< Ἰώβ 6 >
Then Job answered and said:
2 εἰ γάρ τις ἱστῶν στήσαι μου τὴν ὀργήν τὰς δὲ ὀδύνας μου ἄραι ἐν ζυγῷ ὁμοθυμαδόν
Oh that my vexation were but weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances altogether!
3 καὶ δὴ ἄμμου παραλίας βαρυτέρα ἔσται ἀλλ’ ὡς ἔοικεν τὰ ῥήματά μού ἐστιν φαῦλα
For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; therefore are my words broken.
4 βέλη γὰρ κυρίου ἐν τῷ σώματί μού ἐστιν ὧν ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν ἐκπίνει μου τὸ αἷμα ὅταν ἄρξωμαι λαλεῖν κεντοῦσί με
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof my spirit drinketh up; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
5 τί γάρ μὴ διὰ κενῆς κεκράξεται ὄνος ἄγριος ἀλλ’ ἢ τὰ σῖτα ζητῶν εἰ δὲ καὶ ῥήξει φωνὴν βοῦς ἐπὶ φάτνης ἔχων τὰ βρώματα
Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
6 εἰ βρωθήσεται ἄρτος ἄνευ ἁλός εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστιν γεῦμα ἐν ῥήμασιν κενοῖς
Can that which hath no savour be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the juice of mallows?
7 οὐ δύναται γὰρ παύσασθαί μου ἡ ψυχή βρόμον γὰρ ὁρῶ τὰ σῖτά μου ὥσπερ ὀσμὴν λέοντος
My soul refuseth to touch them; they are as the sickness of my flesh.
8 εἰ γὰρ δῴη καὶ ἔλθοι μου ἡ αἴτησις καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα μου δῴη ὁ κύριος
Oh that I might have my request, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 ἀρξάμενος ὁ κύριος τρωσάτω με εἰς τέλος δὲ μή με ἀνελέτω
Even that it would please God to crush me; that He would let loose His hand, and cut me off!
10 εἴη δέ μου πόλις τάφος ἐφ’ ἧς ἐπὶ τειχέων ἡλλόμην ἐπ’ αὐτῆς οὐ μὴ φείσωμαι οὐ γὰρ ἐψευσάμην ῥήματα ἅγια θεοῦ μου
Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would exult in pain, though He spare not; for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
11 τίς γάρ μου ἡ ἰσχύς ὅτι ὑπομένω ἢ τίς μου ὁ χρόνος ὅτι ἀνέχεταί μου ἡ ψυχή
What is my strength, that I should wait? and what is mine end, that I should be patient?
12 μὴ ἰσχὺς λίθων ἡ ἰσχύς μου ἢ αἱ σάρκες μού εἰσιν χάλκειαι
Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
13 ἦ οὐκ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἐπεποίθειν βοήθεια δὲ ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ ἄπεστιν
Is it that I have no help in me, and that sound wisdom is driven quite from me?
14 ἀπείπατό με ἔλεος ἐπισκοπὴ δὲ κυρίου ὑπερεῖδέν με
To him that is ready to faint kindness is due from his friend, even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
15 οὐ προσεῖδόν με οἱ ἐγγύτατοί μου ὥσπερ χειμάρρους ἐκλείπων ἢ ὥσπερ κῦμα παρῆλθόν με
My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that overflow,
16 οἵτινές με διευλαβοῦντο νῦν ἐπιπεπτώκασίν μοι ὥσπερ χιὼν ἢ κρύσταλλος πεπηγώς
Which are black by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow hideth itself;
17 καθὼς τακεῖσα θέρμης γενομένης οὐκ ἐπεγνώσθη ὅπερ ἦν
What time they wax warm, they vanish, when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
18 οὕτως κἀγὼ κατελείφθην ὑπὸ πάντων ἀπωλόμην δὲ καὶ ἔξοικος ἐγενόμην
The paths of their way do wind, they go up into the waste, and are lost.
19 ἴδετε ὁδοὺς Θαιμανων ἀτραποὺς Σαβων οἱ διορῶντες
The caravans of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them —
20 καὶ αἰσχύνην ὀφειλήσουσιν οἱ ἐπὶ πόλεσιν καὶ χρήμασιν πεποιθότες
They were ashamed because they had hoped; they came thither, and were confounded.
21 ἀτὰρ δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπέβητέ μοι ἀνελεημόνως ὥστε ἰδόντες τὸ ἐμὸν τραῦμα φοβήθητε
For now ye are become His; ye see a terror, and are afraid.
22 τί γάρ μή τι ὑμᾶς ᾔτησα ἢ τῆς παρ’ ὑμῶν ἰσχύος ἐπιδέομαι
Did I say: 'Give unto me'? or: 'Offer a present for me of your substance'?
23 ὥστε σῶσαί με ἐξ ἐχθρῶν ἢ ἐκ χειρὸς δυναστῶν ῥύσασθαί με
or: 'Deliver me from the adversary's hand'? or: 'Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors'?
24 διδάξατέ με ἐγὼ δὲ κωφεύσω εἴ τι πεπλάνημαι φράσατέ μοι
Teach me, and I will hold my peace; and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 ἀλλ’ ὡς ἔοικεν φαῦλα ἀληθινοῦ ῥήματα οὐ γὰρ παρ’ ὑμῶν ἰσχὺν αἰτοῦμαι
How forcible are words of uprightness! But what doth your arguing argue?
26 οὐδὲ ὁ ἔλεγχος ὑμῶν ῥήμασίν με παύσει οὐδὲ γὰρ ὑμῶν φθέγμα ῥήματος ἀνέξομαι
Do ye hold words to be an argument, but the speeches of one that is desperate to be wind?
27 πλὴν ὅτι ἐπ’ ὀρφανῷ ἐπιπίπτετε ἐνάλλεσθε δὲ ἐπὶ φίλῳ ὑμῶν
Yea, ye would cast lots upon the fatherless, and dig a pit for your friend.
28 νυνὶ δὲ εἰσβλέψας εἰς πρόσωπα ὑμῶν οὐ ψεύσομαι
Now therefore be pleased to look upon me; for surely I shall not lie to your face.
29 καθίσατε δὴ καὶ μὴ εἴη ἄδικον καὶ πάλιν τῷ δικαίῳ συνέρχεσθε
Return, I pray you, let there be no injustice; yea, return again, my cause is righteous.
30 οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐν γλώσσῃ μου ἄδικον ἢ ὁ λάρυγξ μου οὐχὶ σύνεσιν μελετᾷ
Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern crafty devices?