8

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider"s web.

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite"s hope shall perish:

Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king"s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.

And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king"s commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.