Job 9
1 Job prit la parole et dit:
Then Job answered and said,
2 Je sais bien qu’il en est ainsi; Comment l’homme serait-il juste devant Dieu?
I know of a truth that it is so: for how shall a mortal man be just before the Lord?
3 S’il voulait contester avec lui, Sur mille choses il ne pourrait répondre à une seule.
For if he would enter into judgement with him, [God] would not listen to him, so that he should answer to one of his charges of a thousand.
4 A lui la sagesse et la toute-puissance: Qui lui résisterait impunément?
For he is wise in mind, and mighty, and great: who has hardened himself against him and endured?
5 Il transporte soudain les montagnes, Il les renverse dans sa colère.
Who wears out the mountains, and [men] know it not: who overturns them in anger.
6 Il secoue la terre sur sa base, Et ses colonnes sont ébranlées.
Who shakes the [earth] under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter.
7 Il commande au soleil, et le soleil ne paraît pas; Il met un sceau sur les étoiles.
Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars.
8 Seul, il étend les cieux, Il marche sur les hauteurs de la mer.
Who alone has stretched out the heavens, and walks on the sea as on firm ground.
9 Il a créé la Grande Ourse, l’Orion et les Pléiades, Et les étoiles des régions australes.
Who makes Pleias, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and the chambers of the south.
10 Il fait des choses grandes et insondables, Des merveilles sans nombre.
Who does great and unsearchable things; glorious also and excellent things, innumerable.
11 Voici, il passe près de moi, et je ne le vois pas, Il s’en va, et je ne l’aperçois pas.
If ever he should go beyond me, I shall not see him: if he should pass by me, neither thus have I known [it].
12 S’il enlève, qui s’y opposera? Qui lui dira: Que fais-tu?
If he would take away, who shall turn him back? or who shall say to him, What have you done?
13 Dieu ne retire point sa colère; Sous lui s’inclinent les appuis de l’orgueil.
For [if] he has turned away [his] anger, the whales under heaven have stooped under him.
14 Et moi, comment lui répondre? Quelles paroles choisir?
Oh then that he would listen to me, or judge my cause.
15 Quand je serais juste, je ne répondrais pas; Je ne puis qu’implorer mon juge.
For though I be righteous, he will not listen to me: I will entreat his judgement.
16 Et quand il m’exaucerait, si je l’invoque, Je ne croirais pas qu’il eût écouté ma voix,
And if I should call and he should not listen, I can’t believe that he has listened to my voice.
17 Lui qui m’assaille comme par une tempête, Qui multiplie sans raison mes blessures,
Let him not crush me with a dark storm: but he has made by bruises many without cause.
18 Qui ne me laisse pas respirer, Qui me rassasie d’amertume.
For he suffers me not to take breath, but he has filled me with bitterness.
19 Recourir à la force? Il est tout-puissant. A la justice? Qui me fera comparaître?
For indeed he is strong in power: who then shall resist his judgement?
20 Suis-je juste, ma bouche me condamnera; Suis-je innocent, il me déclarera coupable.
For though I should seem righteous, my mouth will be profane: and though I should seem blameless, I shall be proved perverse.
21 Innocent! Je le suis; mais je ne tiens pas à la vie, Je méprise mon existence.
For even if I have sinned, I know it not [in] my soul: but my life is taken away.
22 Qu’importe après tout? Car, j’ose le dire, Il détruit l’innocent comme le coupable.
Therefore I said, Wrath slays the great and mighty man.
23 Si du moins le fléau donnait soudain la mort!… Mais il se rit des épreuves de l’innocent.
For the worthless die, but the righteous are laughed to scorn.
24 La terre est livrée aux mains de l’impie; Il voile la face des juges. Si ce n’est pas lui, qui est-ce donc?
For they are delivered into the hands of the unrighteous [man]: he covers the faces of the judges [of the earth]: but if it be not he, who is it?
25 Mes jours sont plus rapides qu’un courrier; Ils fuient sans avoir vu le bonheur;
But my life is swifter than a post: [my days] have fled away, and they knew it not.
26 Ils passent comme les navires de jonc, Comme l’aigle qui fond sur sa proie.
Or again, is there a trace of [their] path [left] by ships? or is there one of the flying eagle as it seeks [its] prey?
27 Si je dis: Je veux oublier mes souffrances, Laisser ma tristesse, reprendre courage,
And if I should say, I will forget to speak, I will bow down my face and groan;
28 Je suis effrayé de toutes mes douleurs. Je sais que tu ne me tiendras pas pour innocent.
I quake in all my limbs, for I know that you will not leave me alone [as] innocent.
29 Je serai jugé coupable; Pourquoi me fatiguer en vain?
But since I am ungodly, why have I not died?
30 Quand je me laverais dans la neige, Quand je purifierais mes mains avec du savon,
For if I should wash myself with snow, and purge myself with pure hands,
31 Tu me plongerais dans la fange, Et mes vêtements m’auraient en horreur.
you had thoroughly plunged me in filth, and my garment had abhorred me.
32 Il n’est pas un homme comme moi, pour que je lui réponde, Pour que nous allions ensemble en justice.
For you are not man like me, with whom I could contend, that we might come together to judgement.
33 Il n’y a pas entre nous d’arbitre, Qui pose sa main sur nous deux.
Would that [he] our mediator were [present], and a reprover, and one who should hear [the cause] between both.
34 Qu’il retire sa verge de dessus moi, Que ses terreurs ne me troublent plus;
Let him remove [his] rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
35 Alors je parlerai et je ne le craindrai pas. Autrement, je ne suis point à moi-même.
so shall I not be afraid, but I will speak: for I am not thus conscious [of guilt].
