openssl use ssh keys to crypt & decrypt strings (plain strings no files)

catacomb.sh

encrypt() {
    PUBLIC_KEY="~/.ssh/id_rsa"
    echo $1 | openssl rsautl -encrypt -inkey <(openssl rsa -in ~/.ssh/id_rsa -outform pem 2> /dev/null | openssl rsa -pubout 2> /dev/null) -pubin | openssl base64
}
decrypt() {
    PUBLIC_KEY="~/.ssh/id_rsa"
    echo "$1" | openssl base64 -d | openssl rsautl -decrypt -inkey <(openssl rsa -in ~/.ssh/id_rsa -outform pem 2> /dev/null)
}

NOOK=$(encrypt "Hello world")
KOON=$(decrypt "$NOOK")
echo "crypt: " $NOOK
echo "decry: " $KOON