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The Gospel of Mark (Part Seven)

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The Other Five Prayer Journey

Creatures of Habit: Prayer

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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJHN">
 <div class="chapter ch5" data-usfm="JHN.5">
 <div class="label">5</div><div class="s1">The Healing at the Pool</div><div class="p"> 1Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda#5:2 Some manuscripts Bethzatha; other manuscripts Bethsaida and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3Here a great number of disabled people used to lie&#8212;the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [4]#5:3,4 Some manuscripts include here, wholly or in part, paralyzed&#8212;and they waited for the moving of the waters. 4 From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had. 5One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, &#8220;Do you want to get well?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7&#8220;Sir,&#8221; the invalid replied, &#8220;I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Then Jesus said to him, &#8220;Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.&#8221; 9At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.</div><div class="p">The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, &#8220;It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11But he replied, &#8220;The man who made me well said to me, &#8216;Pick up your mat and walk.&#8217; &#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12So they asked him, &#8220;Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.</div><div class="p"> 14Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, &#8220;See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.&#8221; 15The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.</div><div class="s1">The Authority of the Son</div><div class="p"> 16So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17In his defense Jesus said to them, &#8220;My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.&#8221; 18For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.</div><div class="p"> 19Jesus gave them this answer: &#8220;Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.</div><div class="p"> 24 &#8220;Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.</div><div class="p"> 28 &#8220;Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29and come out&#8212;those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.</div><div class="s1">Testimonies About Jesus</div><div class="p"> 31 &#8220;If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.</div><div class="p"> 33 &#8220;You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.</div><div class="p"> 36 &#8220;I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish&#8212;the very works that I am doing&#8212;testify that the Father has sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39You study#5:39 Or 39 Study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.</div><div class="p"> 41 &#8220;I do not accept glory from human beings, 42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43I have come in my Father&#8217;s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God#5:44 Some early manuscripts the Only One?</div><div class="p"> 45 &#8220;But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJER">
 <div class="chapter ch17" data-usfm="JER.17">
 <div class="label">17</div><div class="q1"> 1&#8220;Judah&#8217;s sin is engraved with an iron tool,</div><div class="q2">inscribed with a flint point,</div><div class="q1">on the tablets of their hearts</div><div class="q2">and on the horns of their altars.</div><div class="q1"> 2Even their children remember</div><div class="q2">their altars and Asherah poles#17:2 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah</div><div class="q1">beside the spreading trees</div><div class="q2">and on the high hills.</div><div class="q1"> 3My mountain in the land</div><div class="q2">and your#17:2,3 Or hills / 3 and the mountains of the land. / Your wealth and all your treasures</div><div class="q1">I will give away as plunder,</div><div class="q2">together with your high places,</div><div class="q2">because of sin throughout your country.</div><div class="q1"> 4Through your own fault you will lose</div><div class="q2">the inheritance I gave you.</div><div class="q1">I will enslave you to your enemies</div><div class="q2">in a land you do not know,</div><div class="q1">for you have kindled my anger,</div><div class="q2">and it will burn forever.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5This is what the Lord says:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Cursed is the one who trusts in man,</div><div class="q2">who draws strength from mere flesh</div><div class="q2">and whose heart turns away from the Lord.</div><div class="q1"> 6That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;</div><div class="q2">they will not see prosperity when it comes.</div><div class="q1">They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,</div><div class="q2">in a salt land where no one lives.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 7&#8220;But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,</div><div class="q2">whose confidence is in him.</div><div class="q1"> 8They will be like a tree planted by the water</div><div class="q2">that sends out its roots by the stream.</div><div class="q1">It does not fear when heat comes;</div><div class="q2">its leaves are always green.</div><div class="q1">It has no worries in a year of drought</div><div class="q2">and never fails to bear fruit.&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 9The heart is deceitful above all things</div><div class="q2">and beyond cure.</div><div class="q2">Who can understand it?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 10&#8220;I the Lord search the heart</div><div class="q2">and examine the mind,</div><div class="q1">to reward each person according to their conduct,</div><div class="q2">according to what their deeds deserve.&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 11Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay</div><div class="q2">are those who gain riches by unjust means.</div><div class="q1">When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them,</div><div class="q2">and in the end they will prove to be fools.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 12A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning,</div><div class="q2">is the place of our sanctuary.</div><div class="q1"> 13 Lord, you are the hope of Israel;</div><div class="q2">all who forsake you will be put to shame.</div><div class="q1">Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust</div><div class="q2">because they have forsaken the Lord,</div><div class="q2">the spring of living water.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 14Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;</div><div class="q2">save me and I will be saved,</div><div class="q2">for you are the one I praise.</div><div class="q1"> 15They keep saying to me,</div><div class="q2">&#8220;Where is the word of the Lord?</div><div class="q2">Let it now be fulfilled!&#8221;</div><div class="q1"> 16I have not run away from being your shepherd;</div><div class="q2">you know I have not desired the day of despair.</div><div class="q2">What passes my lips is open before you.</div><div class="q1"> 17Do not be a terror to me;</div><div class="q2">you are my refuge in the day of disaster.</div><div class="q1"> 18Let my persecutors be put to shame,</div><div class="q2">but keep me from shame;</div><div class="q1">let them be terrified,</div><div class="q2">but keep me from terror.</div><div class="q1">Bring on them the day of disaster;</div><div class="q2">destroy them with double destruction.</div><div class="s1">Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy</div><div class="p"> 19This is what the Lord said to me: &#8220;Go and stand at the Gate of the People,#17:19 Or Army through which the kings of Judah go in and out; stand also at all the other gates of Jerusalem. 20Say to them, &#8216;Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem who come through these gates. 21This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. 23Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline. 24But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing any work on it, 25then kings who sit on David&#8217;s throne will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. 26People will come from the towns of Judah and the villages around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin and the western foothills, from the hill country and the Negev, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch3" data-usfm="NEH.3">
 <div class="label">3</div><div class="s1">Builders of the Wall</div><div class="p"> 1Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 3The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. 4Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. 5The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.#3:5 Or their Lord or the governor</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 6The Jeshanah#3:6 Or Old Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. 7Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah&#8212;Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth&#8212;places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 8Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. 10Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. 11Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 13The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits#3:13 That is, about 1,500 feet or about 450 meters of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 14The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 15The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam,#3:15 Hebrew Shelah, a variant of Shiloah, that is, Siloam by the King&#8217;s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. 16Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs#3:16 Hebrew; Septuagint, some Vulgate manuscripts and Syriac tomb of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.</div><div class="p"> 17Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. 18Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui#3:18 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint and verse 24); most Hebrew manuscripts Bavvai son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. 19Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. 20Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib&#8217;s house to the end of it.</div><div class="p"> 22The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region. 23Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. 24Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah&#8217;s house to the angle and the corner, 25and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh 26and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. 27Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 28Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. 29Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. 30Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. 31Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner; 32and between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNEH">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="NEH.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">Priests and Levites</div><div class="p"> 1These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua:</div><div class="li1">Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,</div><div class="li1"> 2Amariah, Malluk, Hattush,</div><div class="li1"> 3Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,</div><div class="li1"> 4Iddo, Ginnethon,#12:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 16); most Hebrew manuscripts Ginnethoi Abijah,</div><div class="li1"> 5Mijamin,#12:5 A variant of Miniamin Moadiah, Bilgah,</div><div class="li1"> 6Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,</div><div class="li1"> 7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.</div><div class="m">These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua.</div><div class="p"> 8The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services.</div><div class="p"> 10Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, 11Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.</div><div class="p"> 12In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families:</div><div class="li1">of Seraiah&#8217;s family, Meraiah;</div><div class="li1">of Jeremiah&#8217;s, Hananiah;</div><div class="li1"> 13of Ezra&#8217;s, Meshullam;</div><div class="li1">of Amariah&#8217;s, Jehohanan;</div><div class="li1"> 14of Malluk&#8217;s, Jonathan;</div><div class="li1">of Shekaniah&#8217;s,#12:14 Very many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also verse 3); most Hebrew manuscripts Shebaniah&#8217;s Joseph;</div><div class="li1"> 15of Harim&#8217;s, Adna;</div><div class="li1">of Meremoth&#8217;s,#12:15 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 3); Hebrew Meraioth&#8217;s Helkai;</div><div class="li1"> 16of Iddo&#8217;s, Zechariah;</div><div class="li1">of Ginnethon&#8217;s, Meshullam;</div><div class="li1"> 17of Abijah&#8217;s, Zikri;</div><div class="li1">of Miniamin&#8217;s and of Moadiah&#8217;s, Piltai;</div><div class="li1"> 18of Bilgah&#8217;s, Shammua;</div><div class="li1">of Shemaiah&#8217;s, Jehonathan;</div><div class="li1"> 19of Joiarib&#8217;s, Mattenai;</div><div class="li1">of Jedaiah&#8217;s, Uzzi;</div><div class="li1"> 20of Sallu&#8217;s, Kallai;</div><div class="li1">of Amok&#8217;s, Eber;</div><div class="li1"> 21of Hilkiah&#8217;s, Hashabiah;</div><div class="li1">of Jedaiah&#8217;s, Nethanel.</div><div class="p"> 22The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. 24And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.</div><div class="p"> 25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. 26They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.</div><div class="s1">Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem</div><div class="p"> 27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem&#8212;from the villages of the Netophathites, 29from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.</div><div class="p"> 31I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of#12:31 Or go alongside the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of#12:31 Or proceed alongside the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. 32Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, 36and his associates&#8212;Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani&#8212;with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. 37At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David&#8217;s palace to the Water Gate on the east.</div><div class="p"> 38The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of#12:38 Or them alongside the wall, together with half the people&#8212;past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah#12:39 Or Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.</div><div class="p"> 40The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41as well as the priests&#8212;Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets&#8212; 42and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.</div><div class="p"> 44At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. 45They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. 46For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOB">
 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="JOB.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="q1"> 1&#8220;I loathe my very life;</div><div class="q2">therefore I will give free rein to my complaint</div><div class="q2">and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.</div><div class="q1"> 2I say to God: Do not declare me guilty,</div><div class="q2">but tell me what charges you have against me.</div><div class="q1"> 3Does it please you to oppress me,</div><div class="q2">to spurn the work of your hands,</div><div class="q2">while you smile on the plans of the wicked?</div><div class="q1"> 4Do you have eyes of flesh?</div><div class="q2">Do you see as a mortal sees?</div><div class="q1"> 5Are your days like those of a mortal</div><div class="q2">or your years like those of a strong man,</div><div class="q1"> 6that you must search out my faults</div><div class="q2">and probe after my sin&#8212;</div><div class="q1"> 7though you know that I am not guilty</div><div class="q2">and that no one can rescue me from your hand?</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 8&#8220;Your hands shaped me and made me.</div><div class="q2">Will you now turn and destroy me?</div><div class="q1"> 9Remember that you molded me like clay.</div><div class="q2">Will you now turn me to dust again?</div><div class="q1"> 10Did you not pour me out like milk</div><div class="q2">and curdle me like cheese,</div><div class="q1"> 11clothe me with skin and flesh</div><div class="q2">and knit me together with bones and sinews?</div><div class="q1"> 12You gave me life and showed me kindness,</div><div class="q2">and in your providence watched over my spirit.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 13&#8220;But this is what you concealed in your heart,</div><div class="q2">and I know that this was in your mind:</div><div class="q1"> 14If I sinned, you would be watching me</div><div class="q2">and would not let my offense go unpunished.</div><div class="q1"> 15If I am guilty&#8212;woe to me!</div><div class="q2">Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,</div><div class="q1">for I am full of shame</div><div class="q2">and drowned in#10:15 Or and aware of my affliction.</div><div class="q1"> 16If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion</div><div class="q2">and again display your awesome power against me.</div><div class="q1"> 17You bring new witnesses against me</div><div class="q2">and increase your anger toward me;</div><div class="q2">your forces come against me wave upon wave.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 18&#8220;Why then did you bring me out of the womb?</div><div class="q2">I wish I had died before any eye saw me.</div><div class="q1"> 19If only I had never come into being,</div><div class="q2">or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!</div><div class="q1"> 20Are not my few days almost over?</div><div class="q2">Turn away from me so I can have a moment&#8217;s joy</div><div class="q1"> 21before I go to the place of no return,</div><div class="q2">to the land of gloom and utter darkness,</div><div class="q1"> 22to the land of deepest night,</div><div class="q2">of utter darkness and disorder,</div><div class="q2">where even the light is like darkness.&#8221;</div>
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