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THE OLD TESTAMENT SEPTUAGINT GREEK / ENGLISH JOB CHAPTERS 1-10
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ΙΩΒ 1 ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ τις ἦν ἐν χώρᾳ τῇ Αὐσίτιδι, ᾧ ὄνομα ᾿Ιώβ, καὶ ἦν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ἀληθινός, ἄμεμπτος, δίκαιος, θεοσεβής, ἀπεχόμενος ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος. 2 ἐγένοντο δὲ αὐτῷ υἱοὶ ἑπτὰ καὶ θυγατέρες τρεῖς. 3 καὶ ἦν τὰ κτήνη αὐτοῦ πρόβατα ἑπτακισχίλια, κάμηλοι τρισχίλιαι, ζεύγη βοῶν πεντακόσια, θήλειαι ὄνοι νομάδες πεντακόσιαι, καὶ ὑπηρεσία πολλὴ σφόδρα καὶ ἔργα μεγάλα ἦν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· καὶ ἦν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος εὐγενὴς τῶν ἀφ᾿ ἡλίου ἀνατολῶν. 4 συμπορευόμενοι δὲ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐποιοῦσαν πότον καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, συμπαραλαμβάνοντες ἅμα καὶ τὰς τρεῖς ἀδελφὰς αὐτῶν ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν μετ᾿ αὐτῶν. 5 καὶ ὡς ἂν συνετελέσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ πότου, ἀπέστελλεν ᾿Ιὼβ καὶ ἐκαθάριζεν αὐτοὺς ἀνιστάμενος τὸ πρωΐ καὶ προσέφερε περὶ αὐτῶν θυσίας κατὰ τὸν ἀριθμὸν αὐτῶν καὶ μόσχον ἕνα περὶ ἁμαρτίας περὶ τῶν ψυχῶν αὐτῶν· ἔλεγε γὰρ ᾿Ιώβ· μή ποτε οἱ υἱοί μου ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ αὐτῶν κακὰ ἐνενόησαν πρὸς Θεόν. οὕτως οὖν ἐποίει ᾿Ιὼβ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας. 6 Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἦλθον οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ παραστῆναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ὁ διάβολος ἦλθε μετ᾿ αὐτῶν. 7 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ· πόθεν παραγέγονας; καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ διάβολος τῷ Κυρίῳ εἶπε· περιελθὼν τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσας τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν πάρειμι. 8 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος· προσέσχες τῇ διανοίᾳ σου κατὰ τοῦ παιδός μου ᾿Ιώβ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι κατ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἄνθρωπος ἄμεμπτος, ἀληθινός, θεοσεβής, ἀπεχόμενος ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος; 9 ἀπεκρίθη δὲ ὁ διάβολος καὶ εἶπεν ἐναντίον τοῦ Κυρίου· μὴ δωρεὰν ᾿Ιὼβ σέβεται τὸν Κύριον; 10 οὐ σὺ περιέφραξας τὰ ἔξω αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἔσω τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἔξω πάντων τῶν ὄντων αὐτοῦ κύκλῳ; τὰ δὲ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ εὐλόγησας καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτοῦ πολλὰ ἐποίησας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. 11 ἀλλὰ ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ ἅψαι πάντων, ὧν ἔχει· ἦ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει. 12 τότε εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ· ἰδοὺ πάντα, ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῷ, δίδωμι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἅψῃ. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου. 13 Καὶ ἦν ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη, οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ιὼβ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ ἔπινον οἶνον ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου. 14 καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος ἦλθε πρὸς ᾿Ιὼβ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τὰ ζεύγη τῶν βοῶν ἠροτρία, καὶ αἱ θήλειαι ὄνοι ἐβόσκοντο ἐχόμεναι αὐτῶν, 15 καὶ ἐλθόντες οἱ αἰχμαλωτεύοντες ᾐχμαλώτευσαν αὐτὰς καὶ τοὺς παῖδας ἀπέκτειναν ἐν μαχαίραις· σωθεὶς δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι. 16 ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος, ἦλθεν ἕτερος ἄγγελος καὶ εἶπε πρὸς ᾿Ιώβ· πῦρ ἔπεσεν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατέκαυσε τὰ πρόβατα καὶ τοὺς ποιμένας κατέφαγεν ὁμοίως· σωθεὶς δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι. 17 ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἦλθεν ἕτερος ἄγγελος καὶ εἶπε πρὸς ᾿Ιώβ· οἱ ἱππεῖς ἐποίησαν ἡμῖν κεφαλὰς τρεῖς καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν τὰς καμήλους καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν αὐτὰς καὶ τοὺς παῖδας ἀπέκτειναν ἐν μαχαίραις· ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι. 18 ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἄλλος ἄγγελος ἔρχεται λέγων τῷ ᾿Ιώβ· τῶν υἱῶν σου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων σου ἐσθιόντων καὶ πινόντων παρὰ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτῶν τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ, 19 ἐξαίφνης πνεῦμα μέγα ἐπῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ ἥψατο τῶν τεσσάρων γωνιῶν τῆς οἰκίας, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἡ οἰκία ἐπὶ τὰ παιδία σου, καὶ ἐτελεύτησαν· ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι. 20 Οὕτως ἀναστὰς ᾿Ιὼβ ἔρρηξε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκείρατο τὴν κώμην τῆς κεφαλῆς καὶ πεσὼν χαμαὶ προσεκύνησε τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ εἶπεν· 21 αὐτὸς γυμνὸς ἐξῆλθον ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου, γυμνὸς καὶ ἀπελεύσομαι ἐκεῖ· ὁ Κύριος ἔδωκεν, ὁ Κύριος ἀφείλατο· ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔδοξεν, οὕτω καὶ ἐγένετο· εἴη τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου εὐλογημένον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. 22 ᾿Εν τούτοις πᾶσι τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν αὐτῷ οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν ᾿Ιὼβ ἐναντίον τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκεν ἀφροσύνην τῷ Θεῷ.
ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ δὲ ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ παραστῆναι ἔναντι Κυρίου, καὶ ὁ διάβολος ἦλθεν ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν παραστῆναι ἐναντίον τοῦ Κυρίου. 2 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ· πόθεν σὺ ἔρχῃ; τότε εἶπεν ὁ διάβολος ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου· διαπορευθεὶς τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσας τὴν σύμπασαν πάρειμι. 3 εἶπε δὲ ὁ Κύριος πρὸς τὸν διάβολον· προσέσχες οὖν τῷ θέραποντί μου ᾿Ιώβ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι κατ᾿ αὐτὸν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἄνθρωπος ὅμοιος αὐτῷ, ἄκακος, ἀληθινός, ἄμεμπτος, θεοσεβής, ἀπεχόμενος ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ; ἔτι δὲ ἔχετε ἀκακίας· σὺ δὲ εἶπας τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ διακενῆς ἀπολέσαι. 4 ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ διάβολος εἶπε τῷ Κυρίῳ· δέρμα ὑπὲρ δέρματος· καὶ πάντα, ὅσα ὑπάρχει ἀνθρώπῳ, ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐκτίσει· 5 οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ ἀποστείλας τὴν χεῖρά σου ἅψαι τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ· ἦ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει. 6 εἶπε δὲ ὁ Κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ· ἰδοὺ παραδίδωμί σοι αὐτόν, μόνον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ διαφύλαξον. 7 ᾿Εξῆλθε δὲ ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου καὶ ἔπαισε τὸν ᾿Ιὼβ ἕλκει πονηρῷ ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς. 8 καὶ ἔλαβεν ὄστρακον, ἵνα τὸν ἰχῶρα ξύῃ, καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπὶ τῆς κοπρίας ἔξω τῆς πόλεως. 9 Χρόνου δὲ πολλοῦ προβεβηκότος εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ· μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων· 9α ἰδοὺ ἀναμένω χρόνον ἔτι μικρὸν προσδεχόμενος τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς σωτηρίας μου; 9β ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἠφάνισταί σου τὸ μνημόσυνον ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, υἱοὶ καὶ θυγατέρες, ἐμῆς κοιλίας ὠδῖνες καὶ πόνοι, οὓς εἰς τὸ κενὸν ἐκοπίασα μετὰ μόχθων· 9γ σύ τε αὐτὸς ἐν σαπρίᾳ σκωλήκων κάθησαι διανυκτερεύων αἴθριος, 9δ κἀγὼ πλανῆτις καὶ λάτρις, τόπον ἐκ τόπου περιερχομένη καὶ οἰκίαν ἐξ οἰκίας, προσδεχομένη τὸν ἥλιον πότε δύσεται, ἵνα ἀναπαύσωμαι τῶν μόχθων μου καὶ τῶν ὀδυνῶν, αἵ με νῦν συνέχουσιν· ἀλλὰ εἰπόν τι ρῆμα πρὸς Κύριον καὶ τελεύτα. 10 ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας εἶπεν αὐτῇ· ἵνα τί ὥσπερ μία τῶν ἀφρόνων γυναικῶν ἐλάλησας οὕτως; εἰ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐδεξάμεθα ἐκ χειρὸς Κυρίου, τὰ κακὰ οὐχ ὑποίσομεν; ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν αὐτῷ οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν ᾿Ιὼβ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ. 11 ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ τρεῖς φίλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ κακὰ πάντα τὰ ἐπελθόντα αὐτῷ, παρεγένοντο ἕκαστος ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας χώρας πρὸς αὐτόν· ᾿Ελιφὰζ ὁ Θαιμανῶν βασιλεύς, Βαλδὰδ ὁ Σαυχαίων τύραννος, Σωφὰρ ὁ Μιναίων βασιλεύς, καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοθυμαδόν, τοῦ παρακαλέσαι καὶ ἐπισκέψασθαι αὐτόν. 12 ἰδότες δὲ αὐτὸν πόρρωθεν οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν· καὶ βοήσαντες φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἔκλαυσαν ρήξαντες ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στολήν. καὶ καταπασάμενοι γῆν 13 παρεκάθισαν αὐτῷ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας καὶ ἑπτὰ νύκτας, καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐλάλησεν· ἑώρων γὰρ τὴν πληγὴν δεινὴν οὖσαν καὶ μεγάλην σφόδρα.
ΜΕΤΑ τοῦτο ἤνοιξεν ᾿Ιὼβ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ κατηράσατο τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ 2 λέγων· 3 ἀπόλοιτο ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθην, καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη ᾗ εἶπαν· ἰδοὺ ἄρσεν. 4 ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη σκότος, καὶ μὴ ἀναζητήσαι αὐτὴν ὁ Κύριος ἄνωθεν, μηδὲ ἔλθοι εἰς αὐτὴν φέγγος· 5 ἐκλάβοι δὲ αὐτὴν σκότος καὶ σκιὰ θανάτου, ἐπέλθοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν γνόφος. καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα 6 καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη, ἀπενέγκαιτο αὐτὴν σκότος· μὴ εἴη εἰς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ, μηδὲ ἀριθμηθείη εἰς ἡμέρας μηνῶν·
7 ἀλλὰ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη ὀδύνη, καὶ μὴ ἔλθοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν εὐφροσύνη μηδὲ χαρμονή· 8 ἀλλὰ καταράσαιτο αὐτὴν ὁ καταρώμενος τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτος χειρώσασθαι. 9 σκοτωθείη τὰ ἄστρα τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης, ὑπομείναι καὶ εἰς φωτισμὸν μὴ ἔλθοι καὶ μὴ ἴδοι ἑωσφόρον ἀνατέλλοντα, 10 ὅτι οὐ συνέκλεισε πύλας γαστρὸς μητρός μου· ἀπήλλαξε γὰρ ἂν πόνον ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου.
11 διατί γὰρ ἐν κοιλίᾳ οὐκ ἐτελεύτησα, ἐκ γαστρὸς δὲ ἐξῆλθον καὶ οὐκ εὐθὺς ἀπωλόμην; 12 ἱνατί δὲ συνήντησάν μοι γόνατα; ἱνατί δὲ μαστοὺς ἐθήλασα; 13 νῦν ἂν κοιμηθεὶς ἡσύχασα, ὑπνώσας δὲ ἀνεπαυσάμην 14 μετὰ βασιλέων βουλευτῶν γῆς, οἳ ἐγαυριῶντο ἐπὶ ξίφεσιν, 15 ἢ μετὰ ἀρχόντων, ὧν πολὺς ὁ χρυσός, οἳ ἔπλησαν τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀργυρίου, 16 ἢ ὥσπερ ἔκτρωμα ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκ μήτρας μητρός, ἢ ὥσπερ νήπιοι, οἳ οὐκ εἶδον φῶς.
17 ἐκεῖ ἀσεβεῖς ἐξέκαυσαν θυμὸν ὀργῆς, ἐκεῖ ἀνεπαύσαντο κατάκοποι τῷ σώματι· 18 ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ οἱ αἰώνιοι οὐκ ἤκουσαν φωνὴν φορολόγου. 19 μικρὸς καὶ μέγας ἐκεῖ ἐστι, καὶ θεράπων δεδοικὼς τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ· 20 ἱνατί γὰρ δέδοται τοῖς ἐν πικρίᾳ φῶς, ζωὴ δὲ ταῖς ἐν ὀδύναις ψυχαῖς; 21 οἳ ἱμείρονται τοῦ θανάτου καὶ οὐ τυγχάνουσιν ἀνορύσσοντες ὥσπερ θησαυρούς, 22 περιχαρεῖς δὲ ἐγένοντο ἐὰν κατατύχωσι. 23 θάνατος ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυμα, συνέκλεισε γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ· 24 πρὸ γὰρ τῶν σίτων μου στεναγμός μοι ἥκει, δακρύω δὲ ἐγὼ συνεχόμενος φόβῳ· 25 φόβος γάρ, ὅν ἐφρόντισα, ἦλθέ μοι, καὶ ὃν ἐδεδοίκειν, συνήντησέ μοι, 26 οὔτε εἰρήνευσα οὔτε ἡσύχασα οὔτε ἀνεπαυσάμην, ἦλθε δέ μοι ὀργή.
ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ ᾿Ελιφὰζ ὁ Θαιμανίτης λέγει· 2 μὴ πολλάκις σοι λελάληται ἐν κόπῳ; ἰσχὺν δὲ ρημάτων σου τίς ὑποίσει; 3 εἰ γὰρ σὺ ἐνουθέτησας πολλοὺς καὶ χεῖρας ἀσθενοῦς παρεκάλεσας, 4 ἀσθενοῦντάς τε ἐξανέστησας ρήμασι, γόνασί τε ἀδυνατοῦσι θάρσος περιέθηκας, 5 νῦν δὲ ἥκει ἐπὶ σὲ πόνος καὶ ἥψατό σου, σὺ ἐσπούδασας. 6 πότερον οὐχ ὁ φόβος σού ἐστιν ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς σου καὶ ἡ κακία τῆς ὁδοῦ σου; 7 μνήσθητι οὖν, τίς καθαρὸς ὢν ἀπώλετο ἢ πότε ἀληθινοὶ ὁλόρριζοι ἀπώλοντο; 8 καθ᾿ ὃν τρόπον εἶδον τοὺς ἀροτριῶντας τὰ ἄτοπα, οἱ δὲ σπείροντες αὐτὰ ὀδύνας θεριοῦσιν ἑαυτοῖς. 9 ἀπὸ προστάγματος Κυρίου ἀπολοῦνται, ἀπὸ δὲ πνεύματος ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ ἀφανισθήσονται. 10 σθένος λέοντος, φωνὴ δὲ λεαίνης, γαυρίαμα δὲ δρακόντων ἐσβέσθη· 11 μυρμηκολέων ὤλετο παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βοράν, σκύμνοι δὲ λεόντων ἔλιπον ἀλλήλους. 12 εἰ δέ τι ρῆμα ἀληθινὸν ἐγεγόνει ἐν λόγοις σου, οὐθὲν ἄν σοι τούτων κακὸν ἀπήντησε. πότερον οὐ δέξεταί μου τὸ οὖς ἐξαίσια παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ; 13 φόβοι δὲ καὶ ἠχὼ νυκτερινή, ἐπιπίπτων φόβος ἐπ᾿ ἀνθρώπους, 14 φρίκη δέ μοι συνήντησε καὶ τρόμος καὶ μεγάλως μου τὰ ὀστᾶ διέσεισε, 15 καὶ πνεῦμα ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν μου ἐπῆλθεν, ἔφριξαν δέ μου τρίχες καὶ σάρκες. 16 ἀνέστην, καὶ οὐκ ἐπέγνων· εἶδον, καὶ οὐκ ἦν μορφὴ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ αὔραν καὶ φωνὴν ἤκουον· 17 τί γάρ; μὴ καθαρὸς ἔσται βροτὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ Κυρίου ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἄμεμπτος ἀνήρ; 18 εἰ κατὰ παίδων αὐτοῦ οὐ πιστεύει, κατὰ δὲ ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ σκολιόν τι ἐπενόησε, 19 τοὺς δὲ κατοικοῦντας οἰκίας πηλίνας, ἐξ ὧν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πηλοῦ ἐσμεν, ἔπαισεν αὐτοὺς σητὸς τρόπον· 20 καὶ ἀπὸ πρωΐθεν μέχρις ἑσπέρας οὐκέτι εἰσί, παρὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς ἑαυτοῖς βοηθῆσαι ἀπώλοντο. 21 ἐνεφύσησε γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐξηράνθησαν, ἀπώλοντο παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς σοφίαν.
ΕΠΙΚΑΛΕΣΑΙ δέ, εἴ τίς σοι ὑπακούσεται, ἢ εἴ τινα ἀγγέλων ἁγίων ὄψῃ· 2 καὶ γὰρ ἄφρονα ἀναιρεῖ ὀργή, πεπλανημένον δὲ θανατοῖ ζῆλος, 3 ἐγὼ δὲ ἑώρακα ἄφρονας ρίζαν βάλλοντας, ἀλλ᾿ εὐθέως ἐβρώθη αὐτῶν ἡ δίαιτα. 4 πόρρω γένοιντο οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ σωτηρίας, κολαβρισθείησαν δὲ ἐπὶ θύραις ἡσσόνων, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἐξαιρούμενος· 5 ἃ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι συνήγαγον, δίκαιοι ἔδονται, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐκ κακῶν οὐκ ἐξαίρετοι ἔσονται. ἐκσιφωνισθείη αὐτῶν ἡ ἰσχύς· 6 οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τῆς γῆς κόπος, οὐδὲ ἐξ ὀρέων ἀναβλαστήσει πόνος· 7 ἀλλὰ ἄνθρωπος γεννᾶται κόπῳ, νεοσσοὶ δὲ γυπὸς τὰ ὑψηλὰ πέτονται. 8 οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ ἐγὼ δεηθήσομαι Κυρίου, Κύριον δὲ τῶν πάντων δεσπότην ἐπικαλέσομαι, 9 τὸν ποιοῦντα μεγάλα καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστα, ἔνδοξά τε καὶ ἐξαίσια, ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμός·
10 τὸν διδόντα ὑετὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἀποστέλλοντα ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανόν· 11 τὸν ποιοῦντα ταπεινοὺς εἰς ὕψος, καὶ ἀπολωλότας ἐξεγείροντα· 12 διαλλάσσοντα βουλὰς πανούργων, καὶ οὐ μὴ ποιήσουσιν αἱ χεῖρες αὐτῶν ἀληθές. 13 ὁ καταλαμβάνων σοφοὺς ἐν τῇ φρονήσει, βουλὴν δὲ πολυπλόκων ἐξέστησεν· 14 ἡμέρας συναντήσεται αὐτοῖς σκότος, τὸ δὲ μεσημβρινὸν ψηλαφήσαισαν ἴσα νυκτί. 15 ἀπόλοιντο δὲ ἐν πολέμῳ, ἀδύνατος δὲ ἐξέλθοι ἐκ χειρὸς δυνάστου· 16 εἴη δὲ ἀδυνάτῳ ἐλπίς, ἀδίκου δὲ στόμα ἐμφραχθείη. 17 μακάριος δὲ ἄνθρωπος, ὃν ἤλεγξεν ὁ Κύριος, νουθέτημα δὲ Παντοκράτορος μὴ ἀπαναίνου·
18 αὐτὸς γὰρ ἀλγεῖν ποιεῖ καὶ πάλιν ἀποκαθίστησιν· ἔπαισε, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἰάσαντο. 19 ἑξάκις ἐξ ἀναγκῶν σε ἐξελεῖται, ἐν δὲ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ οὐ μὴ ἅψηταί σου κακόν. 20 ἐν λιμῷ ρύσεταί σε ἐκ θανάτου, ἐν πολέμῳ δὲ ἐκ χειρὸς σιδήρου λύσει σε. 21 ἀπὸ μάστιγος γλώσσης σε κρύψει, καὶ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῇς ἀπὸ κακῶν ἐρχομένων. 22 ἀδίκων καὶ ἀνόμων καταγελάσῃ, ἀπὸ δὲ θηρίων ἀγρίων οὐ μὴ φοβηθῇς· 23 θῆρες γὰρ ἄγριοι εἰρηνεύσουσί σοι . 24 εἶτα γνώσῃ ὅτι εἰρηνεύσει σου ὁ οἶκος, ἡ δὲ δίαιτα τῆς σκηνῆς σου οὐ μὴ ἁμάρτῃ.
25 γνώσῃ δὲ ὅτι πολὺ τὸ σπέρμα σου, τὰ δὲ τέκνα σου ἔσται ὥσπερ τὸ παμβότανον τοῦ ἀγροῦ.
26 ἐλεύσῃ δὲ ἐν τάφῳ ὥσπερ σῖτος ὥριμος κατὰ καιρὸν θεριζόμενος ἢ ὥσπερ θιμωνία ἅλωνος καθ᾿ ὥραν συγκομισθεῖσα. 27 ἰδοὺ ταῦτα οὕτως ἐξιχνιάσαμεν, ταῦτά ἐστιν ἃ ἀκηκόαμεν· σὺ δὲ γνῶθι σεαυτῶ εἴ τι ἔπραξας.
ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ ᾿Ιὼβ λέγει· 2 εἰ γάρ τις ἱστῶν στήσαι μου τὴν ὀργήν, τὰς δὲ ὀδύνας μου ἄραι ἐν ζυγῷ ὁμοθυμαδόν, 3 καὶ δὴ ἄμμου παραλίας βαρυτέρα ἔσται. ἀλλ᾿ ὡς ἔοικε τὰ ρήματά μού ἐστι φαῦλα· 4 βέλη γὰρ Κυρίου ἐν τῷ σώματί μού ἐστιν, ὧν ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν ἐκπίνει μου τὸ αἷμα· ὅταν ἄρξωμαι λαλεῖν, κεντοῦσί με. 5 τί γάρ; μὴ διακενῆς κεκράξεται ὄνος ἄγριος, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ τὰ σῖτα ζητῶν; εἰ δὲ καὶ ρήξει φωνὴν βοῦς ἐπὶ φάτνης ἔχων τὰ βρώματα; 6 εἰ βρωθήσεται ἄρτος ἄνευ ἁλός; εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστι γεῦμα ἐν ρήμασι κενοῖς; 7 οὐ δύναται γὰρ παύσασθαί μου ἡ ὀργή· βρόμον γὰρ ὁρῶ τὰ σῖτά μου ὥσπερ ὀσμὴν λέοντος· 8 εἰ γὰρ δώῃ καὶ ἔλθοι μου ἡ αἴτησις, καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα μου δώῃ ὁ Κύριος.
9 ἀρξάμενος ὁ Κύριος τρωσάτω με, εἰς τέλος δὲ μή με ἀνελέτω. 10 εἴη δέ μου πόλις τάφος, ἐφ᾿ ἧς ἐπὶ τειχέων ἡλλόμην ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς, οὐ φείσομαι· οὐ γὰρ ἐψευσάμην ρήματα ἅγια Θεοῦ μου. 11 τίς γάρ μου ἡ ἰσχύς, ὅτι ὑπομένω; ἢ τίς μου ὁ χρόνος, ὅτι ἀνέχεταί μου ἡ ψυχή; 12 μὴ ἰσχὺς λίθων ἡ ἰσχύς μου; ἢ αἱ σάρκες μού εἰσι χάλκεαι; 13 ἢ οὐκ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ἐπεποίθειν; βοήθεια δὲ ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἄπεστιν. 14 ἀπείπατό με ἔλεος, ἐπισκοπὴ δὲ Κυρίου ὑπερεῖδέ με. 15 οὐ προσεῖδόν με οἱ ἐγγύτατοί μου· ὥσπερ χειμάρρους ἐκλείπων ἢ ὥσπερ κῦμα παρῆλθόν με. 16 οἵτινές με διευλαβοῦντο, νῦν ἐπιπεπτώκασί μοι ὥσπερ χιὼν ἢ κρύσταλλος πεπηγώς· 17 καθὼς τακεῖσα θέρμης γενομένης οὐκ ἐπεγνώσθη ὅπερ ἦν, 18 οὕτω κἀγὼ καταλείφθην ὑπὸ πάντων. ἀπωλόμην δὲ καὶ ἔξοικος ἐγενόμην. 19 ἴδετε ὁδοὺς Θαιμανῶν, ἀτραποὺς Σαβῶν, οἱ διορῶντες· 20 καὶ αἰσχύνην ὀφειλήσουσιν οἱ ἐπὶ πόλεσι καὶ χρήμασι πεποιθότες. 21 ἀτὰρ δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπέβητέ μοι ἀνελεημόνως, ὥστε ἰδόντες τὸ ἐμὸν τραῦμα φοβήθητε· 22 τί γάρ; μή τι ἡμᾶς ᾔτησα ἢ τῆς παρ᾿ ὑμῶν ἰσχύος ἐπιδέομαι, 23 ὥστε σῶσαί με ἐξ ἐχθρῶν ἢ ἐκ χειρὸς δυναστῶν ρύσασθαί με; 24 διδάξατέ με, ἐγὼ δὲ κωφεύσω· εἴ τι πεπλάνημαι, φράσατέ μοι. 25 ἀλλ᾿ ὡς ἔοικε, φαῦλα ἀληθινοῦ ρήματα, οὐ γὰρ παρ᾿ ὑμῶν ἰσχὺν αἰτοῦμαι· 26 οὐδὲ ἔλεγχος ὑμῶν ρήμασί με παύσει, οὐδὲ γὰρ ὑμῶν φθέγμα ρήματος ἀνέξομαι.
27 πλὴν ὅτι ἐπ᾿ ὀρφανῷ ἐπιπίπτετε, ἐνάλλεσθε δὲ ἐπὶ φίλῳ ὑμῶν. 28 νυνὶ δὲ εἰσβλέψας εἰς πρόσωπα ὑμῶν οὐ ψεύσομαι. 29 καθίσατε δὴ καὶ μὴ εἴη ἄδικον, καὶ πάλιν τῷ δικαίῳ συνέρχεσθε. 30 οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐν γλώσσῃ μου ἄδικον· ἢ ὁ λάρυγξ μου οὐχὶ σύνεσιν μελετᾷ;
ΠΟΤΕΡΟΝ οὐχὶ πειρατήριόν ἐστιν ὁ βίος ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ὥσπερ μισθίου αὐθημερινοῦ ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ; 2 ἢ ὥσπερ θεράπων δεδοικὼς τὸν Κύριον αὐτοῦ καὶ τετευχὼς σκιᾶς; ἢ ὥσπερ μισθωτὸς ἀναμένων τὸν μισθὸν αὐτοῦ; 3 οὕτως κἀγὼ ὑπέμεινα μῆνας κενούς, νύκτες δὲ ὀδυνῶν δεδομέναι μοί εἰσιν. 4 ἐὰν κοιμηθῶ, λέγω· πότε ἡμέρα; ὡς δ᾿ ἂν ἀναστῶ, πάλιν· πότε ἑσπέρα; πλήρης δὲ γίνομαι ὀδυνῶν ἀπὸ ἑσπέρας ἕως πρωΐ.
5 φύρεται δέ μου τὸ σῶμα ἐν σαπρίᾳ σκωλήκων, τήκω δὲ βώλακας γῆς ἀπὸ ἰχῶρος ξύων.
6 ὁ δὲ βίος μού ἐστιν ἐλαφρότερος λαλιᾶς, ἀπόλωλε δὲ ἐν κενῇ ἐλπίδι. 7 μνήσθητι οὖν ὅτι πνεῦμά μου ἡ ζωὴ καὶ οὐκέτι ἐπανελεύσεται ὀφθαλμός μου ἰδεῖν ἀγαθόν. 8 οὐ περιβλέψεταί με ὀφθαλμὸς ὁρῶντός με· οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου ἐν ἐμοί, καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ 9 ὥσπερ νέφος ἀποκαθαρθὲν ἀπ᾿ οὐρανοῦ. ἐὰν γὰρ ἄνθρωπος καταβῇ εἰς ᾄδην, οὐκέτι μὴ ἀναβῇ,
10 οὐδ᾿ οὐ μὴ ἐπιστρέψῃ ἔτι εἰς τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον, οὐδ’ οὐ μὴ ἐπιγνῷ αὐτὸν ἔτι ὁ τόπος αὐτοῦ. 11 ἀτὰρ οὖν οὐδὲ ἐγὼ φείσομαι τῷ στόματί μου, λαλήσω ἐν ἀνάγκῃ ὤν, ἀνοίξω πικρίαν ψυχῆς μου συνεχόμενος. 12 πότερον θάλασσά εἰμι ἢ δράκων, ὅτι κατέταξας ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ φυλακήν; 13 εἶπα ὅτι παρακαλέσει με ἡ κλίνη μου, ἀνοίσω δὲ πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν ἰδίᾳ λόγον τῇ κοίτῃ μου. 14 ἐκφοβεῖς με ἐνυπνίοις καὶ ὁράμασί με καταπλήσσεις. 15 ἀπαλλάξεις ἀπὸ πνεύματός μου τὴν ψυχήν μου, ἀπὸ δὲ θανάτου τὰ ὀστᾶ μου· 16 οὐ γὰρ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ζήσομαι, ἵνα μακροθυμήσω· ἀπόστα ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, κενὸς γάρ μου ὁ βίος. 17 τί γάρ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνας αὐτὸν ἢ ὅτι προσέχεις τὸν νοῦν εἰς αὐτὸν 18 ἢ ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ ποιήσῃ ἕως τὸ πρωΐ καὶ εἰς ἀνάπαυσιν αὐτὸν κρινεῖς; 19 ἕως τίνος οὐκ ἐᾷς με οὐδὲ προΐῃ με, ἕως ἂν καταπίω τὸν πτύελόν μου ἐν ὀδύνῃ; 20 εἰ ἐγὼ ἥμαρτον, τί δυνήσομαι πρᾶξαι, ὁ ἐπιστάμενος τὸν νοῦν τῶν ἀνθρώπων; διατί ἔθου με κατεντευκτήν σου, εἰμὶ δὲ ἐπὶ σοὶ φορτίον;
21 καὶ διατί οὐκ ἐποιήσω τῆς ἀνομίας μου λήθην καὶ καθαρισμὸν τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου; νυνὶ δὲ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσομαι, ὀρθρίζων δὲ οὐκέτι εἰμί.
ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ Βαλδὰδ ὁ Σαυχίτης λέγει· 2 μέχρι τίνος λαλήσεις ταῦτα, πνεῦμα πολυρρῆμον τοῦ στόματός σου; 3 μὴ ὁ Κύριος ἀδικήσει κρίνων ἢ ὁ τὰ πάντα ποιήσας ταράξει τὸ δίκαιον; 4 εἰ οἱ υἱοί σου ἥμαρτον ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ, ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ ἀνομίας αὐτῶν. 5 σὺ δὲ ὄρθριζε πρὸς Κύριον παντοκράτορα δεόμενος. 6 εἰ καθαρὸς εἶ καὶ ἀληθινός, δεήσεως ἐπακούσεταί σου, ἀποκαταστήσει δέ σοι δίαιταν δικαιοσύνης· 7 ἔσται οὖν τὰ μὲν πρῶτά σου ὀλίγα, τὰ δὲ ἔσχατά σου ἀμύθητα. 8 ἐπερώτησον γὰρ γενεὰν πρώτην, ἐξιχνίασον δὲ κατὰ γένος πατέρων· 9 χθιζοὶ γάρ ἐσμεν καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν, σκιὰ γάρ ἐστιν ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὁ βίος. 10 ἦ οὐχ οὗτοί σε διδάξουσι καὶ ἀναγγελοῦσι καὶ ἐκ καρδίας ἐξάξουσι ρήματα; 11 μὴ θάλλει πάπυρος ἄνευ ὕδατος ἢ ὑψωθήσεται βούτομον ἄνευ πότου; 12 ἔτι ὂν ἐπὶ ρίζης καὶ οὐ μὴ θερισθῇ, πρὸ τοῦ πιεῖν πᾶσα βοτάνη οὐχὶ ξηραίνεται;
13 οὕτως τοίνυν ἔσται τὰ ἔσχατα πάντων τῶν ἐπιλανθανομένων τοῦ Κυρίου· ἐλπὶς γὰρ ἀσεβοῦς ἀπολεῖται. 14 ἀοίκητος γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἔσται ὁ οἶκος, ἀράχνη δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀποβήσεται ἡ σκηνή. 15 ἐὰν ὑπερείσῃ τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ στῇ· ἐπιλαβομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ ὑπομείνῃ· 16 ὑγρὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὑπὸ ἡλίου, καὶ ἐκ σαπρίας αὐτοῦ ὁ ράδαμνος αὐτοῦ ἐξελεύσεται. 17 ἐπὶ συναγωγὴν λίθων κοιμᾶται, ἐν δὲ μέσῳ χαλίκων ζήσεται. 18 ἐὰν καταπίῃ, ὁ τόπος ψεύσεται αὐτόν· οὐχ ἑώρακας τοιαῦτα, 19 ὅτι καταστροφὴ ἀσεβοῦς τοιαύτη, ἐκ δὲ γῆς ἄλλον ἀναβλαστήσει. 20 ὁ γὰρ Κύριος οὐ μὴ ἀποποιήσεται τὸν ἄκακον, πᾶν δὲ δῶρον ἀσεβοῦς οὐ δέξεται. 21 ἀληθινῶν δὲ στόμα ἐμπλήσει γέλωτος, τὰ δὲ χείλη αὐτῶν ἐξομολογήσεως· 22 οἱ δὲ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν ἐνδύσονται αἰσχύνην, δίαιτα δὲ ἀσεβοῦς οὐκ ἔσται.
ΥΠΟΛΑΒΩΝ δὲ ᾿Ιὼβ λέγει· 2 ἐπ᾿ ἀληθείας οἶδα, ὅτι οὕτως ἐστί· πῶς γὰρ ἔσται δίκαιος βροτὸς παρὰ Κυρίῳ; 3 ἐὰν γὰρ βούληται κριθῆναι αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴ ὑπακούσῃ αὐτῷ, ἵνα μὴ ἀντείπῃ πρὸς ἕνα λόγον αὐτοῦ ἐκ χιλίων· 4 σοφὸς γάρ ἐστι διανοίᾳ, κραταιός τε καὶ μέγας. τίς σκληρὸς γενόμενος ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ ὑπέμεινεν; 5 ὁ παλαιῶν ὄρη καὶ οὐκ οἴδασιν, ὁ καταστρέφων αὐτὰ ὀργῇ· 6 ὁ σείων τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν ἐκ θεμελίων, οἱ δὲ στῦλοι αὐτῆς σαλεύονται· 7 ὁ λέγων τῷ ἡλίῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνατέλλει, κατὰ δὲ ἄστρων κατασφραγίζει· 8 ὁ τανύσας τὸν οὐρανὸν μόνος, καὶ περιπατῶν ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἐδάφους ἐπὶ θαλάσσης· 9 ὁ ποιῶν Πλειάδα καὶ ῞Εσπερον καὶ ᾿Αρκτοῦρον, καὶ ταμιεῖα νότου· 10 ὁ ποιῶν μεγάλα καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστα, ἔνδοξά τε καὶ ἐξαίσια, ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμός. 11 ἐὰν ὑπερβῇ με, οὐ μὴ ἴδω· ἐὰν παρέλθῃ με, οὐδ᾿ ὧς ἔγνων. 12 ἐὰν ἀπαλλάξῃ, τίς ἀποστρέψει ἢ τίς ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ· τί ἐποίησας; 13 αὐτὸς γὰρ ἀπέστραπται ὀργήν, ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐκάμφθησαν κήτη τὰ ὑπ᾿ οὐρανόν. 14 ἐὰν δέ μου ὑπακούσηται, ἦ διακρινεῖ τὰ ρήματά μου· 15 ἐάν τε γὰρ ὦ δίκαιος, οὐκ εἰσακούσεταί μου, τοῦ κρίματος αὐτοῦ δεηθήομαι· 16 ἐάν τε καλέσω καὶ μὴ ὑπακούσῃ, οὐ πιστεύω ὅτι εἰσακήκοέ μου τῆς φωνῆς. 17 μὴ γνόφῳ με ἐκτρίψῃ; πολλὰ δέ μου τὰ συντρίμματα πεποίηκε διακενῆς· 18 οὐκ ἐᾷ γάρ με ἀναπνεῦσαι, ἐνέπλησε δέ με πικρίας. 19 ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἰσχύι κρατεῖ· τίς οὖν κρίματι αὐτοῦ ἀντιστήσεται; 20 ἐὰν γὰρ ὦ δίκαιος, τὸ στόμα μου ἀσεβήσει· ἐάν τε ὦ ἄμεμπτος, σκολιὸς ἀποβήσομαι.
21 εἴτε γὰρ ἠσέβησα, οὐκ οἶδα τῇ ψυχῇ, πλὴν ὅτι ἀφαιρεῖταί μου ἡ ζωή. 22 διὸ εἶπον· μέγα καὶ δυνάστην ἀπολλύει ὀργή,
23 ὅτι φαῦλοι ἐν θανάτῳ ἐξαισίῳ, ἀλλὰ δίκαιοι καταγελῶνται· 24 παραδέδονται γὰρ εἰς χεῖρας ἀσεβοῦς. πρόσωπα κριτῶν αὐτῆς συγκαλύπτει· εἰ δὲ μὴ αὐτός ἐστι, τίς ἐστιν; 25 ὁ δὲ βίος μού ἐστιν ἐλαφρότερος δρομέως· ἀπέδρασαν καὶ οὐκ εἴδοσαν. 26 ἢ καί ἐστι ναυσὶν ἴχνος ὁδοῦ ἢ ἀετοῦ πετομένου ζητοῦντος βοράν; 27 ἐάν τε γὰρ εἴπω, ἐπιλήσομαι λαλῶν, συγκύψας τῷ προσώπῳ στενάξω. 28 σείομαι πᾶσι τοῖς μέλεσιν, οἶδα γάρ ὅτι οὐκ ἀθῶόν με ἐάσεις. 29 ἐπειδὴ δέ εἰμι ἀσεβής, διατί οὐκ ἀπέθανον; 30 ἐὰν γὰρ ἀπολούσωμαι χιόνι καὶ ἀποκαθάρωμαι χερσὶ καθαραῖς, 31 ἱκανῶς ἐν ρύπῳ με ἔβαψας, ἐβδελύξατο δέ με ἡ στολή· 32 οὐ γὰρ εἶ ἄνθρωπος κατ᾿ ἐμέ, ᾧ ἀντικρινοῦμαι, ἵνα ἔλθωμεν ὁμοθυμαδὸν εἰς κρίσιν. 33 εἴθε ἦν ὁ μεσίτης ἡμῶν καὶ ἐλέγχων καὶ διακούων ἀνὰ μέσον ἀμφοτέρων·
34 ἀπαλλαξάτω ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ τὴν ράβδον, ὁ δὲ φόβος αὐτοῦ μή με στροβείτω, 35 καὶ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῷ, ἀλλὰ λαλήσω· οὐ γὰρ οὕτω συνεπίσταμαι.
ΚΑΜΝΩΝ τῇ ψυχῇ μου, στένων ἐπαφήσω ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν τὰ ρήματά μου· λαλήσω πικρίᾳ ψυχῆς μου συνεχόμενος 2 καὶ ἐρῶ πρὸς Κύριον· μή με ἀσεβεῖν δίδασκε· καὶ διατί με οὕτως ἔκρινας; 3 ἦ καλόν σοι, ἐὰν ἀδικήσω, ὅτι ἀπείπω ἔργα χειρῶν σου, βουλῇ δὲ ἀσεβῶν προσέσχες;
4 ἦ ὥσπερ βροτὸς ὁρᾷ καθορᾷς ἢ καθὼς ὁρᾷ ἄνθρωπος βλέψῃ; 5 ἦ ὁ βίος σου ἀνθρώπινός ἐστιν ἢ τὰ ἔτη σου ἀνδρός; 6 ὅτι ἀνεζήτησας τὴν ἀνομίαν μου καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου ἐξιχνίασας; 7 οἶδας γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἠσέβησα· ἀλλὰ τίς ἐστιν ὁ ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν σου ἐξαιρούμενος;
8 αἱ χεῖρές σου ἔπλασάν με καὶ ἐποίησάν με, μετὰ ταῦτα μεταβαλών με ἔπαισας. 9 μνήσθητι ὅτι πηλόν με ἔπλασας, εἰς δὲ γῆν με πάλιν ἀποστρέφεις. 10 ἦ οὐχ ὥσπερ γάλα με ἤμελξας, ἐτύρωσας δέ με ἴσα τυρῷ; 11 δέρμα δὲ καὶ κρέας με ἐνέδυσας, ὀστέοις δὲ καὶ νεύροις με ἐνεῖρας. 12 ζωὴν δὲ καὶ ἔλεος ἔθου παρ᾿ ἐμοί, ἡ δὲ ἐπισκοπή σου ἐφύλαξέ μου τὸ πνεῦμα. 13 ταῦτα ἔχων ἐν σεαυτῷ οἶδα ὅτι πάντα δύνασαι, ἀδυνατεῖ δέ σοι οὐθέν. 14 ἐάν τε γὰρ ἁμάρτω, φυλάσσεις με, ἀπὸ δὲ ἀνομίας οὐκ ἀθῷόν με πεποίηκας. 15 ἐάν τε γὰρ ἀσεβήσω, οἴμοι· ἐὰν δὲ ὦ δίκαιος, οὐ δύναμαι ἀνακύψαι, πλήρης γὰρ ἀτιμίας εἰμί.
16 ἀγρεύομαι γὰρ ὥσπερ λέων εἰς σφαγήν, πάλιν γὰρ μεταβαλὼν δεινῶς με ὀλέκεις 17 ἐπανακαινίζων ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ τὴν ἔτασίν μου· ὀργῇ δὲ μεγάλῃ μοι ἐχρήσω, ἐπήγαγες δὲ ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ πειρατήρια. 18 ἱνατί οὖν ἐκ κοιλίας με ἐξήγαγες, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέθανον, ὀφθαλμὸς δέ με οὐκ εἶδε, 19 καὶ ὥσπερ οὐκ ὢν ἐγενόμην; διατί γὰρ ἐκ γαστρὸς εἰς μνῆμα οὐκ ἀπηλλάγην; 20 ἦ οὐκ ὀλίγος ἐστὶν ὁ χρόνος τοῦ βίου μου; ἔασόν με ἀναπαύσασθαι μικρὸν 21 πρὸ τοῦ με πορευθῆναι ὅθεν οὐκ ἀναστρέψω, εἰς γῆν σκοτεινὴν καὶ γνοφεράν,
22 εἰς γῆν σκότους αἰωνίου, οὗ οὐκ ἔστι φέγγος, οὐδὲ ὁρᾶν
ζωὴν βροτῶν.
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JOB 1 There was a certain man in the land of Ausis, whose name was Job; and than man was true, blameless, righteous, and godly, abstaining from everything evil.
2 And he had seven sons and three daughters. 3 And his cattle consisted of seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses in the pastures, and a very great household, and he had a great husbandry on the earth; and that man was most noble of the men of the east. 4 And his sons visiting one another prepared a banquet every day, taking with them also their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5 And when the days of the banquet were completed, Job sent and purified them, having risen up in the morning, and offered sacrifices for them, according to their number, and one calf for a sin-offering for their souls: for Job said, Lest peradventure my sons have thought evil in their minds against God. Thus, then Job did continually.
6 And it came to pass on a day, that behold, the angels of God came to stand before the Lord, and the devil came with them. 7 And the Lord said to the devil, Whence art thou come? And the devil answered the Lord, and said, I am come from compassing the earth, and walking up and down in the world. 8 And the Lord said to him, Hast thou diligently considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a man blameless, true, godly, abstaining from everything evil?
9 Then the devil answered, and said before the Lord, Does Job worship the Lord for nothing? 10 Hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about his household, and all his possessions round about? and hast thou not blessed the works of his hands, and multiplied his cattle upon the land?
11 But put forth thine hand, and touch all that he has: verily he will bless thee to thy face.
12 Then the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I give into thine hand all that he has, but touch not himself. So the devil went out from the presence of the Lord.
13 And it came to pass on a certain day, that Job’s sons and his daughters were drinking wine in the house of their elder brother. 14 And, behold, there came a messenger to Job, and said to him, The yokes of oxen were ploughing, and the she-asses were feeding near them; 15 and the spoilers came and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I having escaped alone am come to tell thee.
16 While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, Fire has fallen from heaven, and burnt up the sheep, and devoured the shepherds like wise; and I having escaped alone am come to tell thee. 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, The horsemen formed three companies against us, and surrounded the camels, and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I only escaped, and am come to tell thee. 18 While he is yet speaking, another messenger comes, saying to Job, While thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking with their elder brother,
19 suddenly a great wind came on from the desert, and caught the four corners of the house, and the house fell upon thy children, and they are dead; and I have escaped alone, and am come to tell thee.
20 So Job arose, and rent his garments, and shaved the hair of his head, and fell on the earth, and worshipped, 21 and said, I myself came forth naked from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, the Lord has taken away: as it seemed good to the Lord, so has it come to pass; blessed be the name of the Lord. 22 In all these events that befell him Job sinned not at all before the Lord, and did not impute folly to God.
2 And it came to pass on a certain day, that the angels of God came to stand before the Lord, and the devil came among them to stand before the Lord.
2 And the Lord, said to the devil, Whence comest thou? Then the devil said before the Lord, I am come from going through the world, and walking about the whole earth. 3 And the Lord said to the devil, Hast thou then observed my servant Job, that there is none of men upon the earth like him, a harmless, true, blameless, godly man, abstaining from all evil? and he yet cleaves to innocence, whereas thou has told me to destroy his substance without cause?
4 And the devil answered and said to the Lord, Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give as a ransom for his life. 5 Nay, but put forth thine hand, and touch his bones and his flesh: verily he will bless thee to thy face.
6 And the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I deliver him up to thee; only save his life. 7 So the devil went out from the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from his feet to his head.
8 And he took a potsherd to scrape away the discharge, and sat upon a dung-heap outside the city. 9 And when much time had passed, his wife said to him, How long wilt thou hold out, saying, 9a Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance? 9b for, behold, thy memorial is abolished from the earth, even thy sons and daughters, the pangs and pains of my womb which I bore in vain with sorrows; 9c and thou thyself sittest down to spend the nights in the open air among the corruption of worms, 9d and I am a wanderer and a servant from place to place and house to house, waiting for the setting of the sun, that I may rest from my labours and my pangs which now beset me: but say some word against the Lord, and die.
10 But he looked on her, and said to her, Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women. If we have received good things of the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil things? In all these things that happened to him, Job sinned not at all with his lips before God. 11 Now his three friends having heard of all the evil that was come upon him, came to him each from his own country: Eliphaz the king of the Thaemans, Baldad sovereign of the Saucheans, Sophar king of he Minaeans: and they came to him with one accord, to comfort and to visit him.
12 And when they saw him from a distance they did not know him; and they cried with a loud voice, and wept, and rent every one his garment, and sprinkled dust upon their heads, 13 and they sat down beside him seven days and seven nights, and no one of them spoke; for they saw that his affliction was dreadful and very great.
3 After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,
2 saying, 3 Let the day perish in which I was born, and that night in which they said, Behold a man-child! 4 Let that night be darkness, and let not the Lord regard it from above, neither let light come upon it.
5 But let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it; 6 let that day and night be cursed, let darkness carry them away; let it not come into the days of the year, neither let it be numbered with the days of the months. 7 But let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy. 8 But let him that curses that day curse it, even he that is ready to attack the great whale.
9 Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain dark, and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise: 10 because it shut not up the gates of my mother’s womb, for so it would have removed sorrow from my eyes. 11 For why died I not in the belly? and why did I not come forth from the womb and die immediately? 12 and why did the knees support me? and why did I suck the breasts? 13 Now I should have lain down and been quiet, I should have slept and been at rest, 14 with kings and councillors of the earth, who gloried in their swords; 15 or with rulers, whose gold was abundant, who filled their houses with silver: 16 or I should have been as an untimely birth proceeding from his mother’s womb, or as infants who never saw light. 17 There the ungodly have burnt out the fury of rage; there the wearied in body rest. 18 And the men of old time have together ceased to hear the exactor’s voice. 19 The small and great are there, and the servant that feared his lord. 20 For why is light given to those who are in bitterness, and life to those souls which are in griefs? 21 who desire death, and obtain it not, digging for it as for treasures; 22 and would be very joyful if they should gain it? 23 Death is rest to such a man, for God has hedged him in. 24 For my groaning comes before my food, and I weep being beset with terror. 25 For the terror of which I meditated has come upon me, and that which I had feared has befallen me. 26 I was not at peace, nor quiet, nor had I rest; yet wrath came upon me.
4 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said, 2 Hast thou been often spoken to in distress? but who shall endure the force of thy words? 3 For whereas thou hast instructed many, and hast strengthened the hands of the weak one, 4 and hast supported the failing with words, and hast imparted courage to feeble knees. 5 Yet now that pain has come upon thee, and touched thee, thou art troubled. 6 Is not thy fear founded in folly, thy hope also, and the mischief of thy way? 7 Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the true-hearted utterly destroyed? 8 Accordingly as I have seen men ploughing barren places, and they that sow them will reap sorrows for themselves. 9 They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly consumed by the breath of his wrath. 10 The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the exulting cry of serpents are quenched. 11 The old lion has perished for want of food, and the lions’ whelps have forsaken one another. 12 But if there had been any truth in thy words, none of these evils would have befallen thee. Shall not mine ear receive excellent revelations from him? 13 But as when terror falls upon men, with dread and a sound in the night, 14 horror and trembling seized me, and caused all my bones greatly to shake. 15 And a spirit came before my face; and my hair and flesh quivered. 16 I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, saying, 17 What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in regard to his works? 18 Whereas he trust not in his servants, and perceives perverseness in his angels. 19 But as for them that dwell in houses of clay, of whom we also are formed of the same clay, he smites them like a moth. 20 And from the morning to evening they no longer exist: they have perished, because they cannot help themselves. 21 For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for lack of wisdom.
5 But call, if any one will hearken to thee, or if thou shalt see any of the holy angels. 2 For wrath destroys the foolish one, and envy slays him that has gone astray. 3 And I have seen foolish ones taking root: but suddenly their habitation was devoured. 4 Let their children be far from safety, and let them be crushed at the doors of vile men, and let there be no deliverer. 5 For what they have collected, the just shall eat; but they shall not be delivered out of calamities: let their strength be utterly exhausted. 6 For labour cannot by any means come out of the earth, nor shall trouble spring out of the mountains: 7 yet man is born to labour, and even so the vulture’s young seek the high places. 8 Nevertheless I will beseech the Lord, and will call upon the Lord, the sovereign of all; 9 who does great things and untraceable, glorious things also, and marvellous, of which there is no number: 10 who gives rain upon the earth, sending water on the earth: 11 who exalts the lowly, and raises up them that are lost: 12 frustrating the counsels of the crafty, and their hands shall not perform the truth: 13 who takes the wise in their wisdom, and subverts the counsel of the crafty 14 In the day darkness shall come upon them, and let them grope in the noon-day even as in the night: 15 and let them perish in war, and let the weak escape from the hand of the mighty. 16 And let the weak have hope, but the mouth of the unjust be stopped. 17 But blessed is the man whom the Lord has reproved; and reject not thou the chastening of the Almighty. 18 for he causes a man to be in pain, and restores him again: he smites, and his hands heal.
19 Six time he shall deliver thee out of distresses: and in the seventh harm shall not touch thee. 20 In famine he shall deliver thee from death: and in war he shall free thee from the power of the sword. 21 He shall hide thee from the scourge of the tongue: and thou shalt not be afraid of coming evils. 22 Thou shalt laugh at the unrighteous and the lawless: and thou shalt not be afraid of wild beasts. 23 For the wild beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 24 Then shalt thou know that thy house shall be at peace, and the provision for thy tabernacle shall not fail. 25 And thou shalt know that thy seed shall be abundant; and thy children shall be like the herbage of the field. 26 And thou shalt come to the grave like ripe corn reaped in its season, or as a heap of the corn-flour collected in proper time. 27 Behold, we have thus sought out these matters; these are what we have heard: but do thou reflect with thyself, if thou hast done anything wrong.
6 But Job answered and said, 2 Oh that one would indeed weigh the wrath that is upon me, and take up my griefs in a balance together! 3 And verily they would be heavier than the sand by the seashore: but, as it seems, my words are vain. 4 For the arrows of the Lord are in my body, whose violence drinks up my blood: whenever I am going to speak, they pierce me. 5 What then? will the wild ass bray for nothing, if he is not seeking food? or again, will the ox low at the manger, when he has a fodder? 6 Shall bread be eaten without salt? or again, is there taste in empty words? 7 For my wrath cannot cease; for I perceive my food as the smell of a lion to be loathsome. 8 For oh that he would grant my desire, and my petition might come, and the Lord would grant my hope! 9 Let the Lord begin and wound me, but let him not utterly destroy me. 10 Let the grave be my city, upon the walls of which I have leaped: I will not shrink from it; for I have not denied the holy words of my God. 11 For what is my strength, that I continue? what is my time, that my soul endures? 12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? 13 Or have I not trusted in him? but help is far from me. 14 Mercy has rejected me; and the visitation of the Lord has disregarded me. 15 My nearest relations have not regarded me; they have passed me by like a failing brook, or like a wave. 16 They who used to reverence me, now have come against me like snow or congealed ice. 17 When it has melted at the approach of heat, it is not known what it was. 18 Thus I also have been deserted of all; and I am ruined, and become an outcast. 19 Behold the ways of the Thaemanites, ye that mark the paths of the Sabaeans. 20 They too that trust in cities and riches shall come to shame. 21 But ye also have come to me without pity; so that beholding my wound ye are afraid. 22 What? have I made any demand of you? or do I ask for strength from you, 23 to deliver me from enemies, or to rescue me from the hand of the mighty ones? 24 Teach ye me, and I will be silent: if in anything I have erred, tell me. 25 But as it seems, the words of a true man are vain, because I do not ask strength of you. 26 Neither will your reproof cause me to cease my words, for neither will I endure the sound of your speech. 27 Even because ye attack the fatherless, and insult your friend. 28 But now, having looked upon your countenances, I will not lie. 29 Sit down now, and let there not be unrighteousness; and unite again with the just. 30 For there is no injustice in my tongue; and does not my throat meditate understanding?
7 Is not the life of man upon earth a state of trial? and his existence as that of a hireling by the day?
2 Or as a servant that fears his master, and one who has grasped a shadow? or as a hireling waiting for his pay? 3 So have I also endured months of vanity, and nights of pain have been appointed me. 4 Whenever I lie down, I say, When will it be day? and whenever I rise up, again I say when will it be evening? and I am full of pains from evening to morning. 5 And my body is covered with loathsome worms; and I waste away, scraping off clods of dust from my eruption. 6 And my life is lighter than a word, and has perished in vain hope. 7 Remember then that my life is breath, and mine eye shalt not yet again see good. 8 The eye of him that sees me shall not see me again: thine eyes are upon me, and I am no more. 9 I am as a cloud that is cleared away from the sky: for if a man go down to the grave, he shall not come up again: 10 and he shall surely not return to his own house, neither shall his place know him any more. 11 Then neither will I refrain my mouth: I will speak being in distress; being in anguish I will disclose the bitterness of my soul. 12 Am I a sea, or a serpent, that thou hast set a watch over me? 13 I said that my bed should comfort me, and I would privately counsel with myself on my couch. 14 Thou scarest me with dreams, and dost terrify me with visions. 15 Thou wilt separate life from my spirit; and yet keep my bones from death. 16 For I shall not live for ever, that I should patiently endure: depart from me, for my life is vain.
17 For what is man, that thou hast magnified him? or that thou givest heed to him? 18 Wilt thou visit him till the morning, and judge him till the time of rest? 19 How long dost thou not let me alone, nor let me go, until I shall swallow down my spittle? 20 If I have sinned, what shall I be able to do, O thou that understandest the mind of men? why hast thou made me as thine accuser, and why am I a burden to thee? 21 Why hast thou not forgotten my iniquity, and purged my sin? but now I shall depart to the earth; and in the morning I am no more.
8 Then Baldad the Sauchite answered, and said, 2 How long wilt thou speak these things, how long shall the breath of thy mouth be abundant in words? 3 Will the Lord be unjust when he judges; or will he that has made all things pervert justice? 4 If thy sons have sinned before him, he has cast them away because of their transgression. 5 But be thou early in prayer to the Lord Almighty.
6 If thou art pure and true, he will hearken to thy supplication, and will restore to thee the habitation of righteousness. 7 Though then thy beginning should be small, yet thy end should be unspeakably great. 8 For ask of the former generation, and search diligently among the race of our fathers: 9 (for we are of yesterday, and know nothing; for our life upon the earth is a shadow:) 10 shall not these teach thee, and report to thee, and bring out words from their heart? 11 Does the rush flourish without water, or shall the flag grow up without moisture? 12 When it is yet on the root, and though it has not been cut down, does not any herb wither before it has received moisture? 13 Thus then shall be the end of all that forget the Lord: for the hope of the ungodly shall perish.
14 For his house shall be without inhabitants, and his tent shall prove a spider’s web. 15 If he should prop up his house, it shall not stand: and when he has taken hold of it, it shall not remain. 16 For it is moist under the sun, and his branch shall come forth out of his dung-heap. 17 He lies down upon a gathering of stones, and shall live in the mist of flints. 18 If God should destroy him, his place shall deny him. Hast thou not seen such things, 19 that such is the overthrow of the ungodly? and out of the earth another shall grow. 20 For the Lord will by no means reject the harmless man; but he will not receive any gift of the ungodly. 21 But he will fill with laughter the mouth of the sincere, and their lips with thanksgiving. 22 But their adversaries shall clothe themselves with shame; and the habitation of the ungodly shall perish.
9 Then Job answered and said, 2 I know of a truth that it is so: for how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord? 3 For if he would enter into judgment with him, God would not hearken to him, so that he should answer to one of his charges of a thousand. 4 For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: who has hardened himself against him and endured? 5 Who wears out the mountains, and men know it not: who overturns them in anger. 6 Who shakes the earth under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter. 7 Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars. 8 Who alone has stretched out the heavens, and walks on the sea as on firm ground. 9 Who makes Pleias, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and the chambers of the south. 10 Who does great and unsearchable things; glorious also and excellent things, innumerable. 11 If ever he should go beyond me, I shall not see him: if he should pass by me, neither thus have I known it. 12 If he would take away, who shall turn him back? or who shall say to him, What hast thou done? 13 For if he has turned away his anger, the whales under heaven have stooped under him. 14 Oh then that he would hearken to me, or judge my cause. 15 For though I be righteous, he will not hearken to me: I will intreat his judgment. 16 And if I should call and he should not hearken, I cannot believe that he has listened to my voice. 17 Let him not crush me with a dark storm: but he has made by bruises many without cause. 18 For he suffers me not to take breath, but he has filled me with bitterness. 19 For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgment? 20 For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: and though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse. 21 For even if I have sinned, I know it not in my soul: but my life is taken away. 22 Wherefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man. 23 For the worthless die, but the righteous are laughed to scorn. 24 For they are delivered into the hands of the unrighteous man: he covers the faces of the judges of the earth: but if it be not he, who is it? 25 But my life is swifter than a post: my days have fled away, and they knew it not. 26 Or again, is there a trace of their path left by ships? or is there one of the flying eagle as it seeks its prey? 27 And if I should say, I will forget to speak, I will bow down my face and groan; 28 I quake in all my limbs, for I know that thou wilt not leave me alone as innocent. 29 But since I am ungodly, why have I not died? 30 For if I should wash myself with snow, and purge myself with pure hands, 31 thou hadst thoroughly plunged me in filth, and my garment had abhorred me. 32 For thou art not man like me, with whom I could contend, that we might come together to judgment. 33 Would that he our mediator were present, and a reprover, and one who should hear the cause between both. 34 Let him remove his rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me: 35 so shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: for I am not thus conscious of guilt.
10 Weary in my soul, I will pour my words with groans upon him: I will speak being straitened in the bitterness of my soul. 2 And I will say to the Lord, Do not teach me to be impious; and wherefore hast thou thus judged me? 3 Is it good before thee if I be unrighteous? for thou hast disowned the work of thy hands, and attended to the counsel of the ungodly. 4 Or dost thou see as a mortal sees? or wilt thou look as a man sees? 5 Or is thy life human, or thy years the years of a man, 6 that thou hast enquired into mine iniquity, and searched out my sins? 7 For thou knowest that I have not committed iniquity: but who is he that can deliver out of thy hands? 8 Thy hands have formed me and made me; afterwards thou didst change thy mind, and smite me. 9 Remember that thou hast made me as clay, and thou dost turn me again to earth. 10 Hast thou not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese? 11 And thou didst clothe me with skin and flesh, and frame me with bones and sinews. 12 And thou didst bestow upon me life and mercy, and thy oversight has preserved my spirit. 13 Having these things in thyself, I know that thou canst do all things; for nothing is impossible with thee. 14 And if I should sin, thou watchest me; and thou hast not cleared me from iniquity. 15 Or if I should be ungodly, woe is me: and if I should be righteous, I cannot lift myself up, for I am full of dishonour. 16 For I am hunted like a lion for slaughter; for again thou hast changed and art terribly destroying me; 17 renewing against me my torture: and thou hast dealt with me in great anger, and thou hast brought trials upon me. 18 Why then didst thou bring me out of the womb? and why did I not die, and no eye see me, 19 and I become as if I had not been? for why was I not carried from the womb to the grave? 20 Is not the time of my life short? suffer me to rest a little, 21 before I go whence I shall not return, to a land of darkness and gloominess; 22 to a land of perpetual darkness, where there is no light, neither can any one see the life of mortals.
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