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 truly know that this is so. But how can a person be in the right with God?
3 S’il voulait contester avec lui, Sur mille choses il ne pourrait répondre à une seule.
If he wants to argue with God, he cannot answer him once in a thousand times.
4 A lui la sagesse et la toute-puissance: Qui lui résisterait impunément?
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has ever hardened himself against him and succeeded?—
5 Il transporte soudain les montagnes, Il les renverse dans sa colère.
he who removes the mountains without warning anyone when he overturns them in his anger—
6 Il secoue la terre sur sa base, Et ses colonnes sont ébranlées.
he who shakes the earth out of its place and sets its supports trembling.
7 Il commande au soleil, et le soleil ne paraît pas; Il met un sceau sur les étoiles.
It is the same God who tells the sun not to rise, and it does not, and who covers up the stars,
8 Seul, il étend les cieux, Il marche sur les hauteurs de la mer.
who by himself stretches out the heavens and tramples down the waves of the sea,
9 Il a créé la Grande Ourse, l’Orion et les Pléiades, Et les étoiles des régions australes.
who makes the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the south.
10 Il fait des choses grandes et insondables, Des merveilles sans nombre.
He does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things that cannot be counted.
11 Voici, il passe près de moi, et je ne le vois pas, Il s’en va, et je ne l’aperçois pas.
See, he goes by me, and I do not see him; he passes on also, but I do not perceive him.
12 S’il enlève, qui s’y opposera? Qui lui dira: Que fais-tu?
If he takes something away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'
13 Dieu ne retire point sa colère; Sous lui s’inclinent les appuis de l’orgueil.
God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.
14 Et moi, comment lui répondre? Quelles paroles choisir?
How much less could I answer him, could I choose words to reason with him?
15 Quand je serais juste, je ne répondrais pas; Je ne puis qu’implorer mon juge.
Even if I were righteous, I could not answer him; I could only plead for mercy with my judge.
16 Et quand il m’exaucerait, si je l’invoque, Je ne croirais pas qu’il eût écouté ma voix,
Even if I called and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.
17 Lui qui m’assaille comme par une tempête, Qui multiplie sans raison mes blessures,
For he breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 Qui ne me laisse pas respirer, Qui me rassasie d’amertume.
He does not allow me to regain my breath; but he fills me with bitterness.
19 Recourir à la force? Il est tout-puissant. A la justice? Qui me fera comparaître?
If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?
20 Suis-je juste, ma bouche me condamnera; Suis-je innocent, il me déclarera coupable.
Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; and though I am blameless, my words would prove me to be guilty.
21 Innocent! Je le suis; mais je ne tiens pas à la vie, Je méprise mon existence.
I am blameless, but I do not care any more about myself; I despise my own life.
22 Qu’importe après tout? Car, j’ose le dire, Il détruit l’innocent comme le coupable.
It makes no difference, which is why I say that he destroys blameless people and wicked people together.
23 Si du moins le fléau donnait soudain la mort!… Mais il se rit des épreuves de l’innocent.
When a whip suddenly kills, he mocks the despair 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?
The earth is given into the hand of wicked people; God covers the faces of its judges. If it is not he who does it, then who is it?
25 Mes jours sont plus rapides qu’un courrier; Ils fuient sans avoir vu le bonheur;
My days are swifter than a running messenger; my days flee away; they see no good anywhere.
26 Ils passent comme les navires de jonc, Comme l’aigle qui fond sur sa proie.
They are as fast as papyrus reed boats, and as fast as the eagle that swoops down on its victim.
27 Si je dis: Je veux oublier mes souffrances, Laisser ma tristesse, reprendre courage,
If I said that I would forget about my complaints, that I would take off my sad face and be happy,
28 Je suis effrayé de toutes mes douleurs. Je sais que tu ne me tiendras pas pour innocent.
I would be afraid of all my sorrows because I know that you will not consider me innocent.
29 Je serai jugé coupable; Pourquoi me fatiguer en vain?
I will be condemned; why, then, should I try in vain?
30 Quand je me laverais dans la neige, Quand je purifierais mes mains avec du savon,
If I washed myself with snow water and made my hands ever so clean,
31 Tu me plongerais dans la fange, Et mes vêtements m’auraient en horreur.
God would plunge me in a ditch, and my own clothes would be disgusted with me.
32 Il n’est pas un homme comme moi, pour que je lui réponde, Pour que nous allions ensemble en justice.
For God is not a man, as I am, that I could answer him, that we could come together in court.
33 Il n’y a pas entre nous d’arbitre, Qui pose sa main sur nous deux.
There is no judge between us who might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Qu’il retire sa verge de dessus moi, Que ses terreurs ne me troublent plus;
There is no other judge who could take God's rod off me, who could keep his terror from frightening me.
35 Alors je parlerai et je ne le craindrai pas. Autrement, je ne suis point à moi-même.
Then would I speak up and not fear him. But as things are now, I cannot do that.
