Bishops(i)
1 Wherefore heare my wordes O Iob, and hearken vnto all that I will say
2 Behold, I haue now opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my throte
3 My heart doth order my wordes aright, and my lippes talke of pure wysedome
4 The spirite of God hath made me, and the breath of the almightie hath geuen me my lyfe
5 If thou canst then geue me aunswere, prepare thy selfe and stande before me face to face
6 Beholde, before God I am euen as thou: for I am fashioned & made euen of the same molde
7 Beholde, my terrour shall not feare thee, neither shall my hande be heauy vpon thee
8 Now hast thou spoken in myne eares, & I haue heard the voyce of thy wordes
9 I am cleane without any fault, I am innocent, & there is no wickednesse in me
10 But lo, he hath piked a quarell against me, and taketh me for his enemie
11 He hath put my foote in the stockes, and looketh narowlye vnto all my pathes
12 Behold, in this hast thou not done right, I wil make aunswere vnto thee, that God is greater then man
13 And why doest thou then striue against him? for he shall not geue the accomptes of all his wordes
14 For God speaketh once or twise, and yet man vnderstandeth it not
15 In dreames and visions of the night, when slumbring commeth vpon men that they fall asleepe in their beddes
16 He roundeth them in the eares, and sealeth their correction
17 That he may withdrawe man from euyll enterprises, and deliuer hym from pride
18 And kepe his soule from the graue, and his life from the sworde
19 He chasteneth hym with sickenesse vpon his bedde, he layeth sore punishement vpon his bones
20 So that his lyfe may away with no bread, and his soule abhorreth to eate any dayntie meate
21 In so much that his body is cleane consumed away, and his bones appeare which before were not seene
22 His soule draweth vnto the graue, and his lyfe to death
23 Now yf there be a messenger, one among a thousande, sent for to speake vnto man, and to shew him the right way
24 Then the Lord is mercifull vnto him, and sayth, He shalbe deliuered, that he fall not downe to the graue: for I am sufficiently reconciled
25 Then shal his fleshe be as freshe as a childes, and shal returne as in the dayes of his youth
26 He shall pray vnto God, and he will be fauorable vnto him, and he shall see his face with ioy, for he will render vnto man his righteousnesse
27 A respect hath he vnto men, let man then say, I haue offended, I did vnrighteously, & it hath done me no good
28 Yea he hath deliuered my soule from destruction, and my lyfe shall see the light
29 Lo all these worketh God alway with man
30 That he bring backe his soule from the graue to the light, yea the light of the lyuing
31 Marke wel O Iob, and heare me: hold thee still, and I will speake
32 But if thou hast any thing to say, then aunswere me, and speake: for I desire to iustifie thee
33 If thou hast nothing, then heare me, and hold thy tongue, and I shall teache thee wysdome