The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

Who cometh forth like a flower, and is destroyed, and fleeth as a shadow, and never continueth in the same state.

And dost thou think it meet to open thy eyes upon such an one, and to bring him into judgment with thee?

Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? is it not thou who only art?

The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with thee: thou hast appointed his bounds which cannot be passed.

Depart a little from him, that he may rest until his wished for day come, as that of the hireling.

A tree hath hope: if it be cut, it growth green again, and the boughs thereof sprout.

If its roots be old in the earth, and its stock be dead in the dust:

At the scent of water, it shall spring, and bring forth leaves, as when it was first planted.

But man when he shall be dead, and stripped and consumed, I pray you where is he?

As if the waters should depart out of the sea, and an emptied river should be dried up;

So man when he is fallen asleep shall not rise again; till the heavens be broken, he shall not awake, nor rise up out of his sleep.

Who will grant me this, that thou mayst protect me in hell, and hide me till thy wrath pass, and appoint me a time when thou wilt remember me?

Shall man that is dead, thinkest thou, live again? all the days in which I am now in warfare, I expect until my change come.

Thou shalt call me, and I will answer thee: to the work of thy hands thou shalt reach out thy right hand.

Thou indeed hast numbered my steps, but spare my sins.

Thou hast sealed up my offences as it were in a bag, but hast cured my iniquity.

A mountain falling cometh to nought, and a rock is removed out of its place.

Waters wear away the stones, and with inundation the ground by little and little is washed away: so in like manner thou shalt destroy man.

Thou hast strengthened him for a little while, that he may pass away for ever: thou shalt change his face, and shalt send him away.

Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand.

But yet his flesh, while he shall live, shall have pain, and his soul shall mourn over him.

And Eliphaz the Themanite, answered, and said:

Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking in the wind, and fill his stomach with burning heat?

Thou reprovest him by words, who is not equal to thee, and thou speakest that which is not good for thee.

As much as is in thee, thou hast made void fear, and hast taken away prayers from before God.

For thy iniquity hath taught thy mouth, and thou imitatest the tongue of blasphemers.

Thy own mouth shall condemn thee, and not I: and thy own lips shall answer thee.

Art thou the first man that was born, or wast thou made before the hills?

Hast thou heard God's counsel, and shall his wisdom be inferior to thee?

What knowest thou that we are ignorant of? what dost thou understand that we know not?

There are with us also aged and ancient men, much elder than thy fathers.

Is it a great matter that God should comfort thee? but thy wicked words hinder this.

Why doth thy heart elevate thee, and why dost thou stare with thy eyes, as if they were thinking great things?

Why doth thy spirit swell against God, to utter such words out of thy mouth?

What is man that he should be without spot, and he that is born of a woman that he should appear just?

Behold among his saints none is unchangeable, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.

How much more is man abominable, and unprofitable, who drinketh iniquity like water?

I will shew thee, hear me: and I will tell thee what I have seen.

Wise men confess and hide not their fathers.

To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger hath passed among them.

The wicked man is proud all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.

The sound of dread is always in his ears: and when there is peace, he always suspecteth treason.

He believeth not that he may return from darkness to light, looking round about for the sword on every side.

When he moveth himself to seek bread, he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

Tribulation shall terrify him, and distress shall surround him, as a king that is prepared for the battle.

For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and hath strengthened himself against the Almighty.

He hath run against him with his neck raised up, and is armed with a fat neck.

Fatness hath covered his face, and the fat hangeth down on his sides.

He hath dwelt in desolate cities, and in desert houses that are reduced into heaps.

He shall not be enriched, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he push his root in the earth.

He shall not depart out of darkness: the flame shall dry up his branches, and he shall be taken away by the breath of his own mouth.

He shall not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he may be redeemed with any price.

Before his days be full he shall perish: and his hands shall wither away.

He shall be blasted as a vine when its grapes are in the first flower, and as an olive tree that casteth its flower.

For the congregation of the hypocrite is barren, and fire shall devour their tabernacles, who love to take bribes.

He hath conceived sorrow, and hath brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepareth deceits.

Then Job answered, and said:

I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.

Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?

I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul.

I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.

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.

But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.

My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.

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.

They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.

God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

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.

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,

He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.

I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.

These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.

O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.

For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.

And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!

For behold short years pass away, and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.

My spirit shall be wasted, my days shall be shortened and only the grave remaineth for me.

I have not sinned, and my eye abideth in bitterness.

Deliver me, O Lord, and set me beside thee, and let any man's hand fight against me.

Thou hast set their heart far from understanding, therefore they shall not be exalted.

He promiseth a prey to his companions, and the eyes of his children shall fail.

He hath made me as it were a byword of the people, and I am an example before them.

My eye is dim through indignation, and my limbs are brought as it were to nothing.

The just shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall be raised up against the hypocrite.

And the just man shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

Wherefore be you all converted, and come, and I shall not find among you any wise man.

My days have passed away, my thoughts are dissipated, tormenting my heart.

They have turned night into day, and after darkness I hope for light again.

If I wait hell is my house, and I have made my bed in darkness.

I have said to rottenness: Thou art my father; to worms, my mother and my sister.

Where is now then my expectation, and who considereth my patience?

All that I have shall go down into the deepest pit: thinkest thou that there at least I shall have rest?

Then Baldad the Suhite answered, and said:

How long will you throw out words? understand first, and so let us speak.

Why are we reputed as beasts, and counted vile before you?

Thou that destroyest thy soul in thy fury, shall the earth be forsaken for thee, and shall rocks be removed out of their place?

Shall not the light of the wicked be extinguished, and the flame of his fire not shine?