Job 9
1 et respondens Iob ait
Then answered Job, and said,
2 vere scio quod ita sit et quod non iustificetur homo conpositus Deo
Truly I know that it is so: and how could a mortal be righteous before God?
3 si voluerit contendere cum eo non poterit ei respondere unum pro mille
If he were desirous to enter into a contest with him, he could not give him one answer out of a thousand.
4 sapiens corde est et fortis robore quis restitit ei et pacem habuit
He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and escaped unscathed?
5 qui transtulit montes et nescierunt hii quos subvertit in furore suo
[He it is] who removeth mountains, and they know it not, yea, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 qui commovet terram de loco suo et columnae eius concutiuntur
Who shaketh the earth loose out of her place, that her pillars tremble;
7 qui praecipit soli et non oritur et stellas claudit quasi sub signaculo
Who speaketh to the sun, and he shineth not, and around the stars he placeth a seal;
8 qui extendit caelos solus et graditur super fluctus maris
Who spread out the heavens by himself alone, and treadeth upon the hillocks of the sea;
9 qui facit Arcturum et Oriona et Hyadas et interiora austri
Who made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers the south;
10 qui facit magna et inconprehensibilia et mirabilia quorum non est numerus
Who doth great things which are quite unsearchable, and wonders which are quite without number.
11 si venerit ad me non videbo si abierit non intellegam eum
Lo, were he to go past by me, I should not see him; and were he to pass along, I should not perceive him.
12 si repente interroget quis respondebit ei vel quis dicere potest cur facis
Behold, were he to snatch aught away, who could hold him back? who would say unto him, What dost thou?
13 Deus cuius resistere irae nemo potest et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem
God will not withdraw his anger: beneath him sink down the helpers of the proud.
14 quantus ergo sum ego qui respondeam ei et loquar verbis meis cum eo
How much less then could I answer him, and select my words [to contend] with him?
15 qui etiam si habuero quippiam iustum non respondebo sed meum iudicem deprecabor
Whom, were I even righteous, I could not answer? to him that condemneth me I could [only] make supplication.
16 et cum invocantem exaudierit me non credo quod audierit vocem meam
Or were I to call, and he would answer me, I could yet not believe that he would give ear unto my voice—
17 in turbine enim conteret me et multiplicabit vulnera mea etiam sine causa
He that bruiseth me with [his] tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without a cause.
18 non concedit requiescere spiritum meum et implet me amaritudinibus
He suffereth me not to recover my breath; but feedeth me overmuch with bitter things.
19 si fortitudo quaeritur robustissimus est si aequitas iudicii nemo pro me audet testimonium dicere
If it regard strength, lo, he is the powerful; and if justice, who will cite him for me to appear?
20 si iustificare me voluero os meum condemnabit me si innocentem ostendere pravum me conprobabit
If I were righteous even, my own mouth would condemn me: were I innocent, it would still prove me perverse.
21 etiam si simplex fuero hoc ipsum ignorabit anima mea et taedebit me vitae meae
I am innocent; I will not have regard for myself: I will despise my life.
22 unum est quod locutus sum et innocentem et impium ipse consumit
One thing is [certain], therefore have I said it, The innocent and the wicked he bringeth to their end.
23 si flagellat occidat semel et non de poenis innocentum rideat
If a scourge should slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the guiltless.
24 terra data est in manu impii vultum iudicum eius operit quod si non ille est quis ergo est
Is a land given up into the hand of the wicked? he covereth the faces of its judges: if this be not the truth, who is it then?
25 dies mei velociores fuerunt cursore fugerunt et non viderunt bonum
And my days pass swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no happiness,
26 pertransierunt quasi naves poma portantes sicut aquila volans ad escam
They hasten along like pirate ships: like the eagle that stoopeth down upon his food.
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 sorrowful countenance, and recover my cheerfulness:
28 verebar omnia opera mea sciens quod non parceres delinquenti
O then would I be in dread of all my pains; I know that thou wilt not declare me innocent.
29 si autem et sic impius sum quare frustra laboravi
I must ever be guilty: why then should I fatigue myself for nought?
30 si lotus fuero quasi aquis nivis et fulserint velut mundissimae manus meae
If I were to wash myself in snow-water, to cleanse myself in the purity of my hands:
31 tamen sordibus intingues me et abominabuntur me vestimenta mea
Even then wouldst thou plunge me in the ditch, that my own clothes would render me abhorred.
32 neque enim viro qui similis mei est respondebo nec qui mecum in iudicio ex aequo possit audiri
For he is not a man, like me, that I could answer him, that we should enter together into a contest.
33 non est qui utrumque valeat arguere et ponere manum suam in ambobus
There is no one who can decide between us, who could lay his hand upon us both.
34 auferat a me virgam suam et pavor eius non me terreat
Let him but remove from me his rod, and let not his dread terrify me:
35 loquar et non timebo eum neque enim possum metuens respondere
Then would I speak, and not fear him; for the like I feel not within me.
