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