Then Job with wounded heart did answer make,
And thus, himself to vindicate, he spake.
Doubtless the people wise are you
Of all the sons of earth alone;
And wisdom's self shall perish too,
When ye are dead and gone.
But I some understanding own,
Nor am I your inferior—
Yea, unto whom have not been known
Things such as these before?
As one revil'd and mock'd, am I,
And by his neighbour laugh'd to scorn.
Yet unto God I still may cry,
And He will answering turn.
The just and upright ye deride,
Deserted in his utmost need;—
And when his feet are near to slide,
No hand is stretch'd to aid.
Despis'd is then his former way,
By hearts at ease forgotten quite,
E'en as a lamp's unheeded ray
By him who walks in light.
Awhile the robber safe may dwell,
Prospering in tabernacles sure;
They who provoke their God may still
His bounties count secure.
But ask the beasts what they can teach,
And listen to the fowls of air;—
Let ocean's tribes a lesson preach;—
Let earth the truth declare.
For in these things who hath not known,
What all creation doth proclaim?—
That God's own hand hath wrought alone—
From Him all being came.
His power upholdeth all that liveth,
And in His hand is every soul;
The breath of all mankind He giveth—
He doth sustain the whole.
But as the ear doth weigh each word,
And as the mouth its food doth try,
So have I your discourses heard,
And every sage reply.
Wisdom should with the ancient dwell—
With length of days is knowledge found
Yet nothing new have ye to tell
Your words are empty sound.
But wisdom, strength, and judgment pure,
Are found with One, and only One—
Counsel and understanding sure,
Do dwell with Him alone.
Whate'er His hand hath broken down,
Behold!—none may rebuild it more;
Whom He hath closed up, may none
To liberty restore.
If He the waters doth withhold,
The founts and flowing streams are dried;
If He send forth the floods—behold!
Earth's bulwarks are destroy'd.
Wisdom is His alone, and might—
Evil and good are in his hand;
With the deceiver, in his sight,
Doth the deceived stand.
He doth the counsellors confound;
As fools hath He the judges made;—
By Him are kings in fetters bound—
By Him from bondage freed.
Their loins He bindeth round in scorn—
By their own girdles held in thrall;—
The mighty He doth overturn—
Despoil'd the wise men fall.
The aged, if He speak the word,
With judgment lost, no more shall guide;—
No more with warning voice be heard,
The Trusty and the Tried.
Contempt He doth on princes pour—
He leadeth them a spoil and prey;
The man of might can rise no more—
His strength hath pass'd away.
In darkness He discovereth
Each deep and vainly hidden thing;
And e'en the very shades of death
Forth into light doth bring.
Increas'd by Him the nations stand,
He doth destroy them or maintain;—
Their bounds enlargeth by his hand,
Or straiteneth again.
The rulers of the tribes of earth,
When He their hearts doth take away,
Are driven in trackless deserts forth,
Bewildered and astray.
He causeth them to wander far—
Staggering like drunken men, they roam;
No beam of light from sun or star
To guide them through the gloom.