Job 9
1 Et respondens Iob, ait:
Then Job answered and said:
2 Vere scio quod ita sit, et quod non iustificetur homo compositus Deo.
Of a truth I know that it is so; and how can man be just with God?
3 Si voluerit contendere cum eo, non poterit ei respondere unum pro mille.
If one should desire to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one 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 prospered?
5 Qui transtulit montes, et nescierunt hi quos subvertit in furore suo.
Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when He overturneth them in His anger.
6 Qui commovet terram de loco suo, et columnae eius concutiuntur.
Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Qui praecipit Soli, et non oritur: et stellas claudit quasi sub signaculo:
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 Qui extendit caelos solus, et graditur super fluctus maris.
Who alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the 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; yea, marvellous things without number.
11 Si venerit ad me, non videbo eum: si abierit, non intelligam.
Lo, He goeth by me, and I see Him not. He passeth on also, but I perceive Him not.
12 Si repente interroget, quis respondebit ei? vel quis dicere potest: Cur ita facis?
Behold, He snatcheth away, who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him: 'What doest Thou?'
13 Deus, cuius irae nemo resistere potest, et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem.
God will not withdraw His anger; the helpers of Rahab did stoop under Him.
14 Quantus ergo sum ego, ut respondeam ei, et loquar verbis meis cum eo?
How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out my arguments 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 Him that contendeth with me.
16 Et cum invocantem exaudierit me, non credo quod audierit vocem meam.
If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice —
17 In turbine enim conteret me, et multiplicabit vulnera mea etiam sine causa.
He that would break me with a tempest, and multiply my wounds without cause;
18 Non concedit requiescere spiritum meum, et implet me amaritudinibus.
That would not suffer me to take my breath, but fill me with bitterness.
19 Si fortitudo quaeritur, robustissimus est: si aequitas iudicii, nemo audet pro me testimonium dicere.
If it be a matter of strength, lo, He is mighty! and if of justice, who will appoint me a time?
20 Si iustificare me voluero, os meum condemnabit me: si innocentem ostendero, pravum me comprobabit.
Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse.
21 Etiam si simplex fuero, hoc ipsum ignorabit anima mea, et taedebit me vitae meae.
I am innocent — I regard not myself, I despise my life.
22 Unum est quod locutus sum, et innocentem et impium ipse consumit.
It is all one — therefore I say: He destroyeth the innocent and the wicked.
23 Si flagellat, occidat semel, et non de poenis innocentum rideat.
If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the calamity of the guiltless.
24 Terra data est in manus impii, vultum iudicum eius operit: quod si non ille est, quis ergo est?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if it be not He, who then is it?
25 Dies mei velociores fuerunt cursore: fugerunt, et non viderunt bonum.
Now 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 are passed away as the swift ships; as the vulture that swoopeth on the prey.
27 Cum dixero: Nequaquam ita loquar: commuto faciem meam, et dolore torqueor.
If I say: 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer',
28 Verebar omnia opera mea, sciens quod non parceres delinquenti.
I am afraid of all my pains, I know that Thou wilt not hold me guiltless.
29 Si autem et sic impius sum, quare frustra laboravi?
I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
30 Si lotus fuero quasi aquis nivis, et fulserint velut mundissimae manus meae:
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 Tamen sordibus intinges me, et abominabuntur me vestimenta mea.
Yet wilt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 Neque enim viro qui similis mei est, respondebo: nec qui mecum in iudicio ex aequo 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 no arbiter betwixt us, that might 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 would I speak, and not fear Him; for I am not so with myself.
