Page:Bible (Douay Rheims OT1, 1609).djvu/1101

1080 C. XVI.

''Iob moued by his importune freindes, 4. expostulateth their seueritie, 12. further describeth his afflictions, and appealeth to Gods iudgement, that he suffereth more then his sinnes deserue.''

V Iob answering sayd: I haue heard often times such things, ∷ heauie conforters you are al. Shal wordes ful of winde haue an end? or is anie thing trublesome to thee, if thou speake? I also could speake thinges like to you: and would God your soule were for my soule. I also would confort you with wordes, and would wag my head vpon you. I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would moue my lippes, as sparing you. But what shal I doe? If I speake, my paine wil not rest: and if I hold my peace, it wil not depart from me. But now my sorow hath oppressed me, and al my limmes are brought to nothing. My wrinkles giue testimonie against me, and ∷ a false speaker is raysed vp against my face contradicting me. He hath gathered his furie vpon me, and threatening me hath gnashed against me with his teeth, mine enemy hath beheld me with terrible eies. They haue opened their mouthes vpon me, and exprobating haue strooken my cheke, they are filled with my paines. God hath shut me vp with the wicked man, and hath deliuered me to the hands of the impious. I sometime that welthie one sodenly am broken: he hath held my necke, broken me, and set me to himself as it were a marke. He hath compassed me with his speares, he hath wounded my loynes, he hath not spared, and hath powred out on the earth my bowels. He hath cut me with wound vpon wound, he hath come violently vpon me as it were a giant. I haue sowed sackcloth vpon my skinne, and haue couered my flesh with ashes. My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyeliddes are dimme. These thinges haue I suffred ∷ without the iniquitie of my hand, wheras I had cleane prayers to God. Earth couer not my bloud, neither let my crie find place in thee to be hid. For behold my witnesse is in heauen, and he that knoweth my conscience on high. My freindes ful of wordes: mine eie distilleth vnto God. And would God a man might so be iudged with God, as the sonne of man is iudged with his companion. For behold the short yeares passe away, and I walke the path, by the which I shal not returne. CHAP.