my tong: and wherin I haue erred;
cause me to vnderstande.
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How strong are the wordes of trueth?
and which of you can rebuke or reproue them?
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Do ye imagine to reproue wordes, that the talke of the afflicted shoulde be as the winde?
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Ye fall vpon the fatherlesse, and digge a pit to ouerthrowe your owne frende.
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And therfore be content, & loke now vpon me, and I will not lye before your face.
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Turne I pray you, be indifferent iudges: turne agayne, and ye shall see myne vngiltinesse,
30
whether there be any vnrighteousnes in my tongue, or vayne wordes in my mouth.