Job 9
1 Job replied,
Et respondens Job, ait:
2 “Yes, I know all that! But how can anyone be right before God?
Vere scio quod ita sit, et quod non justificetur homo compositus Deo.
3 If you wanted to argue with God, God could ask a thousand questions that no-one could answer.
Si voluerit contendere cum eo, non poterit ei respondere unum pro mille.
4 God is so wise and so powerful that no-one could challenge him and win.
Sapiens corde est, et fortis robore: quis restitit ei, et pacem habuit?
5 God moves the mountains suddenly; he overturns them in his anger.
Qui transtulit montes, et nescierunt hi quos subvertit in furore suo.
6 He shakes the earth, making its foundations quake.
Qui commovet terram de loco suo, et columnæ ejus concutiuntur.
7 He is the one who can command the sun not to rise and the stars not to shine.
Qui præcipit soli, et non oritur, et stellas claudit quasi sub signaculo.
8 He alone is the one who stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea.
Qui extendit cælos solus, et graditur super fluctus maris.
9 He made the constellations of the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the southern sky.
Qui facit Arcturum et Oriona, et Hyadas et interiora austri.
10 He is the one who does incredible things that are beyond our understanding, marvelous things that are uncountable.
Qui facit magna, et incomprehensibilia, et mirabilia, quorum non est numerus.
11 But when he passes by me, I don't see him; when he moves on, he is invisible to me.
Si venerit ad me, non videbo eum; si abierit, non intelligam.
12 If he takes away, who can prevent him? Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
Si repente interroget, quis respondebit ei? vel quis dicere potest: Cur ita facis?
13 God does not restrain his anger; he crushes Rahab's helpers underfoot.
Deus, cujus iræ nemo resistere potest, et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem.
14 So how much less could I answer God, or choose my words to argue with him!
Quantus ergo sum ego, ut respondeam ei, et loquar verbis meis cum eo?
15 Even though I'm right, I can't answer him. I must plead for mercy from my judge.
qui etiam si habuero quippiam justum, non respondebo: sed meum judicem deprecabor.
16 Even if I called him to come and he responded, I don't believe he would listen to me.
Et cum invocantem exaudierit me, non credo quod audierit vocem meam.
17 He pounds me with the winds of a storm; he wounds me time and again, without giving a reason.
In turbine enim conteret me, et multiplicabit vulnera mea, etiam sine causa.
18 He doesn't give me a chance even to catch my breath; instead he fills my life with bitter suffering.
Non concedit requiescere spiritum meum, et implet me amaritudinibus.
19 If it's a question of strength, then God is the strongest. If it's a question of justice, then who will set a time for my case?
Si fortitudo quæritur, robustissimus est; si æquitas judicii, nemo audet pro me testimonium dicere.
20 Even though I am right, my own mouth would condemn me; even though I am innocent, he would prove me wrong.
Si justificare me voluero, os meum condemnabit me; si innocentem ostendero, pravum me comprobabit.
21 I am innocent! I don't care what happens to me. I hate my life!
Etiam si simplex fuero, hoc ipsum ignorabit anima mea, et tædebit me vitæ meæ.
22 That's why I say, ‘It makes no difference to God. He destroys both the innocent and the wicked.’
Unum est quod locutus sum: et innocentem et impium ipse consumit.
23 When disaster strikes suddenly he mocks the despair of the innocent.
Si flagellat, occidat semel, et non de pœnis innocentum rideat.
24 The earth has been handed over to the wicked; he blinds the eyes of the judges—if it's not him who does this, then who is it?
Terra data est in manus impii; vultum judicum ejus operit. Quod si non ille est, quis ergo est?
25 The days of my life race by like a runner, rushing past without me seeing any happiness.
Dies mei velociores fuerunt cursore; fugerunt, et non viderunt bonum.
26 They pass by like fast sailing ships, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
Pertransierunt quasi naves poma portantes; sicut aquila volans ad escam.
27 If I said to myself, ‘I will forget my complaints; I will stop crying and be happy,’
Cum dixero: Nequaquam ita loquar: commuto faciem meam, et dolore torqueor.
28 I would still be terrified at all my suffering because you, God, will not say I'm innocent.
Verebar omnia opera mea, sciens quod non parceres delinquenti.
29 Since I'm condemned, what's the point in arguing?
Si autem et sic impius sum, quare frustra laboravi?
30 Even if I wash myself with pure mountain water and clean my hands with soap,
Si lotus fuero quasi aquis nivis, et fulserint velut mundissimæ manus meæ,
31 you would toss me into a slime pit so that even my own clothes would hate me!
tamen sordibus intinges me, et abominabuntur me vestimenta mea.
32 For God is not a mortal being like me, I can't defend myself or take him to court.
Neque enim viro qui similis mei est, respondebo; nec qui mecum in judicio ex æquo possit audiri.
33 If only there was an arbitrator who could bring us both together!
Non est qui utrumque valeat arguere, et ponere manum suam in ambobus.
34 I wish God would stop beating me with his rod and terrifying me!
Auferat a me virgam suam, et pavor ejus non me terreat.
35 Then I could speak up without being afraid—but since I am, I can't!”
Loquar, et non timebo eum; neque enim possum metuens respondere.
