The Book of Job — Liber Job
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Chapter 12
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Douay-Rheims><Vulgate><Knox Bible
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THEN Job answered, and said:
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Respondens autem Job, dixit:
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But Job answered:
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Are you then men alone, and shall wisdom die with you?
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Ergo vos estis soli homines, et vobiscum morietur sapientia?
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Strange, that you alone should have the gift of reason; that when you die, wisdom must die too!
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I also have a heart as well as you: for who is ignorant of these things, which you know?
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Et mihi est cor sicut et vobis, nec inferior vestri sum; quis enim hæc quæ nostis ignorat?
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Well, I too have my thoughts; I am yet a match for you; this knowledge you bring me is knowledge common to all.
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He that is mocked by his friends as I, shall call upon God and he will hear him: for the simplicity of the just man is laughed to scorn.
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Qui deridetur ab amico suo, sicut ego, invocabit Deum, et exaudiet eum: deridetur enim justi simplicitas.
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For all his friends’ raillery, a man such as I will still cry upon God, and have him answer the summons; the simplicity of the upright was ever a laughing-stock,
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The lamp despised in the thoughts of the rich, is ready for the time appointed.
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Lampas contempta apud cogitationes divitum parata ad tempus statutum.
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and indeed, it is but a rushlight, despised by shrewd and prosperous folk, but it waits its turn.
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The tabernacles of robbers abound, and they provoke God boldly; whereas it is he that hath given all into their hands:
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Abundant tabernacula prædonum, et audacter provocant Deum, cum ipse dederit omnia in manus eorum.
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Meanwhile, see how well the robbers store their houses, braving God’s anger, and yet in all things he lets them have their way!
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But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee: and the birds of the air, and they shall tell thee.
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Nimirum interroga jumenta, et docebunt te; et volatilia cæli, et indicabunt tibi.
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Dost thou doubt it? The very beasts will tell thee, the birds in air will be thy counsellors;
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Speak to the earth, and it shall answer thee: and the fishes of the sea shall tell.
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Loquere terræ, et respondebit tibi, et narrabunt pisces maris.
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the secret is known in every cranny of the earth, the fish in the sea will make it known to thee;
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Who is ignorant that the hand of the Lord hath made all these things?
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Quis ignorat quod omnia hæc manus Domini fecerit?
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none doubts, I tell thee, that all this is the Lord’s doing;
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In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man.
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In cujus manu anima omnis viventis, et spiritus universæ carnis hominis.
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all living things that breathe, all the spirits of all mankind, lie in the hollow of his hand.
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Doth not the ear discern words, and the palate of him that eateth, the taste?
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Nonne auris verba dijudicat? et fauces comedentis, saporem?
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As surely as the ear judges words, and the mouth relishes the taste of food,
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In the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days prudence.
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In antiquis est sapientia, et in multo tempore prudentia.
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so surely is there truth in ancient sayings; it is time brings experience.
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With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
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Apud ipsum est sapientia et fortitudo; ipse habet consilium et intelligentiam.
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All God’s doing; his are the wisdom and the power; to him belong prudence in act and discernment.
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If he pull down, there is no man that can build up: if he shut up a man, there is none that can open.
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Si destruxerit, nemo est qui ædificet; si incluserit hominem, nullus est qui aperiat.
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The ruins he makes, none can rebuild, his imprisonment none can escape;
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If he withhold the waters, all things shall be dried up: and if he send them out, they shall overturn the earth.
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Si continuerit aquas, omnia siccabuntur; et si emiserit eas, subvertent terram.
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withholds he the rain, all is dried up; sends he rain, it floods all the ground.
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With him is strength and wisdom: he knoweth both the deceiver, and him that is deceived.
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Apud ipsum est fortitudo et sapientia; ipse novit et decipientem, et eum qui decipitur.
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Yes, he is strong, he is wise; reads the knave’s heart as easily as the fool’s.
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He bringeth counsellors to a foolish end, and judges to insensibility.
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Adducit consiliarios in stultum finem, et judices in stuporem.
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He can thwart the counsellor, bemuse the judge,
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He looseth the belt of kings, and girdeth their loins with a cord.
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Balteum regum dissolvit, et præcingit fune renes eorum.
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exchange the king’s baldrick for the rope of a prisoner,
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He leadeth away priests without glory, and overthroweth nobles.
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Ducit sacerdotes inglorios, et optimates supplantat:
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lead the priest away ungowned, dispossess the noble,
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He changeth the speech of the true speakers, and taketh away the doctrine of the aged.
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commutans labium veracium, et doctrinam senum auferens.
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bewitch the lips that never erred, rob the elder of his prudence,
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He poureth contempt upon princes, and relieveth them that were oppressed.
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Effundit despectionem super principes, eos qui oppressi fuerant relevans.
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bring princes into contempt, unman the strong.
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He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth up to light the shadow of death.
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Qui revelat profunda de tenebris, et producit in lucem umbram mortis.
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Things deep hidden in darkness he reveals, kindles the light where death’s shadow lay,
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He multiplieth nations, and destroyeth them, and restoreth them again after they were overthrown.
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Qui multiplicat gentes, et perdit eas, et subversas in integrum restituit.
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brings growth or ruin to a people, and what he has ruined restores.
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He changeth the heart of the princes of the people of the earth, and deceiveth them that they walk in vain where there is no way.
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Qui immutat cor principum populi terræ, et decipit eos ut frustra incedant per invium:
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The hearts of chieftains he bewilders, leading them by false paths to vain ends,
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They shall grope as in the dark, and not in the light, and he shall make them stagger like men that are drunk.
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palpabunt quasi in tenebris, et non in luce, et errare eos faciet quasi ebrios.
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till all light fails, and they grope about in darkness, wander aimless like a drunkard after his wine.