Job 16

1Alors Job prit la parole et dit :

2J’ai souvent entendu de semblables harangues ; vous êtes tous d’insupportables consolateurs.

3Quand finiront ces vains discours ? Quel aiguillon t’excite à répliquer ?

4Moi aussi, je saurais parler comme vous, si vous étiez à ma place ; j’arrangerais de beaux discours à votre adresse, je secouerais la tête sur vous ;

5je vous encouragerais de la bouche, et vous auriez pour soulagement l’agitation de mes lèvres.

6Si je parle, ma douleur n’est pas adoucie ; si je me tais, en est-elle soulagée ?

7Aujourd’hui, hélas ! Dieu a épuisé mes forces… ô Dieu, tu as moissonné tous mes proches.

8Tu me garrottes… c’est un témoignage contre moi !… ma maigreur se lève contre moi, en face elle m’accuse.

9Sa colère me déchire et me poursuit, il grince des dents contre moi ; mon ennemi darde sur moi ses regards.

10Ils ouvrent leur bouche pour me dévorer, ils me frappent la joue avec outrage, ils se liguent tous ensemble pour me perdre.

11Dieu m’a livré au pervers, il m’a jeté entre les mains des méchants.

12J’étais en paix, et il m’a secoué, il m’a saisi par la nuque, et il m’a brisé. Il m’a posé en but à ses traits,

13ses flèches volent autour de moi ; il perce mes flancs sans pitié, il répand mes entrailles sur la terre ;

14il me fait brèche sur brèche, il fond sur moi comme un géant.

15J’ai cousu un sac sur ma peau, et j’ai roulé mon front dans la poussière.

16Mon visage est tout rouge de larmes, et l’ombre de la mort s’étend sur mes paupières,

17quoiqu’il n’y ait pas d’iniquités dans mes mains, et que ma prière soit pure.

18Ô terre, ne couvre point mon sang, et que mes cris s’élèvent librement !

19À cette heure même, voici que j’ai mon témoin dans le ciel, mon défenseur dans les hauts lieux.

20Mes amis se moquent de moi, c’est vers Dieu que pleurent mes yeux.

21Qu’il juge lui-même entre Dieu et l’homme, entre le fils de l’homme et son semblable !

22Car les années qui me sont comptés s’écoulent, et j’entre dans un sentier d’où je ne reviendrai pas.

1Respondens autem Job, dixit:

2[Audivi frequenter talia: consolatores onerosi omnes vos estis.

3Numquid habebunt finem verba ventosa? aut aliquid tibi molestum est, si loquaris?

4Poteram et ego similia vestri loqui, atque utinam esset anima vestra pro anima mea:

5consolarer et ego vos sermonibus, et moverem caput meum super vos;

6roborarem vos ore meo, et moverem labia mea, quasi parcens vobis.

7Sed quid agam? Si locutus fuero, non quiescet dolor meus, et si tacuero, non recedet a me.

8Nunc autem oppressit me dolor meus, et in nihilum redacti sunt omnes artus mei.

9Rugæ meæ testimonium dicunt contra me, et suscitatur falsiloquus adversus faciem meam, contradicens mihi.

10Collegit furorem suum in me, et comminans mihi, infremuit contra me dentibus suis: hostis meus terribilibus oculis me intuitus est.

11Aperuerunt super me ora sua, et exprobrantes percusserunt maxillam meam: satiati sunt pœnis meis.

12Conclusit me Deus apud iniquum, et manibus impiorum me tradidit.

13Ego ille quondam opulentus, repente contritus sum: tenuit cervicem meam, confregit me, et posuit me sibi quasi in signum.

14Circumdedit me lanceis suis; convulneravit lumbos meos: non pepercit, et effudit in terra viscera mea.

15Concidit me vulnere super vulnus: irruit in me quasi gigas.

16Saccum consui super cutem meam, et operui cinere carnem meam.

17Facies mea intumuit a fletu, et palpebræ meæ caligaverunt.

18Hæc passus sum absque iniquitate manus meæ, cum haberem mundas ad Deum preces.

19Terra, ne operias sanguinem meum, neque inveniat in te locum latendi clamor meus:

20ecce enim in cælo testis meus, et conscius meus in excelsis.

21Verbosi amici mei: ad Deum stillat oculus meus:

22atque utinam sic judicaretur vir cum Deo, quomodo judicatur filius hominis cum collega suo.

23Ecce enim breves anni transeunt, et semitam per quam non revertar ambulo.]

1Then Job answered, and said:

2I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.

3Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?

4I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul.

5I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.

6I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.

7But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.

8But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.

9My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.

10He 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.

11They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.

12God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

13I 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.

14He 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.

15He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.

16I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

17My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.

18These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.

19O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.

20For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

21My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.

22And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!

23For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.