(1) В¶ And Job answered and said, (2) No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. (3) But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? (4) I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. (5) He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. (6) В¶ The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. (7) But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: (8) Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. (9) Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? (10) In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Poor Job, irritated by his friends, and no doubt vexed by his adversary, as Hannah felt, 1 Samuel 1:6. seems for a while to forget his bodily ailments, and gives scope to an asperity not unlike those who opposed him; but his arguments are strong and conclusive. He insists upon it; that even the brute creation, since the fall, were living evidences that much evil might abound in the midst of GOD'S goodness: the whole creation groaneth under oppression; yet no impeachment ariseth out of it against the divine love and wisdom. Poor harmless animals are slaughtered to gratify the luxury of worthless men: and even the fishes of the sea are dragged forth to pamper the appetites of sinners. But, saith Job, who doth not see that in all these the goodness of GOD is the same?