The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,

If I have done wickedly — woe to me, And righteously — I lift not up my head, Full of shame — then see my affliction,

And it riseth — as a lion Thou huntest me. And Thou turnest back — Thou shewest Thyself wonderful in me.

Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, And dost multiply Thine anger with me, Changes and warfare [are] with me.

And why from the womb Hast Thou brought me forth? I expire, and the eye doth not see me.

As I had not been, I am, From the belly to the grave I am brought,

Are not my days few? Cease then, and put from me, And I brighten up a little,

Before I go, and return not, Unto a land of darkness and death-shade,

A land of obscurity as thick darkness, Death-shade — and no order, And the shining [is] as thick darkness.'

And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: —

Is a multitude of words not answered? And is a man of lips justified?

Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

And thou sayest, 'Pure [is] my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.'

And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, [Some] of thine iniquity.

By searching dost thou find out God? Unto perfection find out the Mighty One?

Heights of the heavens! — what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! — what knowest thou?

Longer than earth [is] its measure, And broader than the sea.

If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?

For he hath known men of vanity, And He seeth iniquity, And one doth not consider [it]!

And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

If thou — thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

If iniquity [is] in thy hand, put it far off, And let not perverseness dwell in thy tents.

For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

And above the noon doth age rise, Thou fliest — as the morning thou art.

And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched — in confidence thou liest down,

And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope [is] a breathing out of soul!

And Job answereth and saith: —

Truly — ye [are] the people, And with you doth wisdom die.

I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?

A laughter to his friend I am: 'He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.

A torch — despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.

At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.

And yet, ask, I pray thee, [One of] the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.

Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

'Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?

In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'

Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days understanding.

With Him [are] wisdom and might, To him [are] counsel and understanding.

Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.

Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.

With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.

Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.

Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.

Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.

Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.

Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy — no way!

They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.

Lo, all — hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth to it.

According to your knowledge I have known — also I. I am not fallen more than you.

Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.

And yet, ye [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought — all of you,

O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.

Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,

For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?

His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?

Is [it] good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?

He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.

Doth not His excellency terrify you? And His dread fall upon you?

Your remembrances [are] similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.

Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me doth what?

Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?

Lo, He doth slay me — I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.

Also — He [is] to me for salvation, For the profane cometh not before Him.

Hear ye diligently my word, And my declaration with your ears.

Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.

Who [is] he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.

Only two things, O God, do with me: Then from Thy face I am not hidden.

Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.

And call Thou, and I — I answer, Or — I speak, and answer Thou me.

How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.

Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?

A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?

For Thou writest against me bitter things, And causest me to possess iniquities of my youth:

And puttest in the stocks my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a print,

And he, as a rotten thing, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.

Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!

As a flower he hath gone forth, and is cut off, And he fleeth as a shadow and standeth not.

Also — on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.

Who giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

If determined are his days, The number of his months [are] with Thee, His limit Thou hast made, And he passeth not over;

Look away from off him that he may cease, Till he enjoy as an hireling his day.

For there is of a tree hope, if it be cut down, That again it doth change, That its tender branch doth not cease.

If its root becometh old in the earth, And its stem doth die in the dust,

From the fragrance of water it doth flourish, And hath made a crop as a plant.

And a man dieth, and becometh weak, And man expireth, and where [is] he?

Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becometh waste and dry.

And man hath lain down, and riseth not, Till the wearing out of the heavens they awake not, Nor are roused from their sleep.

O that in Sheol Thou wouldest conceal me, Hide me till the turning of Thine anger, Set for me a limit, and remember me.

If a man dieth — doth he revive? All days of my warfare I wait, till my change come.

Thou dost call, and I — I answer Thee; To the work of Thy hands Thou hast desire.

But now, my steps Thou numberest, Thou dost not watch over my sin.

Sealed up in a bag [is] my transgression, And Thou sewest up mine iniquity.

And yet, a falling mountain wasteth away, And a rock is removed from its place.