³ That thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee? `And', What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?

⁹ For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing That he should delight himself with God.

²¹ I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.

²² It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

³⁰ If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean;

³¹ Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.

¹⁵ If I be wicked, woe unto me; And if I be righteous, yet shall I not lift up my head; Being filled with ignominy, And looking upon mine affliction.

¹⁵ What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

² For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high?

¹³ Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency;

¹⁴ Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?