The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

Will the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or will the ox low when he standeth before a full manger?

Or can an unsavoury thing be eaten, that is not seasoned with salt? or can a man taste that which, when tasted, bringeth death?

The things which before my soul would not touch, now, through anguish, are my meats.

Who will grant that my request may come: and that God may give me what I look for?

And that he that hath begun may destroy me, that he may let loose his hand, and cut me off?

And that this may be my comfort, that afflicting me with sorrow, he spare not, nor I contradict the words of the Holy one.

For what is my strength, that I can hold out? or what is my end, that I should keep patience?

My strength is not the strength of stones, nor is my flesh of brass.

Behold there is no help for me in myself, and my familiar friends also are departed from me.

He that taketh away mercy from his friend, forsaketh the fear of the Lord.

My brethren have passed by me, as the torrent that passeth swiftly in the valleys.

They that fear the hoary frost, the snow shall fall upon them.

At the time when they shall be scattered they shall perish: and after it groweth hot, they shall be melted out of their place.

The paths of their steps are entangled: they shall walk in vain, and shall perish.

Consider the paths of Thema, the ways of Saba, and wait a little while.

They arc confounded, because I have hoped: they are come also even unto me, and are covered with shame.

Now you are come: and now, seeing my affliction, you are afraid.

Did I say: Bring to me, and give me of your substance?

Or deliver me from the hand of the enemy, and rescue me out of the hand of the mighty?

Teach me, and I will hold my peace: and if I have been ignorant of any thing, instruct me.

Why have you detracted the words of truth, whereas there is none of you that can reprove me?

You dress up speeches only to rebuke, and you utter words to the wind.

You rush in upon the fatherless, and you endeavour to overthrow your friend.

However, finish what you have begun: give ear and see whether I lie.

Answer, I beseech you, without contention: and speaking that which is just, judge ye.

And you shall not find iniquity in my tongue, neither shall folly sound in my mouth.

The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling.

As a servant longeth for the shade, as the hireling looketh for the end of his work;

So I also have had empty months, and have numbered to myself wearisome nights.

If I lie down to sleep, I shall say: When shall I rise? and again, I shall look for the evening, and shall be filled with sorrows even till darkness.

My flesh is clothed with rottenness and the filth of dust; my skin is withered and drawn together.

My days have passed more swiftly than the web is cut by the weaver, and are consumed without any hope.

Remember that my life is but wind, and my eye shall not return to see good things.

Nor shall the sight of man behold me: thy eyes are upon me, and I shall be no more.

As a cloud is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shall go down to hell shall not come up.

Nor shall he return any more into his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

Wherefore, I will not spare my month, I will speak in the affliction of my spirit: I will talk with the bitterness of my soul.

Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou hast inclosed me in a prison?

If I say: My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved, speaking with myself on my couch:

Thou wilt frighten me with dreams, and terrify me with visions.

So that my soul rather chooseth hanging, and my bones death.

I have done with hope, I shall now live no longer: spare me, for my days are nothing.

What is a man, that thou shouldst magnify him or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?

Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.

How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle?

I have sinned: what shall I do to thee, O keeper of men? why hast thou set me opposite to thee, and am I become burdensome to myself?

Why dost thou not remove my sin, and why dost thou not take away my iniquity? Behold now I shall sleep in the dust: and if thou seek me in the morning, I shall not be.

Then Baldad, the Suhite, answered, and said:

How long wilt thou speak these things, and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

Doth God pervert judgment, or doth the Almighty overthrow that which is just?

Although thy children have sinned against him, and he hath left them in the hand of their iniquity:

Yet if thou wilt arise early to God, and wilt beseech the Almighty:

If thou wilt walk clean and upright, he will presently awake unto thee, and will make the dwelling of thy justice peaceable:

In so much, that if thy former things were small thy latter things would be multiplied exceedingly.

For inquire of the former generation, and search diligently into the memory of the fathers:

(For we are but of yesterday, and are ignorant that our days upon earth are but a shadow.)

And they shall teach thee: they shall speak to thee, and utter words out of their hearts.

Can the rush be green without moisture? or sedge bush grow without water?

When it is yet in flower, and is not plucked u with the hand, it withereth before all herbs.

Even so are the ways of all that forget God, an the hope of the hypocrite shall perish:

His folly shall not please him, and his trust shall be like the spider's web.

He shall lean upon his house, and it shall no stand: he shall prop it up, and it shall not rise:

He seemeth to have moisture before the sun cometh; and at his rising, his blossom shall shoot forth.

His roots shall be thick upon a heap of stones; and among the stones he shall abide.

If one swallow him up out of his place, he shall deny him, and shall say: I know thee not.

For this is the joy of his way, that others may spring again out of the earth.

God will not cast away the simple, nor reach out his hand to the evil doer:

Until thy mouth be filled with laughter, and thy lips with rejoicing.

They that hate thee, shall be clothed with confusion: and the dwelling of the wicked shall not stand.

And Job answered, and said:

Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified, compared with God.

If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?

Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.

Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars, as it were, under a seal:

Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea,

Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.

Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.

If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart, I shall not understand.

If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?

God, whose wrath no man can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.

What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?

I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.

And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.

For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.

He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.

If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.

If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.

Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.

One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.

If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?

My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.

They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.

If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.

I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.

But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?

If I be washed, as it were, with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:

Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me.