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Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”

“As surely as God lives, who has deprived me of justice—the Almighty, who has embittered my soul—

…as long as my breath is still within me and the breath of God remains in my nostrils,

May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust.

May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust.

For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

Will he delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?

I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.

I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.

I will instruct you in the power of God. I will not conceal the ways of the Almighty.

This is the wicked man’s portion from God—the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

This is the wicked man’s portion from God—the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

This is the wicked man’s portion from God—the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

This is the wicked man’s portion from God—the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.

His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.

…what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

…what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut set up by a watchman.

Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest sweeps him away in the night.

The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.

Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.

Man puts an end to the darkness; he probes the farthest recesses for ore in deepest darkness.

Man puts an end to the darkness; he probes the farthest recesses for ore in deepest darkness.

Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.

Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.

Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.

The miner strikes the flint; he overturns mountains at their base.

The miner strikes the flint; he overturns mountains at their base.

He hews out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure.

He stops up the sources of the streams to bring what is hidden to light.

He stops up the sources of the streams to bring what is hidden to light.

No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.

No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.

The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’

The ocean depths say, ‘It is not in me,’ while the sea declares, ‘It is not with me.’

It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.

Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air.

It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air.

It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air.

For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters,

When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters,

When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters,

…when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt,

…when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt,

And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,

“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,

…when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,

…when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,

…when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,

…when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,

When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,

…the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.

…the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.

The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.

The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

…because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.

…because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.

The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.

The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.

I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.

I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.

I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.

I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.

I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.

I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.

I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.

I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.

So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.

My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.

My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.

If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.

I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.

What use to me was the strength of their hands, since their vigor had left them?

Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land, and the desolate wasteland by night.

Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land, and the desolate wasteland by night.

They plucked mallow among the shrubs, and the roots of the broom tree were their food.

They plucked mallow among the shrubs, and the roots of the broom tree were their food.

They plucked mallow among the shrubs, and the roots of the broom tree were their food.

…so that they lived on the slopes of the wadis, among the rocks and in holes in the ground.

…so that they lived on the slopes of the wadis, among the rocks and in holes in the ground.

…so that they lived on the slopes of the wadis, among the rocks and in holes in the ground.

…so that they lived on the slopes of the wadis, among the rocks and in holes in the ground.

They cried out among the shrubs and huddled beneath the nettles.

They cried out among the shrubs and huddled beneath the nettles.

A senseless and nameless brood, they were driven off the land.

The rabble arises at my right; they lay snares for my feet and build siege ramps against me.

They advance as through a wide breach; through the ruins they keep rolling in.

Terrors are turned loose against me; they drive away my dignity as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed like a cloud.