The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me?

And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, From the hand of terrible ones ransom me?

Shew me, and I — I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand.

How powerful have been upright sayings, And what doth reproof from you reprove?

For reproof — do you reckon words? And for wind — sayings of the desperate.

Anger on the fatherless ye cause to fall, And are strange to your friend.

And, now, please, look upon me, Even to your face do I lie?

Turn back, I pray you, let it not be perverseness, Yea, turn back again — my righteousness [is] in it.

Is there in my tongue perverseness? Discerneth not my palate desirable things?

Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?

As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,

So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.

If I lay down then I said, 'When do I rise!' And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn.

Clothed hath been my flesh [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,

My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.

Remember Thou that my life [is] a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.

The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes [are] upon me — and I am not.

Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up.

He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.

Also I — I withhold not my mouth — I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.

A sea -[monster] am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?

When I said, 'My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch.

And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,

And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.

I have wasted away — not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.

What [is] man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?

And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?

How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.

I have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself — and what?

Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me — and I am not!

And Bildad the Shuhite answereth and saith: —

Till when dost thou speak these things? And a strong wind — sayings of thy mouth?

Doth God pervert judgment? And doth the Mighty One pervert justice?

If thy sons have sinned before Him, And He doth send them away, By the hand of their transgression,

If thou dost seek early unto God, And unto the Mighty makest supplication,

If pure and upright thou [art], Surely now He waketh for thee, And hath completed The habitation of thy righteousness.

And thy beginning hath been small, And thy latter end is very great.

For, ask I pray thee of a former generation, And prepare to a search of their fathers,

(For of yesterday we [are], and we know not, For a shadow [are] our days on earth.)

Do they not shew thee — speak to thee, And from their heart bring forth words?

'Doth a rush wise without mire? A reed increase without water?

While it [is] in its budding — uncropped, Even before any herb it withereth.

So [are] the paths of all forgetting God, And the hope of the profane doth perish,

Whose confidence is loathsome, And the house of a spider his trust.

He leaneth on his house — and it standeth not: He taketh hold on it — and it abideth not.

Green he [is] before the sun, And over his garden his branch goeth out.

By a heap his roots are wrapped, A house of stones he looketh for.

If [one] doth destroy him from his place, Then it hath feigned concerning him, I have not seen thee!

Lo, this [is] the joy of his way, And from the dust others spring up.'

Lo, God doth not reject the perfect, Nor taketh hold on the hand of evil doers.

While he filleth with laughter thy mouth, And thy lips with shouting,

Those hating thee do put on shame, And the tent of the wicked is not!

And Job answereth and saith: —

Truly I have known that [it is] so, And what — is man righteous with God?

If he delight to strive with Him — He doth not answer him one of a thousand.

Wise in heart and strong in power — Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?

Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.

Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.

Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.

Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,

Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.

Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.

Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.

Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, 'What dost Thou?'

God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.

How much less do I — I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?

Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.

Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear [to] my voice.

Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.

He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.

If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment — who doth convene me?

If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! — it declareth me perverse.

Perfect I am! — I know not my soul, I despise my life.

It is the same thing, therefore I said, 'The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'

If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.

Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not — where, who [is] he?

My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,

They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.

Though I say, 'I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'

I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.

I — I am become wicked; why [is] this? [In] vain I labour.

If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,

Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.

But if a man like myself — I answer him, We come together into judgment.

If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.

He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,

I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.

My soul hath been weary of my life, I leave off my talking to myself, I speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I say unto God, 'Do not condemn me, Let me know why Thou dost strive [with] me.

Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

Eyes of flesh hast Thou? As man seeth — seest Thou?

As the days of man [are] Thy days? Thy years as the days of a man?

That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?

For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.

Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up!

Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

Dost Thou not as milk pour me out? And as cheese curdle me?

Skin and flesh Thou dost put on me, And with bones and sinews dost fence me.

Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit.

And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this [is] with Thee.