12

They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

And Job answered and said,

And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.