Liber Job

Homo natus de muliere, brevi vivens tempore, repletur multis miseriis.

Man born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.

Homine nato de muliere, brevi vivente tempore, reple multo miserias.

Qui quasi flos egreditur et conteritur, et fugit velut umbra, et numquam in eodem statu permanet.

Who cometh forth like a flower, and is destroyed, and fleeth as a shadow, and never continueth in the same state.

Qui quasi flore egredior et contere, et fuge sicut umbra, et nunquam in idem statere permane.

Et dignum ducis super hujuscemodi aperire oculos tuos, et adducere eum tecum in judicium?

And dost thou think it meet to open thy eyes upon such an one, and to bring him into judgment with thee?

Et digna de duce super huiuscemodi aperi oculos tuo, et adduce illo tecum in iudicio?

Quis potest facere mundum de immundo conceptum semine? nonne tu qui solus es?

Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? is it not thou who only art?

Qui pote facere mundo de immundo concipe semine? Nonne te qui solo es?

Breves dies hominis sunt: numerus mensium ejus apud te est: constituisti terminos ejus, qui præteriri non poterunt.

The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with thee: thou hast appointed his bounds which cannot be passed.

Brevi dies de homine es: numero de menses de illo apud te es: constitue terminos de illo, qui praeteri non pote.

Recede paululum ab eo, ut quiescat, donec optata veniat, sicut mercenarii, dies ejus.

Depart a little from him, that he may rest until his wished for day come, as that of the hireling.

Recede paul(l)ulum ab eo, ut quiesce, usque que opta que veni, sicut mercenarios, dies de illo.

Lignum habet spem: si præcisum fuerit, rursum virescit, et rami ejus pullulant.

A tree hath hope: if it be cut, it growth green again, and the boughs thereof sprout.

Ligno habe spe: si praecide es, iterum viresce, et ramos de illo pullula.

Si senuerit in terra radix ejus, et in pulvere emortuus fuerit truncus illius,

If its roots be old in the earth, and its stock be dead in the dust:

Si radice in terra de illo senesce, et in pulvere emorior es trunco de illo,

ad odorem aquæ germinabit, et faciet comam, quasi cum primum plantatum est.

At the scent of water, it shall spring, and bring forth leaves, as when it was first planted.

Ad odore de aqua germina, et i fac coma, quasi cum primo planta es.

Homo vero cum mortuus fuerit, et nudatus, atque consumptus, ubi, quæso, est?

But man when he shall be dead, and stripped and consumed, I pray you where is he?

Homine vero cum morto es, et nuda, et consume, ubi, quaese, es?

Quomodo si recedant aquæ de mari, et fluvius vacuefactus arescat:

As if the waters should depart out of the sea, and an emptied river should be dried up;

Quomodo si recede aquas de mari, et fluvio vacuefacie aresce:

sic homo, cum dormierit, non resurget: donec atteratur cælum, non evigilabit, nec consurget de somno suo.

So man when he is fallen asleep shall not rise again; till the heavens be broken, he shall not awake, nor rise up out of his sleep.

Sic homine, cum dormi, non resurge: usque que caelo attere, non evigila, nec consurge de somno suo.

Quis mihi hoc tribuat, ut in inferno protegas me, et abscondas me donec pertranseat furor tuus, et constituas mihi tempus in quo recorderis mei?

Who will grant me this, that thou mayst protect me in hell, and hide me till thy wrath pass, and appoint me a time when thou wilt remember me?

Qui ad me tribue hoc, ut in inferno protiga me, et absconde me usque que furore tuo pertransi, et constitue ad me tempore in quo recordor meo?

Putasne mortuus homo rursum vivat? cunctis diebus quibus nunc milito, expecto donec veniat immutatio mea.

Shall man that is dead, thinkest thou, live again? all the days in which I am now in warfare, I expect until my change come.

Putasne morto homine iterum vive? Cuncta dies ad que nunc mili, expecta usque que immutatione meo que veni.

Vocabis me, et ego respondebo tibi: operi manuum tuarum porriges dexteram.

Thou shalt call me, and I will answer thee: to the work of thy hands thou shalt reach out thy right hand.

Voca me, et me responde ad te: ad opere de manus tuo porrige dextera.

Tu quidem gressus meos dinumerasti: sed parce peccatis meis.

Thou indeed hast numbered my steps, but spare my sins.

Te quidem dinumera gressus meo: sed parce peccatos meo.

Signasti quasi in sacculo delicta mea, sed curasti iniquitatem meam.

Thou hast sealed up my offences as it were in a bag, but hast cured my iniquity.

De signasto quasi in sacculo delictos meo, sed cura iniquitate meo.

Mons cadens defluit, et saxum transfertur de loco suo:

A mountain falling cometh to nought, and a rock is removed out of its place.

Monte cade defer, et saxo transfer de loco suo:

lapides excavant aquæ, et alluvione paulatim terra consumitur: et hominem ergo similiter perdes.

Waters wear away the stones, and with inundation the ground by little and little is washed away: so in like manner thou shalt destroy man.

Lapides excava de aqua, et alluvione paulatim terra consume: et homine ergo similiter perde.

Roborasti eum paululum, ut in perpetuum transiret: immutabis faciem ejus, et emittes eum.

Thou hast strengthened him for a little while, that he may pass away for ever: thou shalt change his face, and shalt send him away.

Roborasto illo paul(l)ulum, ut in perpetua transi: immuta facie de illo, et emitte illo.

Sive nobiles fuerint filii ejus, sive ignobiles, non intelliget.

Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand.

Sive nobile es filios de illo, sive ignobile, non intellege.

Attamen caro ejus, dum vivet, dolebit, et anima illius super semetipso lugebit.

But yet his flesh, while he shall live, shall have pain, and his soul shall mourn over him.

Attamen carne de illo, dum vive, dole, et anima de illo super semetipso luge.