So nowwe callthe arrogantblessed;not onlyare the doersof wickednessbuiltup but they alsotestGodand escape.'"
Hamancontrolledhimself, however, wentto his houseand sentfor his friendsand his wifeZeresh.
Through allthisJobdid not sinnordid he blameGod.
"The tentsof the destroyersprosper,And those who provokeGodare secure,WhomGodbringsinto their power.
"For the wickedis reservedfor the dayof calamity;They will be ledforthat the dayof fury.
"Ifyou returnto the Almighty,you will be restored;If you removeunrighteousnessfarfrom your tent,
For the wickedboastsof his heart'sdesire,And the greedymancurses[and] spurnsthe LORD.
But cravedintenselyin the wilderness,And temptedGodin the desert.
Do not inclinemy heartto any evilthing,To practicedeedsof wickednessWith menwho doiniquity;And do not let me eatof their delicacies.
Thoughwhile he liveshe congratulateshimself--And though [men] praiseyou whenyou dowellfor yourself--
No,in heartyou workunrighteousness;On earthyou weighout the violenceof your hands.
Behold,theseare the wicked;And alwaysat ease,they have increased[in] wealth.
For I was enviousof the arrogant[As] I sawthe prosperityof the wicked.
And in their heartthey putGodto the testBy askingfoodaccording to their desire.
Againand again they temptedGod,And painedthe HolyOneof Israel.
Yet they temptedand rebelledagainstthe MostHighGodAnd did not keepHis testimonies,
"Whenyour fatherstestedMe, They triedMe, thoughthey had seenMy work.
The wickedman desiresthe bootyof evilmen,But the rootof the righteousyields[fruit].
Thereis futilitywhichis doneon the earth,that is, thereare righteousmento whomit happensaccording to the deedsof the wicked.On the other hand, thereare evilmento whomit happensaccording to the deedsof the righteous.I saythat thistoois futility.
Stopregardingman,whosebreath[of life] is in his nostrils;For whyshould he be esteemed?
then comeand standbeforeMe in thishouse,whichis calledby My name,and say,'We are delivered!'--that you may doalltheseabominations?
"The kingreflectedand said,'Is thisnot Babylonthe great,whichI myselfhave builtas a royalresidenceby the mightof my powerand for the gloryof my majesty?'
"NowI, Nebuchadnezzar,praise,exaltand honorthe Kingof heaven,for allHis worksare true and His waysjust,and He is ableto humblethose whowalkin pride."
Thenthe kinggaveorders,and Danielwas broughtin and castinto the lions'den.The kingspokeand saidto Daniel,"Your Godwhomyou constantlyservewill Himselfdeliveryou."
You have weariedthe LORDwith your words.Yet you say,"Howhave we wearied[Him]?" In that you say,"Everyonewho doesevilis goodin the sightof the LORD,and He delightsin them," or,"Whereis the Godof justice?"
"For behold,the dayis coming,burninglike a furnace;and allthe arrogantand everyevildoerwill be chaff;and the daythat is comingwill setthem ablaze,"saysthe LORDof hosts,"sothat it will leavethem neitherrootnorbranch."
On an appointeddayHerod,having puton his royalapparel,took his seaton the rostrumand [began] delivering an addressto them.
ThenPeter[said] to her, "Whyis it that you have agreed togetherto putthe Spiritof the Lordto the test?Behold,the feetof thosewho have buriedyour husbandare at the door,and they will carryyou out [as well]."
Norlet us trythe Lord,as someof them did,and were destroyedby the serpents.
WHEREYOUR FATHERSTRIED[Me] BY TESTING[Me], AND SAWMY WORKSFOR FORTYYEARS.
You younger men,likewise,be subjectto [your] elders;and allof you, clotheyourselves with humilitytoward one another,for GODIS OPPOSEDTO THE PROUD,BUT GIVESGRACETO THE HUMBLE.
