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[1]Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,
[2]He that speaks much, should also hear on the other side: or does the fluent speaker think himself to be righteous? blessed is the short lived offspring of woman.
[3]Be not a speaker of many words; for is there none to answer thee?
[4]For say not, I am pure in my works, and blameless before him.
[5]But oh that the Lord would speak to thee, and open his lips to thee!
[6]Then shall he declare to thee the power of wisdom; for it shall be double of that which is with thee: and then shalt thou know, that a just recompence of thy sins has come to thee from the Lord.
[7]Wilt thou find out the traces of the Lord? or hast thou come to the end of that which the Almighty has made?
[8]Heaven is high; and what wilt thou do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what dost thou know?
[9]Or longer than the measure of the earth, or the breadth of the sea.
[10]And if he should overthrow all things, who will say to him, What hast thou done?
[11]For he knows the works of transgressors; and when he sees wickedness, he will not overlook it.
[12]But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman is like an ass in the desert.
[13]For if thou hast made thine heart pure, and liftest up thine hands towards him;
[14]if there is any iniquity in thy hands, put if far from thee, and let not unrighteousness lodge in thy habitation.
[15]For thus shall thy countenance shine again, as pure water; and thou shalt divest thyself of uncleanness, and shalt not fear.
[16]And thou shalt forget trouble, as a wave that has passed by; and thou shalt not be scared.
[17]And thy prayer shall be as the morning star, and life shall arise to thee as from the noonday.
[18]And thou shalt be confident, because thou hast hope; and peace shall dawn to thee from out of anxiety and care.
[19]For thou shalt be at ease, and there shall be no one to fight against thee; and many shall charge, and make supplication to thee.
[20]But safety shall fail them; for their hope is destruction, and the eyes of the ungodly shall waste away.
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