The Book of Job — Liber Job
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Chapter 6
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Vulgate><Knox Bible><Douay-Rheims
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Respondens autem Job, dixit:
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But Job answered:
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But Job answered, and said:
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Utinam appenderentur peccata mea quibus iram merui, et calamitas quam patior, in statera!
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Oh that I had such a pair of scales as might weigh provocation of mine against the ills I suffer!
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O that my sins, whereby I have de-served wrath, and the calamity that I suffer, were weighed in a balance.
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Quasi arena maris hæc gravior appareret; unde et verba mea dolore sunt plena:
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The sand on the shore of ocean could not match the burden of them, and do you wonder that my utterance is all reproach?
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As the sand of the sea this would appear heavier: therefore my words are full of sorrow:
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quia sagittæ Domini in me sunt, quarum indignatio ebibit spiritum meum; et terrores Domini militant contra me.
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Deep the Lord’s arrows rankle in me, draining my life; all his terrors are arrayed against me.
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For the arrows of the Lord are in me, the rage whereof drinketh up my spirit, and the terrors of the Lord war against me.
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Numquid rugiet onager cum habuerit herbam? aut mugiet bos cum ante præsepe plenum steterit?
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Brays the wild ass, be sure he lacks pasture; lows the ox, he stands before an empty crib.
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Will the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or will the ox low when he standeth before a full manger?
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aut poterit comedi insulsum, quod non est sale conditum? aut potest aliquis gustare quod gustatum affert mortem?
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Would you have me relish food unseasoned, lick my lips over the taste that brings death?
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Or can an unsavoury thing be eaten, that is not seasoned with salt? or can a man taste that which when tasted bringeth death?
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Quæ prius nolebat tangere anima mea, nunc, præ angustia, cibi mei sunt.
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The food I had no stomach for, in my hard straits eat I must.
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The things which before my soul would not touch, now, through anguish are my meats.
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Quis det ut veniat petitio mea, et quod expecto tribuat mihi Deus?
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Might it be granted, this is the boon I long for, this the request I would make of God,
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Who will grant that my request may come: and that God may give me what I look for?
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et qui cœpit, ipse me conterat; solvat manum suam, et succidat me?
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that he would finish what he has begun, crush me altogether, strike a full blow and make an end of me!
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And that he that hath begun may destroy me, that he may let loose his hand, and cut me off?
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Et hæc mihi sit consolatio, ut affligens me dolore, non parcat, nec contradicam sermonibus Sancti.
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Consolation enough, if he will but torment me to my death; no repining, then, against his will!
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And that this may be my comfort, that afflicting me with sorrow, he spare not, nor I contradict the words of the Holy One.
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Quæ est enim fortitudo mea, ut sustineam? aut quis finis meus, ut patienter agam?
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In what strength should I hold out? In what hope repose?
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For what is my strength, that I can hold out? or what is my end that I should keep patience?
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Nec fortitudo lapidum fortitudo mea, nec caro mea ænea est.
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Have I the endurance of flint? Is my flesh brass?
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My strength is not the strength of stones, nor is my flesh of brass.
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Ecce non est auxilium mihi in me, et necessarii quoque mei recesserunt a me.
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Help in myself is none; human aid keeps its distance from me now.
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Behold there is no help for me in myself, and my familiar friends also are departed from me.
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Qui tollit ab amico suo misericordiam, timorem Domini derelinquit.
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Nay, who defies the Lord’s vengeance more surely than friend who refuses compassion to a friend?
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He that taketh away mercy from his friend, forsaketh the fear of the Lord.
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Fratres mei præterierunt me, sicut torrens qui raptim transit in convallibus.
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See how the men that are my brothers have failed me, fickle as the mountain brooks that run headlong down their ravines;
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My brethren have passed by me, as the torrent that passeth swiftly in the valleys.
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Qui timent pruinam, irruet super eos nix.
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first shrivelled with frost, then piled high with snow,
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They that fear the hoary frost, the snow shall fall upon them.
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Tempore quo fuerint dissipati, peribunt; et ut incaluerit, solventur de loco suo.
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then, when the snows melt, gone, vanished away at the first touch of the heat!
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At the time when they shall be scattered they shall perish: and after it groweth hot they shall be melted out of their place.
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Involutæ sunt semitæ gressuum eorum; ambulabunt in vacuum, et peribunt.
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This way and that their winding channels turn, but all to no purpose, all are lost to view.
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The paths of their steps are entangled: they shall walk in vain, and shall perish.
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Considerate semitas Thema, itinera Saba, et expectate paulisper.
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They must take heed, now, that would pass by Thema, and travel into Saba; they must wait awhile on their journey.
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Consider the paths of Thema, the ways of Saba, and wait a little while.
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Confusi sunt, quia speravi: venerunt quoque usque ad me, et pudore cooperti sunt.
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Some hope I had in my friends, but all is disappointment; with eyes that will not meet mine, they come to visit me.
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They are confounded, because I have hoped: they are come also even unto me, and are covered with shame.
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Nunc venistis; et modo videntes plagam meam, timetis.
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Ay, you have come, but finding me so sorely smitten you dread my company.
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Now you are come: and now seeing my affliction you are afraid.
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Numquid dixi: Afferte mihi, et de substantia vestra donate mihi?
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It was little enough I asked; I never bade you diminish your own wealth by bringing gifts to me,
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Did I say: Bring to me, and give me of your substance?
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vel: Liberate me de manu hostis, et de manu robustorum eruite me?
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never begged your aid to rid me of some enemy that was too strong for me.
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Or deliver me from the hand of the enemy, and rescue me out of the hand of the mighty?
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Docete me, et ego tacebo: et si quid forte ignoravi, instruite me.
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Come, be my instructors; I will hear you out in silence; tell me what is the fault I have committed, all unknowing?
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Teach me, and I will hold my peace: and if I have been ignorant in any thing, instruct me.
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Quare detraxistis sermonibus veritatis, cum e vobis nullus sit qui possit arguere me?
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Ill fare the claims of truth with such as you; not one of you can shew me in the wrong,
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Why have you detracted the words of truth, whereas there is none of you that can reprove me?
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Ad increpandum tantum eloquia concinnatis, et in ventum verba profertis.
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yet for very love of reproof you must be reproving still, all your words wasted on the air.
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You dress up speeches only to rebuke, and you utter words to the wind.
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Super pupillum irruitis, et subvertere nitimini amicum vestrum.
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Is it well done, to make a prey of the defenceless, to conspire against the good name of your friend?
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You rush in upon the fatherless, and you endeavour to overthrow your friend.
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Verumtamen quod cœpistis explete: præbete aurem, et videte an mentiar.
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Browbeat me, then, at your pleasure; try if close scrutiny can prove me false;
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However finish what you have begun, give ear, and see whether I lie.
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Respondete, obsecro, absque contentione; et loquentes id quod justum est, judicate.
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only let there be no contentiousness in your pleadings; in all honesty bring your complaint.
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Answer, I beseech you, without contention: and speaking that which is just, judge ye.
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Et non invenietis in lingua mea iniquitatem, nec in faucibus meis stultitia personabit.
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You will not fasten guilt on any word of mine; reckless utterance never these lips shall frame.
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And you shall not find iniquity in my tongue, neither shall folly sound in my mouth.