Job 9
1 Job prit la parole et dit:
And Job, responding, said:
2 Je sais bien qu’il en est ainsi; Comment l’homme serait-il juste devant Dieu?
Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 S’il voulait contester avec lui, Sur mille choses il ne pourrait répondre à une seule.
If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.
4 A lui la sagesse et la toute-puissance: Qui lui résisterait impunément?
He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?
5 Il transporte soudain les montagnes, Il les renverse dans sa colère.
He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.
6 Il secoue la terre sur sa base, Et ses colonnes sont ébranlées.
He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.
7 Il commande au soleil, et le soleil ne paraît pas; Il met un sceau sur les étoiles.
He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.
8 Seul, il étend les cieux, Il marche sur les hauteurs de la mer.
He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.
9 Il a créé la Grande Ourse, l’Orion et les Pléiades, Et les étoiles des régions australes.
He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.
10 Il fait des choses grandes et insondables, Des merveilles sans nombre.
He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.
11 Voici, il passe près de moi, et je ne le vois pas, Il s’en va, et je ne l’aperçois pas.
If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.
12 S’il enlève, qui s’y opposera? Qui lui dira: Que fais-tu?
If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”
13 Dieu ne retire point sa colère; Sous lui s’inclinent les appuis de l’orgueil.
God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,
14 Et moi, comment lui répondre? Quelles paroles choisir?
what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?
15 Quand je serais juste, je ne répondrais pas; Je ne puis qu’implorer mon juge.
And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.
16 Et quand il m’exaucerait, si je l’invoque, Je ne croirais pas qu’il eût écouté ma voix,
And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 Lui qui m’assaille comme par une tempête, Qui multiplie sans raison mes blessures,
For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.
18 Qui ne me laisse pas respirer, Qui me rassasie d’amertume.
He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.
19 Recourir à la force? Il est tout-puissant. A la justice? Qui me fera comparaître?
If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.
20 Suis-je juste, ma bouche me condamnera; Suis-je innocent, il me déclarera coupable.
If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.
21 Innocent! Je le suis; mais je ne tiens pas à la vie, Je méprise mon existence.
And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.
22 Qu’importe après tout? Car, j’ose le dire, Il détruit l’innocent comme le coupable.
There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.
23 Si du moins le fléau donnait soudain la mort!… Mais il se rit des épreuves de l’innocent.
If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent.
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?
Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?
25 Mes jours sont plus rapides qu’un courrier; Ils fuient sans avoir vu le bonheur;
My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.
26 Ils passent comme les navires de jonc, Comme l’aigle qui fond sur sa proie.
They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.
27 Si je dis: Je veux oublier mes souffrances, Laisser ma tristesse, reprendre courage,
If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.
28 Je suis effrayé de toutes mes douleurs. Je sais que tu ne me tiendras pas pour innocent.
I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.
29 Je serai jugé coupable; Pourquoi me fatiguer en vain?
Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?
30 Quand je me laverais dans la neige, Quand je purifierais mes mains avec du savon,
If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,
31 Tu me plongerais dans la fange, Et mes vêtements m’auraient en horreur.
yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me.
32 Il n’est pas un homme comme moi, pour que je lui réponde, Pour que nous allions ensemble en justice.
For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 Il n’y a pas entre nous d’arbitre, Qui pose sa main sur nous deux.
There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.
34 Qu’il retire sa verge de dessus moi, Que ses terreurs ne me troublent plus;
Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.
35 Alors je parlerai et je ne le craindrai pas. Autrement, je ne suis point à moi-même.
I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.
