Job 16
1 respondens autem Iob dixit
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 audivi frequenter talia consolatores onerosi omnes vos estis
I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] ye all.
3 numquid habebunt finem verba ventosa aut aliquid tibi molestum est si loquaris
Is there an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest?
4 poteram et ego similia vestri loqui atque utinam esset anima vestra pro anima mea consolarer et ego vos sermonibus et moverem caput meum super vos
I also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.
5 roborarem vos ore meo et moverem labia quasi parcens vobis
I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
6 sed quid agam si locutus fuero non quiescet dolor meus et si tacuero non recedet a me
If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease — what goeth from me?
7 nunc autem oppressit me dolor meus et in nihili redacti sunt omnes artus mei
Only, now, it hath wearied me; Thou hast desolated all my company,
8 rugae meae testimonium dicunt contra me et suscitatur falsiloquus adversus faciem meam contradicens mihi
And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth.
9 collegit furorem suum in me et comminans mihi infremuit contra me dentibus suis hostis meus terribilibus oculis me intuitus est
His anger hath torn, and he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth his eyes for me.
10 aperuerunt super me ora sua exprobrantes percusserunt maxillam meam satiati sunt poenis meis
They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.
11 conclusit me Deus apud iniquum et manibus impiorum me tradidit
God shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over.
12 ego ille quondam opulentus repente contritus sum tenuit cervicem meam confregit me et posuit sibi quasi in signum
At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.
13 circumdedit me lanceis suis convulneravit lumbos meos non pepercit et effudit in terra viscera mea
Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall.
14 concidit me vulnere super vulnus inruit in me quasi gigans
He breaketh me — breach upon breach, He runneth upon me as a mighty one.
15 saccum consui super cutem meam et operui cinere cornu meum
Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn.
16 facies mea intumuit a fletu et palpebrae meae caligaverunt
My face is foul with weeping, And on mine eyelids [is] death-shade.
17 haec passus sum absque iniquitate manus meae cum haberem mundas ad Deum preces
Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.
18 terra ne operias sanguinem meum neque inveniat locum in te latendi clamor meus
O earth, do not thou cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
19 ecce enim in caelo testis meus et conscius meus in excelsis
Also, now, lo, in the heavens [is] my witness, And my testifier in the high places.
20 verbosi mei amici mei ad Deum stillat oculus meus
My interpreter [is] my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:
21 atque utinam sic iudicaretur vir cum Deo quomodo iudicatur filius hominis cum collega suo
And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.
22 ecce enim breves anni transeunt et semitam per quam non revertar ambulo
When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.
