Job Chapter 23

Job wishes to be tried at God's tribunal.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 Then Job answered, and said:

2 Now also my words are in bitterness, and the hand of my scourge is more grievous than my mourning.
3 Who will grant me that I might know and find him, and come even to his throne?
4 I would set judgment before him, and would fill my mouth with complaints.
5 That I might know the words that he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.
6 I would not that he should contend with me with much strength, nor overwhelm me with the weight of his greatness.
7 Let him propose equity against me, and let my judgment come to victory.
8 But if I go to the east, he appeareth not; if to the west, I shall not understand him.
9 If to the left hand, what shall I do? I shall not take hold on him: if I turn myself to the right hand, I shall not see him.
10 But he knoweth my way, and has tried me as gold that passeth through the fire:
11 My foot hath followed his steps, I have kept his way, and have not declined from it.
12 I have not departed from the commandments of his lips, and the words of his mouth I have hid in my bosom.
13 For he is alone, and no man can turn away his thought: and whatsoever his soul hath desired, that hath he done.
14 And when he shall have fulfilled his will in me, many other like things are also at hand with him.
15 And therefore I am troubled at his presence, and when I consider him I am made pensive with fear.
16 God hath softened my heart, and the Almighty hath troubled me.
17 For I have not perished because of the darkness that hangs over me, neither hath the mist covered my face.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Respondens autem Job, ait:

2 Nunc quoque in amaritudine est sermo meus,
et manus plagæ meæ aggravata est super gemitum meum.
3 Quis mihi tribuat ut cognoscam et inveniam illum,
et veniam usque ad solium ejus?
4 Ponam coram eo judicium,
et os meum replebo increpationibus:
5 ut sciam verba quæ mihi respondeat,
et intelligam quid loquatur mihi.
6 Nolo multa fortitudine contendat mecum,
nec magnitudinis suæ mole me premat.
7 Proponat æquitatem contra me,
et perveniat ad victoriam judicium meum.
8 Si ad orientem iero, non apparet;
si ad occidentem, non intelligam eum.
9 Si ad sinistram, quid agam? non apprehendam eum;
si me vertam ad dexteram, non videbo illum.
10 Ipse vero scit viam meam,
et probavit me quasi aurum quod per ignem transit.
11 Vestigia ejus secutus est pes meus:
viam ejus custodivi, et non declinavi ex ea.
12 A mandatis labiorum ejus non recessi,
et in sinu meo abscondi verba oris ejus.
13 Ipse enim solus est, et nemo avertere potest cogitationem ejus:
et anima ejus quodcumque voluit, hoc fecit.
14 Cum expleverit in me voluntatem suam,
et alia multa similia præsto sunt ei.
15 Et idcirco a facie ejus turbatus sum,
et considerans eum, timore sollicitor.
16 Deus mollivit cor meum,
et Omnipotens conturbavit me.
17 Non enim perii propter imminentes tenebras,
nec faciem meam operuit caligo.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition