Job 9
1 Alors Job prit la parole et dit:
And Job made answer and said,
2 Je sais bien qu'il en est ainsi: comment l'homme serait-il juste vis-à-vis de Dieu?
Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
3 S'il voulait contester avec lui, sur mille choses il ne pourrait répondre à une seule.
If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.
4 Dieu est sage en son cœur, et puissant en force: qui lui a résisté, et est demeuré en paix?
He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?
5 Il transporte les montagnes, sans qu'elles le sachent, il les renverse dans sa colère;
It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
6 il secoue la terre sur sa base, et ses colonnes sont ébranlées.
Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
7 Il commande au soleil, et le soleil ne se lève pas; il met un sceau sur les étoiles.
Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
8 Seul, il étend les cieux, il marche sur les hauteurs de la mer.
By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
9 Il a créé la Grande Ourse, Orion, les Pléiades, et les régions du ciel austral.
Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
10 Il fait des merveilles qu'on ne peut sonder, des prodiges qu'on ne saurait compter.
Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
11 Voici qu'il passe près de moi, et je ne le vois pas; il s'éloigne, sans que je l'aperçoive.
See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
12 S'il ravit une proie, qui s'y opposera, qui lui dira: « Que fais-tu? »
If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?
13 Dieu! Rien ne fléchit sa colère; devant lui s'inclinent les légions d'orgueil.
God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
14 Et moi je songerais à lui répondre, à choisir mes paroles pour discuter avec lui!
How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
15 Aurais-je pour moi la justice, je ne répondrais pas; j'implorerais la clémence de mon juge.
Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.
16 Même s'il se rendait à mon appel, je ne croirais pas qu'il eût écouté ma voix:
If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.
17 lui qui me brise comme dans un tourbillon, et multiplie mes blessures sans motif;
For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
18 qui ne me laisse point respirer, et me rassasie d'amertume.
He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
19 S'agit-il de force, voici qu'il est fort, s'agit-il de droit, il dit: « Qui m'assigne? »
If it is a question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?
20 Serais-je irréprochable, ma bouche même me condamnerait; serais-je innocent, elle me déclarerait pervers.
Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.
21 Innocent! Je le suis; je ne tiens pas à l'existence, et la vie m'est à charge.
I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
22 Il m'importe après tout; c'est pourquoi j'ai dit: « Il fait périr également le juste et l'impie. »
It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.
23 Si du moins le fléau tuait d'un seul coup! Hélas! il se rit des épreuves de l'innocent!
If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
24 La terre est livrée aux mains du méchant, Dieu voile la face de ses juges: si ce n'est pas lui, qui est-ce donc?
The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?
25 Mes jours sont plus rapides qu'un courrier, ils fuient sans avoir vu le bonheur;
My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
26 ils passent comme la barque de jonc, comme l'aigle qui fond sur sa proie.
They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
27 Si je dis: « Je veux oublier ma plainte, quitter mon air triste, prendre un air joyeux, »
If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;
28 je tremble pour toutes mes douleurs, je sais que tu ne me tiendras pas pour innocent.
I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
29 Je serai jugé coupable: pourquoi prendre une peine inutile?
You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
30 Quand je me laverais dans la neige, quand je purifierais mes mains avec le bor,
If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
31 tu me plongerais dans la fange, et mes vêtements m'auraient en horreur.
Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
32 Dieu n'est pas un homme comme moi, pour que je lui réponde, pour que nous comparaissions ensemble en justice.
For he is not a man as I am, that I might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.
33 Il n'y a pas entre nous d'arbitre qui pose sa main sur nous deux.
There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
34 Qu'il retire sa verge de dessus moi, que ses terreurs cessent de m'épouvanter:
Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
35 alors je parlerai sans le craindre; autrement, je ne suis point à moi-même.
Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
