Liber Job

Post hæc aperuit Job os suum, et maledixit diei suo,

After this, Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,

Post hoc Iobe aperi ore suo, et maledice de die suo,

et locutus est:

And he said:

Et locuto es:

Pereat dies in qua natus sum, et nox in qua dictum est: Conceptus est homo.

Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said: A man child is conceived.

Peri die in quo nato es, et nocte in quo dicto es: concipe es homine.

Dies ille vertatur in tenebras: non requirat eum Deus desuper, et non illustretur lumine.

Let that day be turned into darkness, let not God regard it from above, and let not the light shine upon it.

Die illo verte in tenebras: non Deo require illo desuper, et non illustra lumine.

Obscurent eum tenebræ et umbra mortis; occupet eum caligo, et involvatur amaritudine.

Let darkness, and the shadow of death, cover it, let a mist overspread it, and let it be wrapped up in bitterness.

Obscura illo tenebras et umbra de morte; caliga occupe illo, et involve amaritudine.

Noctem illam tenebrosus turbo possideat; non computetur in diebus anni, nec numeretur in mensibus.

Let a darksome whirlwind seize upon that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months.

Tenebroso turbo posside nocte illa; non computa in dies de anno, nec numera in menses.

Sit nox illa solitaria, nec laude digna.

Let that night be solitary, and not worthy of praise.

Es nocte illa solitario, nec laude digna.

Maledicant ei qui maledicunt diei, qui parati sunt suscitare Leviathan.

Let them curse it who curse the day, who are ready to raise up a leviathan:

Maledice ad illo qui maledice de die, qui para es suscita Leviathane.

Obtenebrentur stellæ caligine ejus; expectet lucem, et non videat, nec ortum surgentis auroræ.

Let the stars be darkened with the mist thereof: let it expect light, and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day:

Stellas obtene caliga de illo; expecta luce, et non vide, nec ori surge de aurora.

Quia non conclusit ostia ventris qui portavit me, nec abstulit mala ab oculis meis.

Because it shut not up the doors of the womb that bore me, nor took away evils from my eyes.

Quia non conclude ostios de ventre qui porta me, nec aufer malo ab oculos meo.

Quare non in vulva mortuus sum? egressus ex utero non statim perii?

Why did I not die in the womb? why did I not perish when I came out of the belly?

Quare non in vulva morto es? Egredior ex utero non statim peri?

Quare exceptus genibus? cur lactatus uberibus?

Why received upon the knees? why suckled at the breasts?

Quare excipe genus? Quare lacta uberes?

Nunc enim dormiens silerem, et somno meo requiescerem

For now I should have been asleep and still, and should have rest in my sleep:

Nunc nam dormi sile, et somno meo requiesce

cum regibus et consulibus terræ, qui ædificant sibi solitudines;

With kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes:

Cum reges et consules de terra, qui aedifica ad se solitudines;

aut cum principibus qui possident aurum, et replent domos suas argento;

Or with princes, that possess gold, and fill their houses with silver:

Aut cum principes qui posside auro, et reple domos suo argento;

aut sicut abortivum absconditum non subsisterem, vel qui concepti non viderunt lucem.

Or as a hidden untimely birth, I should not be; or as they that, being conceived, have not seen the light.

Aut sicut abortivo absconditus non subsiste, vel qui concipe non vide luce.

Ibi impii cessaverunt a tumultu, et ibi requieverunt fessi robore.

There the wicked cease from tumult, and there the wearied in strength are at rest.

Ibi impio cessa ab tumultu, et ibi requiesce fede robore.

Et quondam vincti pariter sine molestia, non audierunt vocem exactoris.

And they sometime bound together without disquiet, have not heard the voice of the oppressor.

Et quondam vince pariter sine molestia, non audi voce de exactore.

Parvus et magnus ibi sunt, et servus liber a domino suo.

The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.

Minimo et magna ibi es, et servo libro ab domino suo.

Quare misero data est lux, et vita his qui in amaritudine animæ sunt:

Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul?

Quare mitte da es luce, et vita ad hoc qui in amaritudine de anima es:

qui expectant mortem, et non venit, quasi effodientes thesaurum;

That look for death, and it cometh not, as they that dig for a treasure:

Qui ex(s)pecta morte, et non veni, quasi effodie thesauro;

gaudentque vehementer cum invenerint sepulchrum?

And they rejoice exceedingly when they have found the grave?

Et gaude vehementer cum inveni sepulchro?

viro cujus abscondita est via et circumdedit eum Deus tenebris?

To a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?

Ad viro de que absconditus es via et Deo circumda illo ad tenebras?

Antequam comedam, suspiro; et tamquam inundantes aquæ, sic rugitus meus:

Before I eat I sigh: and as overflowing waters, so is my roaring:

Antequam comede, suspira; et sicut inunda de aqua, sic rugito meo:

quia timor quem timebam evenit mihi, et quod verebar accidit.

For the fear which I feared, hath come upon me: and that which I was afraid of, hath befallen me.

Quia timore quem time eveni ad me, et quod vereor accide.

Nonne dissimulavi? nonne silui? nonne quievi? et venit super me indignatio.

Have I not dissembled? have I not kept silence? have I not been quiet? and indignation is come upon me.

Nonne dissimula? Nonne sili? Nonne quiesce? Et indignatione super me veni.