Today's Reading

¹After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.

²Job answered:

³"Let the day perish in which I was born, the night which said, 'There is a boy conceived.'

⁴Let that day be darkness. Do not let God from above seek for it, neither let the light shine on it.

⁵Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let all that makes black the day terrify it.

⁶As for that night, let thick darkness seize on it. Let it not rejoice among the days of the year. Let it not come into the number of the months.

⁷Behold, let that night be barren. Let no joyful voice come therein.

⁸Let them curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up leviathan.

⁹Let the stars of its twilight be dark. Let it look for light, but have none, neither let it see the eyelids of the morning,

¹⁰because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

¹¹"Why did I not die from the womb? Why did I not give up the spirit when my mother bore me?

¹²Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breast, that I should suck?

¹³For now should I have lain down and been quiet. I should have slept, then I would have been at rest,

¹⁴with kings and counselors of the earth, who built up waste places for themselves;

¹⁵or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

¹⁶or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, as infants who never saw light.

¹⁷There the wicked cease from troubling. There the weary are at rest.

¹⁸There the prisoners are at ease together. They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.

¹⁹The small and the great are there. The servant is free from his master.

²⁰"Why is light given to him who is in misery, life to the bitter in soul,

²¹Who long for death, but it doesn't come; and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

²²who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

²³Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, whom God has hedged in?

²⁴For my sighing comes before I eat. My groanings are poured out like water.

²⁵For the thing which I fear comes on me, That which I am afraid of comes to me.

²⁶I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; but trouble comes."

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

²"If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

³Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.

⁴Your words have supported him who was falling, You have made firm the feeble knees.

⁵But now it is come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.

⁶Isn't your piety your confidence? Isn't the integrity of your ways your hope?

⁷"Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

⁸According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.

⁹By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.

¹⁰The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

¹¹The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.

¹²"Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.

¹³In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

¹⁴fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

¹⁵Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.

¹⁶It stood still, but I couldn't discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,

¹⁷'Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

¹⁸Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.

¹⁹How much more, those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

²⁰Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.

²¹Isn't their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.'

¹"Call now; is there any who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

²For resentment kills the foolish man, and jealousy kills the simple.

³I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

⁴His children are far from safety. They are crushed in the gate. Neither is there any to deliver them,

⁵whose harvest the hungry eats up, and take it even out of the thorns. The snare gapes for their substance.

⁶For affliction doesn't come forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground;

⁷but man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

⁸"But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God,

⁹who does great things that can't be fathomed, marvelous things without number;

¹⁰who gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields;

¹¹so that he sets up on high those who are low, those who mourn are exalted to safety.

¹²He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands can't perform their enterprise.

¹³He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.

¹⁴They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noonday as in the night.

¹⁵But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

¹⁶So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.

¹⁷"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

¹⁸For he wounds, and binds up. He injures, and his hands make whole.

¹⁹He will deliver you in six troubles; yes, in seven there shall no evil touch you.

²⁰In famine he will redeem you from death; in war, from the power of the sword.

²¹You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes.

²²At destruction and famine you shall laugh, neither shall you be afraid of the animals of the earth.

²³For you shall be in league with the stones of the field. The animals of the field shall be at peace with you.

²⁴You shall know that your tent is in peace. You shall visit your fold, and shall miss nothing.

²⁵You shall know also that your seed shall be great, Your offspring as the grass of the earth.

²⁶You shall come to your grave in a full age, like a shock of grain comes in its season.

²⁷Look this, we have searched it, so it is. Hear it, and know it for your good."

¹Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

²For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

³But he who prophesies speaks to men for their encouragement, strengthening, and comfort.

⁴He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

⁵Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy, and he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the church may be built up.

⁶But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

⁷Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they did not give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped?

⁸For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war?

⁹So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air.

¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of sounds in the world, and none is without meaning.

¹¹If then I do not know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

¹²So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the church.

¹³Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

¹⁵What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

¹⁶Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, seeing he does not know what you say?

¹⁷For you truly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.

¹⁸I thank God, I speak with other languages more than you all.

¹⁹However in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.

²⁰Brothers, do not be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

²¹In the law it is written, "By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord."

²²Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe.

²³If therefore the whole church is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won't they say that you are crazy?

²⁴But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all.

²⁵And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.

²⁶What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.

²⁷If any man speaks in another language, let it be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret.

²⁸But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church, and let him speak to himself, and to God.

²⁹Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern.

³⁰But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent.

³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.

³²The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,

³³for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

³⁴let the women keep silent in the churches, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the Law also says.

³⁵If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a woman to chatter in the church.

³⁶What? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone?

³⁷If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.

³⁸But if someone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

³⁹Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking with other languages.

⁴⁰Let all things be done decently and in order.

¹Praise Yah, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.

²The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

³He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

⁴He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.

⁵Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.

⁶The Lord upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

⁷Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,

⁸who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.

⁹He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.

¹⁰He doesn't delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.

¹²Praise the Lord, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!

¹³For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.

¹⁴He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.

¹⁵He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.

¹⁶He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.

¹⁷He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?

¹⁸He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

¹⁹He shows his word to Jacob; his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

²⁰He has not done this for just any nation. They do not know his ordinances. Praise Yah!

¹When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;

²put a knife to your throat, if you are a man given to appetite.

³Do not be desirous of his dainties, seeing they are deceitful food.

⁴Do not weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

⁵Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.

⁶Do not eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and do not crave his delicacies:

⁷for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

⁸The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up, and lose your good words.

⁹Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

¹⁰Do not move the ancient boundary stone. Do not encroach on the fields of the fatherless:

¹¹for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

¹²Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.

¹³Do not withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

¹⁴Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol.

¹⁵My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine:

¹⁶yes, my heart will rejoice, when your lips speak what is right.

¹⁷Do not let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear the Lord all the day long.

¹⁸Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!

²⁰Do not be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat:

²¹for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

²²Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

²³Buy the truth, and do not sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.

²⁴The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.

²⁵Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!

²⁶My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.

²⁷For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

²⁸Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.

²⁹Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

³⁰Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.

³¹Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.

³²In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.

³³Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.

³⁴Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:

³⁵"They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I do not feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another."