The Book of Job — Liber Job
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Chapter 16
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Vulgate><Douay-Rheims><Knox Bible
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Respondens autem Job, dixit:
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Then Job answered, and said:
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But Job answered:
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Audivi frequenter talia: consolatores onerosi omnes vos estis.
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I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.
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Old tales and cold comfort; you are all alike.
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Numquid habebunt finem verba ventosa? aut aliquid tibi molestum est, si loquaris?
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Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?
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Words are but wind; there is no end to them, and they cost thee nothing.
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Poteram et ego similia vestri loqui, atque utinam esset anima vestra pro anima mea:
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I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul.
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Believe me, I could do as well, were you in my case,
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consolarer et ego vos sermonibus, et moverem caput meum super vos;
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I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.
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talk the language of consolation, and mock you all the while,
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roborarem vos ore meo, et moverem labia mea, quasi parcens vobis.
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I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.
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speak of encouragement; my lips should tremble with a show of pity.
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Sed quid agam? Si locutus fuero, non quiescet dolor meus, et si tacuero, non recedet a me.
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But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.
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But here is grief words cannot assuage, nor silence banish;
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Nunc autem oppressit me dolor meus, et in nihilum redacti sunt omnes artus mei.
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But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.
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grief that bows me down till my whole frame is lifeless;
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Rugæ meæ testimonium dicunt contra me, et suscitatur falsiloquus adversus faciem meam, contradicens mihi.
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My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.
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these furrowed cheeks are the witness of it. And now a false accuser dares me to my face and baits me!
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Collegit furorem suum in me, et comminans mihi, infremuit contra me dentibus suis: hostis meus terribilibus oculis me intuitus est.
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He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes.
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One that vents all his spite against me, gnashes his teeth malignantly, watches me with fierce eyes like an enemy.
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Aperuerunt super me ora sua, et exprobrantes percusserunt maxillam meam: satiati sunt pœnis meis.
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They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.
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Mouths that deride me, hands that smite me on the cheek in reproof, hearts that delight in my anguish,
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Conclusit me Deus apud iniquum, et manibus impiorum me tradidit.
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God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
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to what ill neighbourhood God has condemned me, what tyrants hold me in their grip!
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Ego ille quondam opulentus, repente contritus sum: tenuit cervicem meam, confregit me, et posuit me sibi quasi in signum.
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I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark.
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So free from care my life was, and now, suddenly as though a wild beast had fastened on me, dashed me to the ground, he has broken that life to pieces. I am a mark for his archery,
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Circumdedit me lanceis suis; convulneravit lumbos meos: non pepercit, et effudit in terra viscera mea.
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He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth.
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his arrows are all about me; still they pierce me to the marrow, drain my life,
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Concidit me vulnere super vulnus: irruit in me quasi gigas.
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He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.
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wound upon wound; giant hands assail me.
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Saccum consui super cutem meam, et operui cinere carnem meam.
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I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.
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No wonder if I go clad in sackcloth, disfigured with ashes,
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Facies mea intumuit a fletu, et palpebræ meæ caligaverunt.
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My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
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if my face is swollen with weeping, and on my eyelids the darkness falls.
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Hæc passus sum absque iniquitate manus meæ, cum haberem mundas ad Deum preces.
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These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.
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Such is the reward of a guiltless life, of prayer offered without stain.
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Terra, ne operias sanguinem meum, neque inveniat in te locum latendi clamor meus:
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O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.
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I charge thee, earth, to leave my blood unburied, never to muffle the echoes of my protest;
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ecce enim in cælo testis meus, et conscius meus in excelsis.
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For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.
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there is one in high heaven that knows the truth and must bear witness.
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Verbosi amici mei: ad Deum stillat oculus meus:
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My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.
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Friends, prate on; these tears of mine issue their challenge to a God!
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atque utinam sic judicaretur vir cum Deo, quomodo judicatur filius hominis cum collega suo.
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And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
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Ah, could but a mortal bring God to justice, as man impleads man!
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Ecce enim breves anni transeunt, et semitam per quam non revertar ambulo.
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For behold short years pass away, and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.
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Mortal am I; swiftly my years pass, and by the road I tread there is no returning.