141 Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble! 2 As a flower he hath gone forth, and is cut off, And he fleeth as a shadow and standeth not. 3 Also—on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee. 4 Who giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. 5 If determined are his days, The number of his months 'are' with Thee, His limit Thou hast made, And he passeth not over; 6 Look away from off him that he may cease, Till he enjoy as an hireling his day.
7 For there is of a tree hope, if it be cut down, That again it doth change, That its tender branch doth not cease. 8 If its root becometh old in the earth, And its stem doth die in the dust, 9 From the fragrance of water it doth flourish, And hath made a crop as a plant. 10 And a man dieth, and becometh weak, And man expireth, and where 'is' he? 11 Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becometh waste and dry. 12 And man hath lain down, and riseth not, Till the wearing out of the heavens they awake not, Nor are roused from their sleep. 13 O that in Sheol Thou wouldst conceal me, Hide me till the turning of Thine anger, Set for me a limit, and remember me. 14 If a man dieth—doth he revive? All days of my warfare I wait, till my change come. 15 Thou dost call, and I—I answer Thee; To the work of Thy hands Thou hast desire.
16 But now, my steps Thou numberest, Thou dost not watch over my sin. 17 Sealed up in a bag 'is' my transgression, And Thou sewest up mine iniquity. 18 And yet, a falling mountain wasteth away, And a rock is removed from its place. 19 Stones have waters worn away, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And the hope of man Thou hast destroyed. 20 Thou prevailest 'over' him for ever, and he goeth, He is changing his countenance, And Thou sendest him away. 21 Honoured are his sons, and he knoweth not; And they are little, and he attendeth not to them. 22 Only—his flesh for him is pained, And his soul for him doth mourn.'
151 And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith:— 2 Doth a wise man answer 'with' vain knowledge? And fill 'with' an east wind his belly? 3 To reason with a word not useful? And speeches—no profit in them? 4 Yea, thou dost make reverence void, And dost diminish meditation before God. 5 For thy mouth teacheth thine iniquity, And thou chooseth the tongue of the subtile. 6 Thy mouth declareth thee wicked, and not I, And thy lips testify against thee. 7 The first man art thou born? And before the heights wast thou formed? 8 Of the secret counsel of God dost thou hear? And withdrawest thou unto thee wisdom? 9 What hast thou known, and we know not? Understandest thou—and it is not with us? 10 Both the gray-headed And the very aged 'are' among us—Greater than thy father 'in' days. 11 Too few for thee are the comforts of God? And a gentle word 'is' with thee, 12 What—doth thine heart take thee away? And what—are thine eyes high? 13 For thou turnest against God thy spirit? And hast brought out words from thy mouth: 14 What 'is' man that he is pure, And that he is righteous, one born of woman? 15 Lo, in His holy ones He putteth no credence, And the heavens have not been pure in His eyes. 16 Also—surely abominable and filthy Is man drinking as water perverseness.
17 I shew thee—hearken to me—And this I have seen and declare: 18 Which the wise declare—And have not hid—from their fathers. 19 To them alone was the land given, And a stranger passed not over into their midst: 20 'All days of the wicked he is paining himself, And few years have been laid up for the terrible one. 21 A fearful voice 'is' in his ears, In peace doth a destroyer come to him. 22 He believeth not to return from darkness, And watched 'is' he for the sword. 23 He is wandering for bread—'Where 'is' it?' He hath known that ready at his hand Is a day of darkness. 24 Terrify him do adversity and distress, They prevail over him As a king ready for a boaster. 25 For he stretched out against God his hand, And against the Mighty he maketh himself mighty. 26 He runneth unto Him with a neck, With thick bosses of his shields. 27 For he hath covered his face with his fat, And maketh vigour over 'his' confidence. 28 And he inhabiteth cities cut off, houses not dwelt in, That have been ready to become heaps. 29 He is not rich, nor doth his wealth rise, Nor doth he stretch out on earth their continuance. 30 He turneth not aside from darkness, His tender branch doth a flame dry up, And he turneth aside at the breath of His mouth! 31 Let him not put credence in vanity, He hath been deceived, For vanity is his recompence. 32 Not in his day is it completed, And his bending branch is not green. 33 He shaketh off as a vine his unripe fruit, And casteth off as an olive his blossom. 34 For the company of the profane 'is' gloomy, And fire hath consumed tents of bribery. 35 To conceive misery, and to bear iniquity, Even their heart doth prepare deceit.
161 And Job answereth and saith:— 2 I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters 'are' ye all. 3 Is there an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest? 4 I also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head. 5 I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
6 If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease—what goeth from me? 7 Only, now, it hath wearied me; Thou hast desolated all my company, 8 And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth. 9 His anger hath torn, and he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth his eyes for me. 10 They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves. 11 God shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over. 12 At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark. 13 Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall. 14 He breaketh me—breach upon breach, He runneth upon me as a mighty one. 15 Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn. 16 My face is foul with weeping, And on mine eyelids 'is' death-shade.
17 Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer 'is' pure. 18 O earth, do not thou cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry. 19 Also, now, lo, in the heavens 'is' my witness, And my testifier in the high places. 20 My interpreter 'is' my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped: 21 And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend. 22 When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.
22 And Saul was still more strengthened, and he was confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
23 And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him, 24 and their counsel against 'him' was known to Saul; they were also watching the gates both day and night, that they may kill him, 25 and the disciples having taken him, by night did let him down by the wall, letting down in a basket.
26 And Saul, having come to Jerusalem, did try to join himself to the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he is a disciple, 27 and Barnabas having taken him, brought 'him' unto the apostles, and did declare to them how in the way he saw the Lord, and that he spake to him, and how in Damascus he was speaking boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them, coming in and going out in Jerusalem, 29 and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, he was both speaking and disputing with the Hellenists, and they were taking in hand to kill him, 30 and the brethren having known, brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 31 Then, indeed, the assemblies throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, had peace, being built up, and, going on in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
32 And it came to pass that Peter passing throughout all 'quarters', came down also unto the saints who were dwelling at Lydda, 33 and he found there a certain man, Aeneas by name—for eight years laid upon a couch—who was paralytic, 34 and Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, heal thee doth Jesus the Christ; arise and spread for thyself;' and immediately he rose, 35 and all those dwelling at Lydda, and Saron saw him, and did turn to the Lord.
36 And in Joppa there was a certain female disciple, by name Tabitha, (which interpreted, is called Dorcas,) this woman was full of good works and kind acts that she was doing; 37 and it came to pass in those days she, having ailed, died, and having bathed her, they laid her in an upper chamber, 38 and Lydda being nigh to Joppa, the disciples having heard that Peter is in that 'place', sent two men unto him, calling on him not to delay to come through unto them. 39 And Peter having risen, went with them, whom having come, they brought into the upper chamber, and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing coats and garments, as many as Dorcas was making while she was with them. 40 And Peter having put them all forth without, having bowed the knees, did pray, and having turned unto the body said, 'Tabitha, arise;' and she opened her eyes, and having seen Peter, she sat up, 41 and having given her 'his' hand, he lifted her up, and having called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive, 42 and it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord; 43 and it came to pass, that he remained many days in Joppa, with a certain one, Simon a tanner.
(Read Acts 9:10-22)
A good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to Christ's feet with those words, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And never did Christ leave any who were brought to that. Behold, the proud Pharisee, the unmerciful oppressor, the daring blasphemer, prayeth! And thus it is even now, and with the proud infidel, or the abandoned sinner. What happy tidings are these to all who understand the nature and power of prayer, of such prayer as the humbled sinner presents for the blessings of free salvation! Now he began to pray after another manner than he had done; before, he said his prayers, now, he prayed them. Regenerating grace sets people on praying; you may as well find a living man without breath, as a living Christian without prayer. Yet even eminent disciples, like Ananias, sometimes stagger at the commands of the Lord. But it is the Lord's glory to surpass our scanty expectations, and show that those are vessels of his mercy whom we are apt to consider as objects of his vengeance. The teaching of the Holy Spirit takes away the scales of ignorance and pride from the understanding; then the sinner becomes a new creature, and endeavours to recommend the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, to his former companions.
(Read Acts 9:23-31)
When we enter into the way of God, we must look for trials; but the Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape. Though Saul's conversion was and is a proof of the truth of Christianity, yet it could not, of itself, convert one soul at enmity with the truth; for nothing can produce true faith, but that power which new-creates the heart. Believers are apt to be too suspicious of those against whom they have prejudices. The world is full of deceit, and it is necessary to be cautious, but we must exercise charity, 21. Christ's witnesses cannot be slain till they have finished their testimony. The persecutions were stayed. The professors of the gospel walked uprightly, and enjoyed much comfort from the Holy Ghost, in the hope and peace of the gospel, and others were won over to them. They lived upon the comfort of the Holy Ghost, not only in the days of trouble and affliction, but in days of rest and prosperity. Those are most likely to walk cheerfully, who walk circumspectly.
(Read Acts 9:32-35)
Christians are saints, or holy people; not only the eminent ones, as Saint Peter and Saint Paul, but every sincere professor of the faith of Christ. Christ chose patients whose diseases were incurable in the course of nature, to show how desperate was the case of fallen mankind. When we were wholly without strength, as this poor man, he sent his word to heal us. Peter does not pretend to heal by any power of his own, but directs Eneas to look up to Christ for help. Let none say, that because it is Christ, who, by the power of his grace, works all our works in us, therefore we have no work, no duty to do; for though Jesus Christ makes thee whole, yet thou must arise, and use the power he gives thee.
(Read Acts 9:36-43)
Many are full of good words, who are empty and barren in good works; but Tabitha was a great doer, no great talker. Christians who have not property to give in charity, may yet be able to do acts of charity, working with their hands, or walking with their feet, for the good of others. Those are certainly best praised whose own works praise them, whether the words of others do so or not. But such are ungrateful indeed, who have kindness shown them, and will not acknowledge it, by showing the kindness that is done them. While we live upon the fulness of Christ for our whole salvation, we should desire to be full of good works, for the honour of his name, and for the benefit of his saints. Such characters as Dorcas are useful where they dwell, as showing the excellency of the word of truth by their lives. How mean then the cares of the numerous females who seek no distinction but outward decoration, and who waste their lives in the trifling pursuits of dress and vanity! Power went along with the word, and Dorcas came to life. Thus in the raising of dead souls to spiritual life, the first sign of life is the opening of the eyes of the mind. Here we see that the Lord can make up every loss; that he overrules every event for the good of those who trust in him, and for the glory of his name.
