141. If so, all my appointed time will I labor till my change cometh, that thou mayest remember my good works when my body shall have passed away.

142. Thou wilt then call unto me, as thou wilt have a desire to work with my hands, and I will answer thee whatsoever thou desirest of me. 143. And when wrath cometh as the falling mountain, I will bring wisdom, as a stream of water, to wash the stones away.

144. The stones of wrath have now grown in your mind, as in the dust of earth, to destroy your hopes, although you may prevail against them with great power.

145. But there will come a change over your countenance that will change your wrath; but not until ye are brought low with power, from the enemies that are preparing against the children of Israel.

146. Then your flesh shall have pain, and your soul mourn, until the gushing stream of wisdom shall come forth to loosen the turbulent wrath of the enemy.

CHAPTER XXIV.

1. DAY after day the priests became more confounded in the words uttered by a youth without learning.

2. And Zilpah, the high-priest, arose and said, Should a wise man utter knowledge vainly? to reason with unprofitable talk, that can do no good, only to fill thy belly with wind.

3. For thine own mouth condemneth thee, not I; yea, thine own lips testify against thee, as they cast off all fear of God, and say His power is with you.

4. Art thou the first man that was born, that thou shouldst have heard the secrets of God superior to any other man; and then refrain from life, and keep the wisdom to thyself?

5. What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us to speak?

6. The teachers over Israel are all gray-headed men, much older than thyself; are the consolations of God small with us, and only a secret with thee?

7. Why do thine eyes wink, and thine heart carry thee away, with such words against the spirit of God?

8. What is man, that he should be clean, or born of woman that he should not be righteous, if he put his trust in saints?

9. How abominable and filthy man is in thy sight, who drinkest iniquity, because they do not call thee righteous.

10. Wise men have told concerning the purity of God to our fathers, also to strangers that chanced to pass among them.

11. Saying also that the wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of days and years that he is to live is hid from

the oppressor.

12. For he is in darkness, and believeth not that he is to return to dust, and wanders about to find some light to cast away fear.

13. But his trouble will make fear, because he stretcheth forth his hands against the Almighty God.

14. But God will not heed to the minds of evil-doers, or those that are cast out to dwell in desolate houses which no man inhabiteth.

15. Let not them that are deceived trust longer in this man's vanity, as it will not carry him from darkness, but his evil will destroy the good

you possess ;

16. And he will fall, while his branches are yet green, and the unripe grape will cast off its flowers, as the olive.

17. If ye follow after this hypocrite, the whole congregation shall become desolate, and fire will consume their tabernacle of mischief which they conceive from this vain and deceitful man.

18. But Job answered their reproach, saying, I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are ye all.

19. Shall your

vain words have an end, or what power can enable you to speak deceitful before your God?

20. I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul's stead; for my evil would then heap words against you with the look of a fiend.

21. For ye are mine enemies, and you sharpen your eyes upon my face, and ye gape reproachfully as ye smite me on my cheek as ye pass around.

22. Truly, God hath delivered me over to the ungodly; for the wicked arches of earth encompass me and pour gall upon my loins as a torture to my soul.

23. They break my skin with branches, and run upon me like a giant. I have put sackcloth upon my skin, for my face is foul with weeping, and mine eyelids are the shadow of death.

24. But not to any injustice to my God; for His works are pure, and will cover my blood with blessings; for my witnesses are in heaven, and my record is on high.

25. If ye all plead against me, my eyes will pour tears unto my God, and He will plead for me with a mighty power.

26. When a few more years are come upon me, I shall go away, whence I shall not return until my days are extinct and the grave ready for me.

27. If ye would lay down your strife against me, and shake hands without fear, I would exalt you in understanding, and shut your eyes against defiling the words of God.

28. But now your eyes are dim, by reasoning yourselves into evil. thoughts against me, and my innocence stirs up your anger.

29. If you do not make peace with me, I shall go away, and not re

turn among you; for my life would be turned into darkness, as day changes into night.

30. Also, if I remained with thee, the grave would be my house, after making my bed in sin and darkness, saying, Corruption, thou art my father; worms, thou art my mother and sisters, when our bodies lie in the dust together.

31. The teachers of the law arose, one after the other, declaring to the people that David was denying the existence of a God and the resurrection of the soul,

32. And that he would not be justified before God for his unbelief; for He has prepared a judgment for the wicked, and his counsel will be of no account.

33. For his tabernacle will be rooted out, and brought before the king of terrors; then it will be scattered as brimstone over those that have had confidence in his teachings of wickedness.

34. As these words of reproach fell upon David's ears, a feeling of grief came upon him, because the spirit-guide was unable to make the people understand the power they had to make him speak concerning the wisdom of heaven.

35. And with his harp he poured forth his grief before the people, who had gathered to hear the sweet strains of music,

36. Which was not in unison with his grief, as he said: Oh! that I were as in months past, when my God came to me with an unknown light, and gave me voice and words to play upon my harp, while herding my father's sheep.

37. Then, even then, this secret was upon me; but the children all played about me, and every eye that saw me gave a blessing, as I walked with the poor and fatherless, that had none to give them help.

38. But now that I have put on the outward robes of righteousness, that will cause the widows and fatherless to weep for joy, that they may not walk blindly, but search out the law of God,

39. They have all turned against me, and say I have the face of the wicked and evil-doer, and when I die I shall find no rest for my soul.

40. They turn upon me with terror as they pursue my soul, causing affliction to take hold of me without rest, day or night, saying, an evil has come upon me;

41. And that I am a brother to dragons and a companion to owls. My skin is black, and my bones are burning with heat.

42. My harp, also, is turned to mourning, and my organs into the voice of them that weep in affliction.

43. I made a covenant with mine eyes to look upon a woman; but now I must not think upon a maid, for fear my feet may hasten to deceit, or my heart follow after evil.

44. But from my youth she has been brought up with me, and my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed her hand. 45. But if this were an iniquity to be punished by judges, I should rejoice at the destruction, and hate the God above.

46. But let God weigh me in a balance, that He may know my integrity, and that I have not transgressed and kept it in my bosom, and suffered my mouth to curse Him because it could not be kept a secret.

47. Oh! that every soul could hearken to the true laws of God, and write them in a book; they would willingly carry it upon their shoulders the remainder of their days, as a crown of glory.