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JOB CHAPTERS 21-30

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21

ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ ᾿Ιὼβ λέγει·

2 ἀκούσατε ἀκούσατέ μου τῶν λόγων, ἵνα μὴ ᾖ μοι παρ᾿ ὑμῶν αὕτη ἡ παράκλησις.

3 ἄρατέ με, ἐγὼ δὲ λαλήσω, εἶτ᾿ οὐ καταγελάσετέ μου.

4 τί γάρ; μὴ ἀνθρώπου μου ἡ ἔλεγξις; ἢ διατί οὐ θυμωθήσομαι;

5 εἰσβλέψαντες εἰς ἐμὲ θαυμάσετε χεῖρα θέντες ἐπὶ σιαγόνι·

6 ἐάν τε γὰρ μνησθῶ, ἐσπούδακα, ἔχουσι δέ μου τὰς σάρκας ὀδύναι.

7 διατὶ ἀσεβεῖς ζῶσι, πεπαλαίωνται δὲ καὶ ἐν πλούτῳ;

8 ὁ σπόρος αὐτῶν κατὰ ψυχήν, τὰ δὲ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς.

9 οἱ οἶκοι αὐτῶν εὐθηνοῦσι, φόβος δὲ οὐδαμοῦ, μάστιξ δὲ παρὰ Κυρίου οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς.

 

10 ἡ βοῦς αὐτῶν οὐκ ὠμοτόκησε, διεσώθη δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα καὶ οὐκ ἔσφαλε.

11 μένουσε δὲ ὡς πρόβατα αἰώνια, τὰ δὲ παιδία αὐτῶν προσπαίζουσιν

12 ἀναλαβόντες ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάραν καὶ εὐφραίνονται φωνῇ ψαλμοῦ.

13 συνετέλεσαν δὲ ἐν ἀγαθοῖς τὸν βίον αὐτῶν, ἐν δὲ ἀναπαύσει ᾅδου ἐκοιμήθησαν.

14 λέγει δὲ Κυρίῳ· ἀπόστα ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, ὁδούς σου εἰδέναι οὐ βούλομαι·

15 τί ἱκανός, ὅτι δουλεύσομεν αὐτῷ; καὶ τίς ὠφέλεια, ὅτι ἀπαντήσομεν αὐτῷ;

 

16 ἐν χερσὶ γὰρ ἦν αὐτῶν τὰ ἀγαθά, ἔργα δὲ ἀσεβῶν οὐκ ἐφορᾷ.

17 οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσεβῶν λύχνος σβεσθήσεται, ἐπελεύσεται δὲ αὐτοῖς ἡ καταστροφή, ὠδῖνες δὲ αὐτοὺς ἕξουσιν ἀπὸ ὀργῆς.

18 ἔσονται δὲ ὥσπερ ἄχυρα ὑπ᾿ ἀνέμου ἢ ὥσπερ κονιορτός, ὃν ὑφείλετο λαῖλαψ.

19 ἐκλίποι υἱοὺς τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ, ἀνταποδώσει πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ γνώσεται.

20 ἴδοισαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σφαγήν, ἀπὸ δὲ Κυρίου μὴ διασωθείη·

21 ὅτι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ἐν οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀριθμοὶ μηνῶν αὐτοῦ διῃρέθησαν.

22 πότερον οὐχὶ ὁ Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ διδάσκων σύνεσιν καὶ ἐπιστήμην; αὐτὸς δὲ φόνους διακρινεῖ;

23 οὗτος ἀποθανεῖται ἐν κράτει ἁπλοσύνης αὐτοῦ, ὅλος δὲ εὐπαθῶν καὶ εὐθηνῶν·

24 τὰ δὲ ἔγκατα αὐτοῦ πλήρη στέατος, μυελὸς δὲ αὐτοῦ διαχεῖται.

25 ὁ δὲ τελευτᾷ ὑπὸ πικρίας ψυχῆς, οὐ φαγὼν οὐδὲν ἀγαθόν.

26 ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ ἐπὶ γῆς κοιμῶνται, σαπρία δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐκάλυψεν.

27 ὥστε οἶδα ὑμᾶς ὅτι τόλμῃ ἐπίκεισθέ μοι·

28 ὥστε ἐρεῖτε· ποῦ ἐστιν οἶκος ἄρχοντος; καὶ ποῦ ἐστιν ἡ σκέπη τῶν σκηνωμάτων τῶν ἀσεβῶν;

 

29 ἐρωτήσατε παραπορευομένους ὁδόν, καὶ τὰ σημεῖα αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀπαλλοτριώσετε·

30 ὅτι εἰς ἡμέραν ἀπωλείας κουφίζεται ὁ πονηρός, εἰς ἡμέραν ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ ἀπαχθήσονται.

31 τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ ἐπὶ προσώπου αὐτοῦ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ; καὶ αὐτὸς ἐποίησε, τίς ἀνταποδώσει αὐτῷ;

32 καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς τάφους ἀπηνέχθη καὶ ἐπὶ σωρῶν ἠγρύπνησεν.

33 ἐγλυκάνθησαν αὐτῷ χάλικες χειμάρρου, καὶ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ἀπελεύσεται, καὶ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ ἀναρίθμητοι.

34 πῶς δὲ παρακαλεῖτέ με κενά; τὸ δὲ ἐμὲ καταπαύσασθαι ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν οὐδέν.


22

ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ ᾿Ελιφὰζ ὁ Θαιμανίτης λέγει·

2 πότερον οὐχὶ ὁ Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ διδάσκων σύνεσιν καὶ ἐπιστήμην;

3 τί γὰρ μέλει τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἐὰν σὺ ἦσθα τοῖς ἔργοις ἄμεμπτος; ἢ ὠφέλεια, ὅτι ἁπλώσεις τὴν ὁδόν σου;

 

4 ἦ λόγον σου ποιούμενος ἐλέγξει σε, καὶ συνεισελεύσεταί σοι εἰς κρίσιν;

5 πότερον οὐχ ἡ κακία σού ἐστι πολλή, ἀναρίθμητοι δὲ σού εἰσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι;

6 ἠνεχύραζες δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου διακενῆς, ἀμφίασιν δὲ γυμνῶν ἀφείλου·

 

7 οὐδὲ ὕδωρ διψῶντας ἐπότισας, ἀλλὰ πεινώντων ἐστέρησας ψωμόν·

8 ἐθαύμασας δέ τινων πρόσωπον, ᾤκισας δὲ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

 

9 χήρας δὲ ἐξαπέστειλας κενάς, ὀρφανοὺς δὲ ἐκάκωσας.

10 τοιγαροῦν ἐκύκλωσάν σε παγίδες, καὶ ἐσπούδασέ σε πόλεμος ἐξαίσιος.

11 τὸ φῶς σοι σκότος ἀπέβη, κοιμηθέντα δὲ ὕδωρ σε ἐκάλυψε.

12 μὴ οὐχὶ ὁ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ναίων ἐφορᾷ; τοὺς δὲ ὕβρει φερομένους ἐταπείνωσε;

13 καὶ εἶπας· τί ἔγνω ὁ ἰσχυρός; ἦ κατὰ τοῦ γνόφου κρινεῖ;

14 νεφέλη ἀποκρυφὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐχ ὁραθήσεται καὶ γῦρον οὐρανοῦ διαπορεύεται.

15 μὴ τρίβον αἰώνιον φυλάξεις, ἣν ἐπάτησαν ἄνδρες δίκαιοι,

16 οἳ συνελήφθησαν ἄωροι; ποταμὸς ἐπιρρέων οἱ θεμέλιοι αὐτῶν,

17 οἱ λέγοντες· Κύριος τί ποιήσει ἡμῖν; ἢ τί ἐπάξεται ἡμῖν ὁ Παντοκράτωρ;

18 ὃς δὲ ἐνέπλησε τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀγαθῶν, βουλὴ δὲ ἀσεβῶν πόρρω ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

19 ἰδόντες δίκαιοι ἐγέλασαν, ἄμεμπτος δὲ ἐμυκτήρισεν.

20 εἰ μὴ ἠφανίσθη ἡ ὑπόστασις αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ κατάλειμμα αὐτῶν καταφάγεται πῦρ.

21 γενοῦ δὴ σκληρός, ἐὰν ὑπομείνῃς· εἶτα ὁ καρπός σου ἔσται ἐν ἀγαθοῖς.

22 ἔκλαβε δὲ ἐκ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἐξηγορίαν καὶ ἀνάλαβε τὰ ρήματα αὐτοῦ ἐν καρδίᾳ σου.

23 ἐὰν δὲ ἐπιστραφῇς καὶ ταπεινώσῃς σεαυτὸν ἔναντι Κυρίου, πόρρω ἐποίησας ἀπὸ διαίτης σου ἄδικον.

24 θήσῃ ἐπὶ χώματι ἐν πέτρᾳ καὶ ὡς πέτρα χειμάρρου Σωφίρ.

25 ἔσται οὖν σου ὁ Παντοκράτωρ βοηθὸς ἀπὸ ἐχθρῶν, καθαρὸν δὲ ἀποδώσει σε ὥσπερ ἀργύριον πεπυρωμένον.

26 εἶτα παρρησιασθήσῃ ἐναντίον Κυρίου ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἱλαρῶς·

27 εὐξαμένου δέ σου πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰσακούσεταί σου, δώσει δέ σοι ἀποδοῦναι τὰς εὐχάς·

28 ἀποκαταστήσει δέ σοι δίαιταν δικαιοσύνης, ἐπὶ δὲ ὁδοῖς σου ἔσται φέγγος.

29 ὅτι ἐταπείνωσας σεαυτόν, καὶ ἐρεῖς· ὑπερηφανεύσατο, καὶ κύφοντα ὀφθαλμοῖς σώσει.

 

30 ρύσεται ἀθῷον, καὶ διασώθητι ἐν καθαραῖς χερσί σου.


23

ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ ᾿Ιὼβ λέγει·

2 καὶ δὴ οἶδα ὅτι ἐκ χειρός μου ἡ ἔλεγξίς ἐστι, καὶ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ βαρεῖα γέγονεν ἐπ᾿ ἐμῷ στεναγμῷ.

3 τίς δ᾿ ἄρα γνοίη ὅτι εὕροιμι αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλθοιμι εἰς τέλος;

4 εἴποιμι δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ κρίμα, τὸ δὲ στόμα μου ἐμπλήσαι ἐλέγχων·

5 γνοίην δὲ ἰάματα, ἅ μοι ἐρεῖ, αἰσθοίμην δέ τίνα μοι ἀπαγγελεῖ.

 

6 καὶ ἐν πολλῇ ἰσχύϊ ἐπελεύσεταί μοι, εἶτα ἐν ἀπειλῇ μοι οὐ χρήσεται·

7 ἀλήθεια γὰρ καὶ ἔλεγχος παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἐξαγάγοι δὲ εἰς τέλος τὸ κρίμα μου·

8 εἰς γὰρ πρῶτα πορεύσομαι καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμί· τὰ δὲ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτοις τί οἶδα;

9 ἀριστερὰ ποιήσαντος αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ κατέσχον· περιβαλεῖ δεξιά, καὶ οὐκ ὄψεται.

 

10 εἶδε γὰρ ἤδη ὁδόν μου, διέκρινε δέ με ὥσπερ τὸ χρυσίον.

11 ἐξελεύσομαι δὲ ἐν ἐντάλμασιν αὐτοῦ, ὁδοὺς γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐφύλαξα καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκκλίνω  ἀπὸ ἐνταλμάτων αὐτοῦ

12 καὶ οὐ μὴ παρέλθω, ἐν δὲ κόλπῳ μου ἔκρυψα ρήματα αὐτοῦ.

13 εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔκρινεν οὕτως, τίς ἐστιν ὁ ἀντειπὼν αὐτῷ; ὃ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἠθέλησε, καὶ ἐποίησε.

14 διὰ τοῦτο ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ἐσπούδακα, νουθετούμενος δὲ ἐφρόντισα αὐτοῦ.

15 ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ κατασπουδασθῶ· κατανοήσω καὶ πτοηθήσομαι ἐξ αὐτοῦ.

16 Κύριος δὲ ἐμαλάκυνε τὴν καρδίαν μου, ὁ δὲ Παντοκράτωρ ἐσπούδασέ με·

17 οὐ γὰρ ᾔδειν ὅτι ἐπελεύσεταί μοι σκότος, πρὸ προσώπου δέ μου ἐκάλυψε γνόφος.


24

ΔΙΑΤΙ δὲ Κύριον ἔλαθον ὧραι,

2 ἀσεβεῖς δὲ ὅριον ὑπερέβησαν ποίμνιον σὺν ποιμένι ἁρπάσαντες;

3 ὑποζύγιον ὀρφανῶν ἀπήγαγον καὶ βοῦν χήρας ἠνεχύρασαν.

4 ἐξέκλιναν ἀδυνάτους ἐξ ὁδοῦ δικαίας, ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ ἐκρύβησαν πρᾳεῖς γῆς.

 

5 ἀπέβησαν δὲ ὥσπερ ὄνοι ἐν ἀγρῷ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ ἐξελθόντες τὴν ἑαυτῶν τάξιν· ἡδύνθη αὐτῷ ἄρτος εἰς νεωτέρους.

6 ἀγρὸν πρὸ ὥρας οὐκ αὐτῶν ὄντα ἐθέρισαν· ἀδύνατοι ἀμπελῶνας ἀσεβῶν ἀμισθὶ καὶ ἀσιτὶ εἰργάσαντο.

 

7 γυμνοὺς πολλοὺς ἐκοίμησαν ἄνευ ἱματίων, ἀμφίασιν δὲ ψυχῆς αὐτῶν ἀφείλαντο.

 

8 ἀπὸ ψεκάδων ὀρέων ὑγραίνονται, παρὰ τὰ μὴ ἔχειν ἑαυτοὺς σκέπην, πέτραν περιεβάλοντο.

9 ἥρπασαν ὀρφανὸν ἀπὸ μαστοῦ, ἐκπεπτωκότα δὲ ἐταπείνωσαν.

10 γυμνοὺς δὲ ἐκοίμησαν ἀδίκως, πεινώντων δὲ τὸν ψωμὸν ἀφείλαντο.

 

11 ἐν στενοῖς ἀδίκως ἐνήδρευσαν, ὁδὸν δὲ δικαίαν οὐκ ᾔδεισαν.

12 οἳ ἐκ πόλεως καὶ οἴκων ἰδίων ἐξεβάλοντο, ψυχὴ δὲ νηπίων ἐστέναξε μέγα.

 

13 αὐτὸς δὲ διατί τούτων ἐπισκοπὴν οὐ πεποίηται; ἐπὶ γῆς ὄντων αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν, ὁδὸν δὲ δικαιοσύνης οὐκ ᾔδεισαν, οὐδὲ ἀτραποὺς αὐτῶν ἐπορεύθησαν.

14 γνοὺς δὲ αὐτῶν τὰ ἔργα παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς σκότος, καὶ νυκτὸς ἔσται ὡς κλέπτης.

15 καὶ ὀφθαλμὸς μοιχοῦ ἐφύλαξε σκότος λέγων· οὐ προνοήσει με ὀφθαλμός, καὶ ἀποκρυβὴν προσώπου ἔθετο.

16 διώρυξεν ἐν σκότει οἰκίας· ἡμέρας ἐσφράγισαν ἑαυτούς, οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν φῶς.

17 ὅτι ὁμοθυμαδὸν αὐτοῖς τὸ πρωΐ σκιὰ θανάτου, ὅτι ἐπιγνώσεται τάραχος σκιᾶς θανάτου.

 

18 ἐλαφρός ἐστιν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ὕδατος, καταραθείη ἡ μερὶς αὐτῶν ἐπὶ γῆς, ἀναφανείη δὲ τὰ φυτὰ αὐτῶν

19 ἐπὶ γῆς ξηρά· ἀγκαλίδα γὰρ ὀρφανῶν ἥρπασαν.

20 εἶτ᾿ ἀνεμνήσθη αὐτοῦ ἡ ἁμαρτία, ὥσπερ δὲ ὁμίχλη δρόσου ἀφανὴς ἐγένετο· ἀποδοθείη δὲ αὐτῷ ἃ ἔπραξε, συντριβείη δὲ πᾶς ἄδικος ἴσα ξύλῳ ἀνιάτῳ.

21 στεῖραν δὲ οὐκ εὖ ἐποίησε καὶ γύναιον οὐκ ἠλέησε,

22 θυμῷ δὲ κατέστρεψεν ἀδυνάτους. ἀναστὰς τοιγαροῦν οὐ μὴ πιστεύσῃ κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ζωῆς.

 

23 μαλακισθεὶς μὴ ἐλπιζέτω ὑγιασθῆναι, ἀλλὰ πεσεῖται νόσῳ·

24 πολλοὺς γὰρ ἐκάκωσε τὸ ὕψωμα αὐτοῦ, ἐμαράνθη δὲ ὥσπερ μολόχη ἐν καύματι ἢ ὥσπερ στάχυς ἀπὸ καλάμης αὐτόματος ἀποπεσών.

25 εἰ δὲ μή, τίς ἐστιν ὁ φάμενος ψευδῆ με λέγειν καὶ θήσει εἰς οὐδὲν τὰ ρήματά μου;


25

ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ Βαλδὰδ ὁ Σαυχίτης λέγει·

2 τί γὰρ προοίμιον ἢ φόβος παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ὁ ποιῶν τὴν σύμπασαν ἐν ὑψίστῳ;

3 μὴ γάρ τις ὑπολάβοι ὅτι ἐστὶ παρέκλυσις πειραταῖς, ἐπὶ τίνας δὲ οὐκ ἐπελεύσεται ἔνεδρα παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ;

4 πῶς γὰρ ἔσται δίκαιος βροτὸς ἔναντι Κυρίου; ἢ τίς ἂν ἀποκαθαρίσαι αὐτὸν γεννητὸς γυναικός;

5 εἰ σελήνῃ συντάσσει, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιφαύσκει, ἄστρα δὲ οὐ καθαρὰ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ.

6 ἔα δέ, ἄνθρωπος σαπρία καὶ υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου σκώληξ.


26

ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ ᾿Ιὼβ λέγει·

2 τίνι πρόσκεισαι ἢ τίνι μέλλεις βοηθεῖν; πότερον, οὐχ ᾧ πολλὴ ἰσχὺς καὶ ᾧ βραχίων κραταιός ἐστι;

 

3 τίνι συμβεβούλευσαι; οὐχ ᾧ πᾶσα σοφία; τίνι ἐπακολουθήσεις; οὐχ ᾧ μεγίστη δύναμις;

 

4 τίνι ἀνήγγειλας ρήματα; πνοὴ δὲ τίνος ἐστὶν ἡ ἐλθοῦσα ἐκ σοῦ;

5 μὴ γίγαντες μαιωθήσονται ὑποκάτωθεν ὕδατος καὶ τῶν γειτόνων αὐτοῦ;

6 γυμνὸς ὁ ᾅδης ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι περιβόλαιον τῇ ἀπωλείᾳ.

7 ἐκτείνων βορέαν ἐπ᾿ οὐδέν, κρεμάζων γῆν ἐπὶ οὐδενός·

8 δεσμεύων ὕδωρ ἐν νεφέλαις αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐρράγη νέφος ὑποκάτω αὐτοῦ·

9 ὁ κρατῶν πρόσωπον θρόνου, ἐκπετάζων ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν νέφος αὐτοῦ.

10 πρόσταγμα ἐγύρωσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ὕδατος μέχρι συντελείας φωτὸς μετὰ σκότους.

 

11 στῦλοι οὐρανοῦ ἐπετάσθησαν καὶ ἐξέστησαν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιτιμήσεως αὐτοῦ.

12 ἰσχύϊ κατέπαυσε τὴν θάλασσαν, ἐπιστήμῃ δὲ ἔστρωσε τὸ κῆτος·

13 κλεῖθρα δὲ οὐρανοῦ δεδοίκασιν αὐτόν, προστάγματι δὲ ἐθανάτωσε δράκοντα ἀποστάτην.

14 ἰδοὺ ταῦτα μέρη ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ ἰκμάδα λόγου ἀκουσόμεθα ἐν αὐτῷ· σθένος δὲ βροντῆς αὐτοῦ τίς οἶδεν ὁπότε ποιήσει;

 

 
27

ΕΤΙ δὲ προσθεὶς ᾿Ιὼβ εἶπε τῷ προοιμίῳ·

2 ζῇ ὁ Θεός, ὃς οὕτω με κέκρικε, καὶ ὁ Παντοκράτωρ ὁ πικράνας μου τὴν ψυχήν.

3 ἦ μὴν ἔτι τῆς πνοῆς μου ἐνούσης, πνεῦμα δὲ θεῖον τὸ περιόν μοι ἐν ρινί,

4 μὴ λαλήσειν τὰ χείλη μου ἄνομα, οὐδὲ ἡ ψυχή μου μελετήσει ἄδικα

5 μή μοι εἴη δικαίους ὑμᾶς ἀποφῆναι, ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνω, οὐ γὰρ ἀπολλάξω μου τὴν ἀκακίαν μου.

6 δικαιοσύνῃ δὲ προσέχων οὐ μὴν προῶμαι, οὐ γὰρ σύνοιδα ἐμαυτῷ ἄτοπα πράξας.

 

7 οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ εἴησαν οἱ ἐχθροί μου ὥσπερ ἡ καταστροφὴ τῶν ἀσεβῶν, καὶ οἱ ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἐπανιστάμενοι, ὥσπερ ἡ ἀπώλεια τῶν παρανόμων.

8 καὶ τίς γάρ ἐστιν ἐλπὶς ἀσεβεῖ ὅτι ἐπέχει; πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ Κύριον ἄρα σωθήσεται;

9 ἦ τὴν δέησιν αὐτοῦ εἰσακούσεται ὁ Θεός; ἢ ἐπελθούσης αὐτῷ ἀνάγκης

10 μὴ ἔχει τινὰ παρρησίαν ἔναντι αὐτοῦ; ἢ ὡς ἐπικαλεσαμένου αὐτοῦ εἰσακούσεται αὐτοῦ,

11 ἀλλὰ δὴ ἀναγγελῶ ὑμῖν τί ἐστιν ἐν χειρὶ Κυρίου, ἅ ἐστι παρὰ Παντοκράτορι, οὐ ψεύσομαι.

 

12 ἰδοὺ πάντες οἴδατε ὅτι κενὰ κενοῖς ἐπιβάλλετε.

 

13 αὕτη ἡ μερὶς ἀνθρώπου ἀσεβοῦς παρὰ Κυρίου, κτῆμα δὲ δυναστῶν ἐλεύσεται παρὰ Παντοκράτορος ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς.

14 ἐὰν δὲ πολλοὶ γένωνται οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ, εἰς σφαγὴν ἔσονται· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ἀνδρωθῶσι, προσαιτήσουσιν·

15 οἱ δὲ περιόντες αὐτοῦ ἐν θανάτῳ τελευτήσουσι, χήρας δὲ αὐτῶν οὐδεὶς ἐλεήσει.

16 ἐὰν συναγάγῃ ὥσπερ γῆν ἀργύριον, ἴσα δὲ πηλῷ ἑτοιμάσῃ χρυσίον,

17 ταῦτα πάντα δίκαιοι περιποιήσονται, τὰ δὲ χρήματα αὐτοῦ ἀληθινοὶ καθέξουσιν.

18 ἀπέβη δὲ οἱ οἶκος αὐτοῦ ὥσπερ σῆτες καὶ ὥσπερ ἀράχνη.

19 πλούσιος κοιμηθήσεται καὶ οὐ προσθήσει, ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ διήνοιξε, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι.

20 συνήντησαν αὐτῷ ὥσπερ ὕδωρ αἱ ὀδύναι, νυκτὶ δὲ ὑφείλετο αὐτὸν γνόφος·

21 ἀναλήψεται δὲ αὐτὸν καύσων καὶ ἀπελεύσεται, καὶ λικμήσει αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτοῦ.

22 καὶ ἐπιρρίψει ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν καὶ οὐ φείσεται, ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτοῦ φυγῇ φεύξεται.

23 κροτήσει ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ καὶ συριεῖ αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτοῦ.


28

ΕΣΤΙ γὰρ ἀργυρίῳ τόπος, ὅθεν γίνεται, τόπος δὲ χρυσίου, ὅθεν διηθεῖται.

2 σίδηρος μὲν γὰρ ἐκ γῆς γίνεται, χαλκὸς δὲ ἴσα λίθῳ λατομεῖται.

3 τάξιν ἔθετο σκότει, καὶ πᾶν πέρας αὐτὸς ἐξακριβάζεται, λίθος σκοτία καὶ σκιὰ θανάτου.

 

4 διακοπὴ χειμάρρου ἀπὸ κονίας, οἱ δὲ ἐπιλανθανόμενοι ὁδὸν δικαίαν ἠσθένησαν, ἐκ βροτῶν ἐσαλεύθησαν.

5 γῆ, ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐξελεύσεται ἄρτος, ὑποκάτω αὐτῆς ἐστράφη ὡσεὶ πῦρ.

6 τόπος σαπφείρου οἱ λίθοι αὐτῆς, καὶ χῶμα χρυσίον αὐτῷ.

7 τρίβος, οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτὴν πετεινόν, καὶ οὐ παρέβλεψεν αὐτὴν ὀφθαλμὸς γυπός·

8 καὶ οὐκ ἐπάτησαν αὐτὸν υἱοὶ ἀλαζόνων, οὐ παρῆλθεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς λέων.

9 ἐν ἀκροτόμῳ ἐξέτεινε χεῖρα αὐτοῦ, κατέστρεψε δὲ ἐκ ριζῶν ὄρη·

10 δίνας δὲ ποταμῶν διέρρηξε, πᾶν δὲ ἔντιμον εἶδέ μου ὁ ὀφθαλμός.

11 βάθη δὲ ποταμῶν ἀνεκάλυψεν, ἔδειξε δὲ αὐτοῦ δύναμιν εἰς φῶς.

12 ἡ δὲ σοφία πόθεν εὑρέθη; ποῖος δὲ τόπος ἐστὶ τῆς ἐπιστήμης;

13 οὐκ οἶδε βροτὸς ὁδὸν αὐτῆς, οὐδὲ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ἐν ἀνθρώποις.

14 ἄβυσσος εἶπεν· οὐκ ἔνεστιν ἐν ἐμοί· καὶ ἡ θάλασσα εἶπεν· οὐκ ἔστι μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ.

15 οὐ δώσει συγκλεισμὸν ἀντ᾿ αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐ σταθήσεται ἀργύριον ἀντάλλαγμα αὐτῆς·

16 καὶ οὐ συμβασταχθήσεται χρυσίῳ ᾿Ωφίρ, ἐν ὄνυχι τιμίῳ καὶ σαπφείρῳ·

17 οὐκ ἰσωθήσεται αὐτῇ χρυσίον καὶ ὕαλος καὶ τὸ ἄλλαγμα αὐτῆς σκεύη χρυσᾶ·

18 μετέωρα καὶ γαβὶς οὐ μνησθήσεται, καὶ ἕλκυσον σοφίαν ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐσώτατα·

19 οὐκ ἰσωθήσεται αὐτῇ τοπάζιον Αἰθιοπίας, χρυσίῳ καθαρῷ οὐ συμβασταχθήσεται.

20 ἡ δὲ σοφία πόθεν εὑρέθη; ποῖος δὲ τόπος ἐστὶ τῆς συνέσεως;

21 λέληθε πάντα ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀπὸ πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐκρύβη·

22 ἡ ἀπώλεια καὶ ὁ θάνατος εἶπαν· ἀκηκόαμεν δὲ αὐτῆς τὸ κλέος.

23 ὁ Θεὸς εὖ συνέστησεν αὐτῆς τὴν ὁδόν, αὐτὸς δὲ οἶδε τὸν τόπον αὐτῆς·

24 αὐτὸς γὰρ τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν πᾶσαν ἐφορᾷ εἰδὼς τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ πάντα, ἃ ἐποίησεν,

25 ἀνέμων σταθμὸν ὕδατος μέτρα·

26 ὅτι ἐποίησεν οὕτως, ἰδὼν ἠρίθμησε καὶ ὁδὸν ἐν τινάγματι φωνάς·

27 τότε εἶδεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐξηγήσατο αὐτήν, ἑτοιμάσας ἐξιχνίασεν.

28 εἶπε δὲ ἀνθρώπῳ· ἰδοὺ ἡ θεοσέβειά ἐστι σοφία, τὸ δὲ ἀπέχεσθαι ἀπὸ κακῶν ἐστιν ἐπιστήμη.


29

ΕΤΙ δὲ προσθεὶς ᾿Ιὼβ εἶπε τῷ προοιμίῳ·

2 τίς ἄν με θείη κατὰ μῆνα ἔμπροσθεν ἡμερῶν, ὧν με ὁ Θεὸς ἐφύλαξεν;

3 ὡς ὅτε ηὔγει ὁ λύχνος αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς μου, ὅτε τῷ φωτὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπορευόμην ἐν σκότει·

4 ὅτε ἤμην ἐπιβρίθων ὁδούς, ὅτε ὁ Θεὸς ἐπισκοπὴν ἐποιεῖτο τοῦ οἴκου μου·

5 ὅτε ἤμην ὑλώδης λίαν, κύκλῳ δέ μου οἱ παῖδες·

 

6 ὅτε ἐχέοντο αἱ ὁδοί μου βουτύρῳ, τὰ δὲ ὄρη μου ἐχέοντο γάλακτι·

7 ὅτε ἐξεπορευόμην ὄρθιος ἐν πόλει, ἐν δὲ πλατείαις ἐτίθετό μου ὁ δίφρος.

8 ἰδόντες με νεανίσκοι ἐκρύβησαν, πρεσβῦται δὲ πάντες ἔστησαν·

9 ἁδροὶ δὲ ἐπαύσαντο λαλοῦντες, δάκτυλον ἐπιθέντες ἐπὶ στόματι.

10 οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ἐμακάρισάν με, καὶ γλῶσσα αὐτῶν τῷ λάρυγγι αὐτῶν ἐκολλήθη·

11 ὅτι οὖς ἤκουσε καὶ ἐμακάρισέ με, ὀφθαλμὸς δὲ ἰδών με ἐξέκλινε·

12 διέσωσα γὰρ πτωχὸν ἐκ χειρὸς δυνάστου καὶ ὀρφανῷ, ᾧ οὐκ ἦν βοηθός, ἐβοήθησα.

 

13 εὐλογία ἀπολλυμένου ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἔλθοι, στόμα δὲ χήρας με εὐλόγησε.

14 δικαιοσύνην δὲ ἐνδεδύκειν, ἠμφιασάμην δὲ κρίμα ἴσα διπλοΐδι.

15 ὀφθαλμὸς ἤμην τυφλῶν, ποὺς δὲ χωλῶν.

16 ἐγὼ ἤμην πατὴρ ἀδυνάτων, δίκην δὲ ἣν οὐκ ᾔδειν ἐξιχνίασα·

17 συνέτριψα δὲ μύλας ἀδίκων, ἐκ μέσου τῶν ὀδόντων αὐτῶν ἅρπαγμα ἐξήρπασα.

18 εἶπα δέ· ἡ ἡλικία μου γηράσει ὥσπερ στέλεχος φοίνικος, πολὺν χρόνον βιώσω·

19 ἡ ρίζα διήνοικται ἐπὶ ὕδατος, καὶ δρόσος αὐλισθήσεται ἐν τῷ θερισμῷ μου·

20 ἡ δόξα μου κενὴ μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ τὸ τόξον μου ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ πορεύεται.

21 ἐμοῦ ἀκούσαντες προσέσχον, ἐσιώπησαν δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ ἐμῇ βουλῇ·

22 ἐπὶ τῷ ἐμῷ ρήματι οὐ προσέθεντο, περιχαρεῖς δὲ ἐγίνοντο ὁπόταν αὐτοῖς ἐλάλουν·

23 ὥσπερ γῆ διψῶσα προσδεχομένη τὸν ὑετόν, οὕτως οὗτοι τὴν ἐμὴν λαλιάν.

24 ἐὰν γελάσω πρὸς αὐτούς, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσωσι, καὶ φῶς τοῦ προσώπου μου οὐκ ἀπέπιπτεν·

25 ἐξελεξάμην ὁδὸν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκάθισα ἄρχων καὶ κατεσκήνουν ὡσεὶ βασιλεὺς ἐν μονοζώνοις ὃν τρόπον παθεινοὺς παρακαλῶν.


30

ΝΥΝΙ δὲ κατεγέλασάν μου ἐλάχιστοι, νῦν νουθετοῦσί με ἐν μέρει ὧν ἐξουδένουν τοὺς πατέρας αὐτῶν, οὓς οὐχ ἡγησάμην ἀξίους κυνῶν τῶν ἐμῶν νομάδων.

2 καί γε ἰσχὺς χειρῶν αὐτῶν ἱνατί μοι; ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἀπώλετο συντέλεια.

3 ἐν ἐνδείᾳ καὶ λιμῷ ἄγονος· οἱ φεύγοντες ἄνυδρον ἐχθὲς συνοχὴν καὶ ταλαιπωρίαν,

4 οἱ περικυκλοῦντες ἅλιμα ἐπὶ ἠχοῦντι, οἵτινες ἅλιμα ἦν αὐτῶν τὰ σῖτα, ἄτιμοι δὲ καὶ πεφαυλισμένοι, ἐνδεεῖς παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ, οἳ καὶ ρίζας ξύλων ἐμασσῶντο ὑπὸ λιμοῦ μεγάλου.

 

5 ἐπανέστησάν μοι κλέπται,

6 ὧν οἱ οἶκοι αὐτῶν ἦσαν τρῶγλαι πετρῶν,

 

7 ἀνὰ μέσον εὐήχων βοήσονται· οἳ ὑπὸ φρύγανα ἄγρια διῃτῶντο,

8 ἀφρόνων υἱοὶ καὶ ἀτίμων, ὄνομα καὶ κλέος ἐσβεσμένον ἀπὸ γῆς.

9 νυνὶ δὲ κιθάρα ἐγώ εἰμι αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐμὲ θρύλλημα ἔχουσιν·

10 ἐβδελύξαντο δέ με ἀποστάντες μακρὰν ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ προσώπου μου οὐκ ἐφείσαντο πτύελον.

11 ἀνοίξας γὰρ φαρέτραν αὐτοῦ ἐκάκωσέ με, καὶ χαλινὸν τοῦ προσώπου μου ἐξαπέστειλαν.

12 ἐπὶ δεξιῶν βλαστοῦ ἐξανέστησαν, πόδα αὐτῶν ἐξέτειναν καὶ ὡδοποίησαν ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ τρίβους ἀπωλείας αὐτῶν.

13 ἐξετρίβησαν τρίβοι μου, ἐξέδυσαν γάρ μου τὴν στολήν· βέλεσιν αὐτοῦ κατηκόντισέ με,

14 κέχρηται δέ μοι ὡς βούλεται, ἐν ὀδύναις πέφυρμαι.

15 ἐπιστρέφονταί μου αἱ ὀδύναι, ᾤχετό μου ἡ ἐλπὶς ὥσπερ πνεῦμα καὶ ὥσπερ νέφος ἡ σωτηρία μου.

16 καὶ νῦν ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἐκχυθήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου, ἔχουσι δέ με ἡμέραι ὀδυνῶν·

17 νυκτί δέ μου τὰ ὀστᾶ συγκέχυται, τὰ δὲ νεῦρά μου διαλέλυται.

18 ἐν πολλῇ ἰσχύϊ ἐπελάβετό μου τῆς στολῆς, ὥσπερ τὸ περιστόμιον τοῦ χιτῶνός μου περιέσχε με.

19 ἥγησαι δέ με ἴσα πηλῷ, ἐν γῇ καὶ σποδῷ μου ἡ μερίς·

20 κέκραγα δὲ πρός σε καὶ οὐκ ἀκούεις μου, ἔστησαν δὲ καὶ κατενόησάν με·

21 ἐπέβης δέ μοι ἀνελεημόνως, χειρὶ κραταιᾷ με ἐμαστίγωσας·

22 ἔταξας δέ με ἐν ὀδύναις, καὶ ἀπέρριψάς με ἀπὸ σωτηρίας.

23 οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι θάνατός με ἐκτρίψει, οἰκία γὰρ παντὶ θνητῷ γῆ.

24 εἰ γὰρ ὄφελον δυναίμην ἐμαυτὸν χειρώσασθαι, ἢ δεηθείς γε ἑτέρου, καὶ ποιήσει μοι τοῦτο.

25 ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπὶ παντὶ ἀδυνάτῳ ἔκλαυσα, ἐστέναξα ἰδὼν ἄνδρα ἐν ἀνάγκαις.

26 ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπέχων ἀγαθοῖς, ἰδοὺ συνήντησάν μοι μᾶλλον ἡμέραι κακῶν.

27 ἡ κοιλία μου ἐξέζεσε καὶ οὐ σιωπήσεται, προέφθασάν με ἡμέραι πτωχείας.

28 στένων πεπόρευμαι ἄνευ φιμοῦ, ἕστηκα δὲ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ κεκραγώς.

29 ἀδελφὸς γέγονα σειρήνων, ἑταῖρος δὲ στρουθῶν.

30 τὸ δὲ δέρμα μου ἐσκότωται μεγάλως, τὰ δὲ ὀστᾶ μου ἀπὸ καύματος.

31 ἀπέβη δὲ εἰς πένθος μου ἡ κιθάρα, ὁ δὲ ψαλμός μου εἰς κλαυθμὸν ἐμοί.


 


 

    

 

    

       

JOB
 

21

But Job answered and said,

2 Hear ye, hear ye my words, that I may not have this consolation from you.

3 Raise me, and I will speak; then ye shall not laugh me to scorn.

4 What! is my reproof of man? and why should I not be angry?

5 Look upon me, and wonder, laying your hand upon your cheek.

6 For even when I remember, I am alarmed, and pains seize my flesh.

7 Wherefore do the ungodly live, and grow old even in wealth?

8 Their seed is according to their desire, and their children are in their sight.

9 Their houses are prosperous, neither have they any where cause for fear, neither is there a scourge from the Lord upon them.

10 Their cow does not cast her calf, and their beast with young is safe, and does not miscarry.

11 And they remain as an unfailing flock, and their children play before them,

12 taking up the psaltery and harp; and they rejoice at the voice of a song.

13 And they spend their days in wealth, and fall asleep in the rest of the grave.

14 Yet such a man says to the Lord, Depart from me; I desire not to know thy ways.

15 What is the Mighty One, that we should serve him? and what profit is there that we should approach him?

16 For their good things were in their hands, but he regards not the works of the ungodly.

17 Nevertheless, the lamp of the ungodly also shall be put out, and destruction shall come upon them, and pangs of vengeance shall seize them.

18 And they shall be as chaff before the wind, or as dust which the storm has taken up.

19 Let his substance fail to supply his children: God shall recompense him, and he shall know it.

20 Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him not be saved by the Lord.

21 For his desire is in his house with him, and the number of his months has been suddenly cut off.

22 Is it not the Lord who teaches understanding and knowledge? and does not he judge murders?

23 One shall die in his perfect strength, and wholly at ease and prosperous;

24 and his inwards are full of fat, and his marrow is diffused throughout him.

25 And another dies in bitterness of soul, not eating any good thing.

26 But they lie down in the earth together, and corruption covers them.

27 So I know you, that ye presumptuously attack me:

28 so that ye will say, Where is the house of the prince? and where is the covering of the tabernacles of the ungodly?

29 Ask those that go by the way, and do not disown their tokens.

30 For the wicked hastens to the day of destruction: they shall be led away for the day of his vengeance.

31 Who will tell him his way to his face, whereas he has done it? who shall recompense him?

32 And he has been led away to the tombs, and he has watched over the heaps.

33 The stones of the valley have been sweet to him, and every man shall depart after him, and there are innumerable ones before him.

34 How then do ye comfort me in vain? whereas I have no rest from your molestation.


22

Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,

2 Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?

3 For what matters it to the Lord, if thou wert blameless in thy works? or is it profitable that thou shouldest perfect thy way?

4 Wilt thou maintain and plead thine own cause? and will he enter into judgment with thee?

5 Is not thy wickedness abundant, and thy sins innumerable?

6 And thou hast taken security of thy brethren for nothing, and hast taken away the clothing of the naked.

7 Neither hast thou given water to the thirsty to drink, but hast taken away the morsel of the hungry.

8 And thou hast accepted the persons of some; and thou hast established those that were already settled on the earth.

9 But thou hast sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.

10 Therefore snares have compassed thee, and disastrous war has troubled thee.

11 The light has proved darkness to thee, and water has covered thee on thy lying down.

12 Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?

13 And thou has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?

14 A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle of heaven.

15 Wilt thou not mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?

16 who were seized before their time: their foundations are as an overflowing stream.

17 Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?

18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel for the wicked is far from him.

19 The righteous have seen it, and laughed, and the blameless one has derided them.

20 Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their property.

21 Be firm, I pray thee, if thou canst endure; then thy fruit shall prosper.

22 And receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

23 And if thou shalt turn and humble thyself before the Lord, thou hast thus removed unrighteousness far from thy habitation.

24 Thou shalt lay up for thyself treasure in a heap on the rock; and Sophir shall be as the rock of the torrent.

25 So the Almighty shall be thy helper from enemies, and he shall bring thee forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.

26 Then shalt thou have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.

27 And he shall hear thee when thou prayest to him, and he shall grant thee power to pay thy vows.

28 And he shall establish to thee again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon thy paths.

29 Because thou hast humbled thyself; and thou shalt say, Man has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.

30 He shall deliver the innocent, and do thou save thyself by thy pure hands.


23

Then Job answered and said,

2 Yea, I know that pleading is out of my reach; and his hand has been made heavy upon my groaning.

3 Who would then know that I might find him, and come to an end of the matter?

4 And I would plead my own cause, and he would fill my mouth with arguments.

5 And I would know the remedies which he would speak to me, and I would perceive what he would tell me.

6 Though he should come on me in his great strength, then he would not threaten me;

7 for truth and reproof are from him; and he would bring forth my judgment to an end.

8 For if I shall go first, and exist no longer, still what do I know concerning the latter end?

9 When he wrought on the left hand, then I observed it not: his right hand shall encompass me but I shall not see it.

10 For he knows already my way; and he has tried me as gold.

11 And I will go forth according to his commandments, for I have kept his ways; and I shall not turn aside from his commandments,

12 neither shall I transgress; but I have hid his words in my bosom.

13 And if too he has thus judged, who is he that has contradicted, for he has both willed a thing and done it.

14  Therefore am I troubled at him; and when I was reproved, I thought of him.

15 Therefore let me take good heed before him: I will consider, and be afraid of him.

 

16 But the Lord has softened my heart, and the Almighty has troubled me.

17 For I knew not that darkness would come upon me, and thick darkness has covered me before my face.

24

But why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,

2 while the ungodly have passed over the bound, carrying off the flock with the shepherd?

3 They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow’s ox for a pledge.

4 They have turned aside the weak from the right way: and the meek of the earth have hidden themselves together.

5 And they have departed like asses in the field, having gone forth on my account according to their own order: his bread is sweet to his little ones.

6 They have reaped a field that was not their own before the time: the poor have laboured in the vineyards of the ungodly without pay and without food.

7 They have caused many naked to sleep without clothes, and they have taken away the covering of their body.

8 They are wet with the drops of the mountains: they have embraced the rock, because they had no shelter.

9 They have snatched the fatherless from the breast, and have afflicted the outcast.

10 And they have wrongfully caused others to sleep without clothing, and taken away the morsel of the hungry.

11 They have unrighteously laid wait in narrow places, and have not known the righteous way.

12 Who have cast forth the poor from the city and their own houses, and the soul of the children has groaned aloud.

13 Why then has he not visited these? forasmuch as they were upon the earth, and took no notice, and they knew not the way of righteousness, neither have they walked in their appointed paths?

14 But having known their works, he delivered them into darkness: and in the night one will be as a thief:

15 and the eye of the adulterer has watched for the darkness, saying, Eye shall not perceive me, and he puts a covering on his face.

16 In darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.

17 For the morning is to them all as the shadow of death, for each will be conscious of the terror of the shadow of death.

18 He is swift on the face of the water: let his portion be cursed on the earth; and let their plants be laid bare.

19 Let them be withered upon the earth; for they have plundered the sheaves of the fatherless.

20 Then is his sin brought to remembrance, and he vanishes like a vapour of dew: but let what he has done be recompensed to him, and let every unrighteous one be crushed like rotten wood.

21 For he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.

22 And in wrath he has overthrown the helpless: therefore when he has arisen, a man will not feel secure of his own life.

23 When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover: but let him perish by disease.

24 For his exaltation has hurt many; but he has withered as mallows in the heat, or as an ear of corn falling off of itself from the stalk.

25 But if not, who is he that says I speak falsely, and will make my words of no account?


25

Then Baldad the Sauchite answered and said,

2 What beginning or fear is his—even he that makes all things in the highest?

3 For let none think that there is a respite for robbers: and upon whom will there not come a snare from him?

4 For how shall a mortal be just before the Lord? or who that is born of a woman shall purify himself?

5 If he gives an order to the moon, then it shines not; and the stars are not pure before him.

6 But alas! man is corruption, and the son of man a worm.


26

But Job answered and said,

2 To whom dost thou attach thyself, or whom art thou going to assist? is it not he that has much strength, and he who has a strong arm?

3 To whom hast thou given counsel? is it not to him who has all wisdom? whom wilt thou follow? is it not one who has the greatest power?

4 To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose breath is it that has come forth from thee?

5 Shall giants be born from under the water and the inhabitants thereof?

6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction has no covering.

7 He stretches out the north wind upon nothing, and he upon nothing hangs the earth;

8 binding water in his clouds, and the cloud is not rent under it.

9 He keeps back the face of his throne, stretching out his cloud upon it.

10 He has encompassed the face of the water by an appointed ordinance, until the end of light and darkness.

11 The pillars of heaven are prostrate and astonished at his rebuke.

12 He has calmed the sea with his might, and by his wisdom the whale has been overthrown.

13 And the barriers of heaven fear him, and by a command he has slain the apostate dragon.

14 Behold, these are parts of his way; and we will hearken to him at the least intimation of his word: but the strength of his thunder who knows, when he shall employ it?


27

And Job further continued and said in his parable,

2 As God lives, who has thus judge me; and the Almighty, who has embittered my soul;

3 verily, while my breath is yet in me, and the breath of God which remains to me is in my nostrils,

4 my lips shall not speak evil words, neither shall my soul meditate unrighteous thoughts.

5 Far be it from me that I should justify you till I die; for I will not let go my innocence,

 

6 but keeping fast to my righteousness I will by no means let it go: for I am not conscious to myself of having done any thing amiss.

7 Nay rather, but let mine enemies be as the overthrow of the ungodly, and they that rise up against me, as the destruction of transgressors.

 

8 For what is the hope of the ungodly, that he holds to it? will he indeed trust in the Lord and be saved?

9 Will God hear his prayer? or, when distress has come upon him,

10 has he any confidence before him? or will God hear him as he calls upon him?

11 Yet now I will tell you what is in the hand of the Lord: I will not lie concerning the things which are with the Almighty.

12 Behold, ye all know that ye are adding vanity to vanity.

13 This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of oppressors shall come upon them from the Almighty.

14 And if their children be many, they shall be for slaughter: and if they grow up, they shall beg.

 

15 And they that survive of him shall utterly perish, and no one shall pity their widows.

16 Even if he should gather silver as earth, and prepare gold as clay;

17 All these things shall the righteous gain, and the truehearted shall possess his wealth.

18 And his house is gone like moths, and like a spider’s web.

19 The rich man shall lie down, and shall not continue: he has opened his eyes, and he is not.

20 Pains have come upon him as water, and darkness has carried him away by night.

21 And a burning wind shall catch him, and he shall depart, and it shall utterly drive him out of his place.

 

22 And God shall cast trouble upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

23 He shall cause men to clap their hands against them, and shall hiss him out of his place.


28

For there is a place for the silver, whence it comes, and a place for the gold, whence it is refined.

2 For iron comes out of the earth, and brass is hewn out like stone.

3 He has set a bound to darkness, and he searches out every limit: a stone is darkness, and the shadow of death.

4 There is a cutting off the torrent by reason of dust: so they that forget the right way are weakened; they are removed from among men.

5 As for the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.

6 Her stones are the place of the sapphire: and her dust supplies man with gold.

7 There is a path, the fowl has not known it, neither has the eye of the vulture seen it:

8 neither have the sons of the proud trodden it, a lion has not passed upon it.

9 He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp rock, and turned up mountains by the roots:

10 and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers, and mine eye has seen every precious thing.

11 And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.

12 But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?

13 A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered among men.

14 The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.

15 One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.

16 Neither shall it be compared with gold of Sophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire.

17 Gold and crystal shall not be equalled to it, neither shall vessels of gold be its exchange.

18 Coral and fine pearl shall not be mentioned: but do thou esteem wisdom above the most precious things.

19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equalled to it; it shall not be compared with pure gold.

20 Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?

21 It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky.

22 Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it.

23 God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it.

24 For he surveys the whole earth under heaven, knowing the things in the earth: all that he has made;

25 the weight of the winds, the measures of the water.

26 When he made them, thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder.

27 Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it and traced it out.

28 And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding.


29

And Job continued and said in his parable,

2 Oh that I were as in months past, wherein God preserved me!

3 As when his lamp shone over my head; when by his light I walked through darkness.

4 As when I steadfastly pursued my ways, when God took care of my house.

5 When I was very fruitful, and my children were about me;

6 when my ways were moistened with butter, and the mountains flowed for me with milk.

7 When I went forth early in the city, and the seat was placed for me in the streets.

8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and all the old men stood up.

9 And the great men ceased speaking, and laid their finger on their mouth.

10 And they that heard me blessed me, and their tongue clave to their throat.

11 For the ear heard, and blessed me; and the eye saw me, and turned aside.

12 For I saved the poor out of the hand of the oppressor, and helped the fatherless who had no helper.

13 Let the blessing of the perishing one come upon me; yea, the mouth of the widow has blessed me.

14 Also I put on righteousness, and clothed myself with judgment like a mantle.

15 I was the eye of the blind, and the foot of the lame.

16 I was the father of the helpless; and I searched out the cause which I knew not.

17 And I broke the jaw-teeth of the unrighteous; I plucked the spoil out of the midst of their teeth.

18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm-tree; I shall live a long while.

19 My root was spread out by the water, and the dew would lodge on my crop.

20 My glory was fresh in me, and by bow prospered in his hand.

21 Men heard me, and gave heed, and they were silent at my counsel.

22 At my word they spoke not again, and they were very gland whenever I spoke to them.

23 As the thirsty earth expecting the rain, so they waited for my speech.

24 Were I to laugh on them, they would not believe it; and the light of my face has not failed.

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the midst of warriors, as one comforting mourners.


30

But now the youngest have laughed me to scorn, now they reprove me in their turn, whose fathers I set at nought; whom I did not deem worthy to be with my shepherd dogs.

2 Yea, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term of life was lost.

3 One is childless in want and famine, such as they that fled but lately the distress and misery of drought.

4 Who compass the salt places on the sounding shore, who had salt herbs for their food, and were dishonorable and of no repute, in want of every good thing; who also ate roots of trees by reason of great hunger.

5 Thieves have risen up against me,

6 whose houses were the caves of the rocks, who lived under the wild shrubs.

7 They will cry out among the rustling bushes.

 

8 They are sons of fools and vile men, whose name and glory are quenched from off the earth.

9 But now I am their music, and they have me for a by-word.

10 And they stood aloof and abhorred me, and spared not to spit in my face.

11 For he has opened his quiver and afflicted me: they also have cast off the restraint of my presence.

12 They have risen up against me on the right hand of their offspring; they have stretched out their foot, and directed against me the ways of their destruction.

13 My paths are ruined; for they have stripped off my raiment: he has shot at me with his weapons.

14 And he has pleaded against me as he will: I am overwhelmed with pains.

15 My pains return upon me; my hope is gone like the wind, and my safety as a cloud.

 

16 Even now my life shall be poured forth upon me; and days of anguish seize me.

17 And by night my bones are confounded; and my sinews are relaxed.

18 With great force my disease has taken hold of my garment: it has compassed me as the collar of my coat.

 

19 And thou hast counted me as clay; my portion in dust and ashes.

20 And I have cried to thee, but thou hearest me not: but they stood still, and observed me.

21 They attacked me also without mercy: thou hast scourged me with a strong hand.

22 And thou hast put me to grief, and hast cast me away from safety.

23 For I know that death will destroy me: for the earth is the house appointed for every mortal.

24 Oh then that I might lay hands upon myself, or at least ask another, and he should do this for me.

25 Yet I wept over every helpless man; I groaned when I saw a man in distress.

26 But I, when I waited for good things, behold, days of evils came the more upon me.

27 My belly boiled, and would not cease: the days of poverty prevented me.

28 I went mourning without restraint: and I have stood and cried out in the assembly.

29 I am become a brother of monsters, and a companion of ostriches.

30 And my skin has been greatly blackened, and my bones are burned with heat.

31 My harp also has been turned into mourning, and my song into my weeping.
 


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