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- Then Iob answered, and said,
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- I know it is so of a trueth: but howe should man be iust with God.
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- If he will contend with him, he cannot answere him one of a thousand.
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- He is wise in heart, and mightie in strength: who hath hardened himselfe against him, and hath prospered?
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- Which remoueth the mountains, and they know not: which ouerturneth them in his anger:
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- Which shaketh the earth out of her place, & the pillars thereof tremble:
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- Which commandeth the Sunne, and it riseth not: and sealeth vp the starres.
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- Which alone spreadeth out the heauens, and treadeth vpon the waues of the Sea.
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- Which maketh Arcturus, Orion and Pleiades, and the chambers of the South.
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- Which doeth great things past finding out, yea and wonders without number.
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- Loe, hee goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceiue him not.
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- Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him?
who will say vnto him, What doest thou?
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- If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers doe stoupe vnder him.
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- How much lesse shall I answere him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
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- Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answere, but I would make supplication to my Iudge.
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- If I had called, and had answered me, yet would I not beleeue that he had hearkened vnto my voice:
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- For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
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- Hee will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitternesse.
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- If I speake of strength, loe, hee is strong: and if of iudgement, who shall set me a time to pleade?
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- If I iustifie my selfe, mine owne mouth shall condemne me: If I say, I am perfect, it shall also prooue me peruerse.
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- Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soule: I would despise my life.
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- This is one thing, therefore I said it;
he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
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- If the scourge slay suddenly, hee will laugh at the triall of the innocent.
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- The earth is giuen into the hand of the wicked: he couereth the faces of the Iudges thereof;
if not, where, and who is hee?
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- Now my dayes are swifter then a Poste: they flee away, they see no good.
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- They are passed away as the ships: as the Eagle that hasteth to the pray.
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- If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leaue off my heauinesse, and comfort my selfe.
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- I am afraid of all my sorrowes, I know that thou wilt not holde me innocent.
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- If I be wicked, why then labour I in vaine?
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- If I wash my selfe with snow water, and make my handes neuer so cleane:
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- Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me.
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- For he is not a man as I am, that I should answere him, and we should come together in iudgement.
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- Neither is there any dayes-man betwixt vs, that might lay his hand vpon vs both.
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- Let him take his rodde away from me, & let not his feare terrifie me:
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- Then would I speake, and not feare him;
but it is not so with me.
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