Job 9
1 Et respondens Iob, ait:
And Job answered and said,
2 Vere scio quod ita sit, et quod non iustificetur homo compositus Deo.
Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?
3 Si voluerit contendere cum eo, non poterit ei respondere unum pro mille.
If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
4 Sapiens corde est, et fortis robore: quis restitit ei, et pacem habuit?
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
5 Qui transtulit montes, et nescierunt hi quos subvertit in furore suo.
Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 Qui commovet terram de loco suo, et columnæ eius concutiuntur.
Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
7 Qui præcipit Soli, et non oritur: et stellas claudit quasi sub signaculo:
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
8 Qui extendit cælos solus, et graditur super fluctus maris.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
9 Qui facit Arcturum, et Oriona, et Hyadas, et interiora austri.
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
10 Qui facit magna, et incomprehensibilia, et mirabilia, quorum non est numerus.
Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.
11 Si venerit ad me, non videbo eum: si abierit, non intelligam.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
12 Si repente interroget, quis respondebit ei? vel quis dicere potest: Cur ita facis?
Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 Deus, cuius iræ nemo resistere potest, et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem.
God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
14 Quantus ergo sum ego, ut respondeam ei, et loquar verbis meis cum eo?
How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
15 Qui etiam si habuero quippiam iustum, non respondebo, sed meum iudicem deprecabor.
Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
16 Et cum invocantem exaudierit me, non credo quod audierit vocem meam.
If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, —
17 In turbine enim conteret me, et multiplicabit vulnera mea etiam sine causa.
He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 Non concedit requiescere spiritum meum, et implet me amaritudinibus.
He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
19 Si fortitudo quæritur, robustissimus est: si æquitas iudicii, nemo audet pro me testimonium dicere.
Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
20 Si iustificare me voluero, os meum condemnabit me: si innocentem ostendero, pravum me comprobabit.
If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
21 Etiam si simplex fuero, hoc ipsum ignorabit anima mea, et tædebit me vitæ meæ.
Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 Unum est quod locutus sum, et innocentem et impium ipse consumit.
It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 Si flagellat, occidat semel, et non de pœnis innocentum rideat.
If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.
24 Terra data est in manus impii, vultum iudicum eius operit: quod si non ille est, quis ergo est?
The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
25 Dies mei velociores fuerunt cursore: fugerunt, et non viderunt bonum.
And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
26 Pertransierunt quasi naves poma portantes, sicut aquila volans ad escam.
They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
27 Cum dixero: Nequaquam ita loquar: commuto faciem meam, et dolore torqueor.
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
28 Verebar omnia opera mea, sciens quod non parceres delinquenti.
I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 Si autem et sic impius sum, quare frustra laboravi?
Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
30 Si lotus fuero quasi aquis nivis, et fulserit velut mundissimæ manus meæ:
If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
31 Tamen sordibus intinges me, et abominabuntur me vestimenta mea.
Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.
32 Neque enim viro qui similis mei est, respondebo: nec qui mecum in iudicio ex æquo possit audiri.
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.
33 Non est qui utrumque valeat arguere, et ponere manum suam in ambobus.
There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
34 Auferat a me virgam suam, et pavor eius non me terreat.
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
35 Loquar, et non timebo eum: neque enim possum metuens respondere.
[Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
