Job 9
1 et respondens Iob ait
Then Job answered and said,
2 vere scio quod ita sit et quod non iustificetur homo conpositus Deo
“I truly know that this is so. But how can a person be in the right with God?
3 si voluerit contendere cum eo non poterit ei respondere unum pro mille
If he wants to argue with God, he cannot answer him once in a thousand times.
4 sapiens corde est et fortis robore quis restitit ei et pacem habuit
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has ever hardened himself against him and succeeded?—
5 qui transtulit montes et nescierunt hii quos subvertit in furore suo
he who removes the mountains without warning anyone when he overturns them in his anger—
6 qui commovet terram de loco suo et columnae eius concutiuntur
he who shakes the earth out of its place and sets its supports trembling.
7 qui praecipit soli et non oritur et stellas claudit quasi sub signaculo
It is the same God who tells the sun not to rise, and it does not, and who covers up the stars,
8 qui extendit caelos solus et graditur super fluctus maris
who by himself stretches out the heavens and tramples down the waves of the sea,
9 qui facit Arcturum et Oriona et Hyadas et interiora austri
who makes the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the south.
10 qui facit magna et inconprehensibilia et mirabilia quorum non est numerus
He does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things that cannot be counted.
11 si venerit ad me non videbo si abierit non intellegam eum
See, he goes by me, and I do not see him; he passes on also, but I do not perceive him.
12 si repente interroget quis respondebit ei vel quis dicere potest cur facis
If he takes something away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'
13 Deus cuius resistere irae nemo potest et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem
God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.
14 quantus ergo sum ego qui respondeam ei et loquar verbis meis cum eo
How much less could I answer him, could I choose words to reason with him?
15 qui etiam si habuero quippiam iustum non respondebo sed meum iudicem deprecabor
Even if I were righteous, I could not answer him; I could only plead for mercy with my judge.
16 et cum invocantem exaudierit me non credo quod audierit vocem meam
Even if I called and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.
17 in turbine enim conteret me et multiplicabit vulnera mea etiam sine causa
For he breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 non concedit requiescere spiritum meum et implet me amaritudinibus
He does not allow me to regain my breath; but he fills me with bitterness.
19 si fortitudo quaeritur robustissimus est si aequitas iudicii nemo pro me audet testimonium dicere
If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?
20 si iustificare me voluero os meum condemnabit me si innocentem ostendere pravum me conprobabit
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 etiam si simplex fuero hoc ipsum ignorabit anima mea et taedebit me vitae meae
I am blameless, but I do not care any more about myself; I despise my own life.
22 unum est quod locutus sum et innocentem et impium ipse consumit
It makes no difference, which is why I say that he destroys blameless people and wicked people together.
23 si flagellat occidat semel et non de poenis innocentum rideat
When a whip suddenly kills, he mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 terra data est in manu impii vultum iudicum eius operit quod si non ille est quis ergo est
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 dies mei velociores fuerunt cursore fugerunt et non viderunt bonum
My days are swifter than a running messenger; my days flee away; they see no good anywhere.
26 pertransierunt quasi naves poma portantes sicut aquila volans ad escam
They are as fast as papyrus reed boats, and as fast as the eagle that swoops down on its victim.
27 cum dixero nequaquam ita loquar commuto faciem meam et dolore torqueor
If I said that I would forget about my complaints, that I would take off my sad face and be happy,
28 verebar omnia opera mea sciens quod non parceres delinquenti
I would be afraid of all my sorrows because I know that you will not consider me innocent.
29 si autem et sic impius sum quare frustra laboravi
I will be condemned; why, then, should I try in vain?
30 si lotus fuero quasi aquis nivis et fulserint velut mundissimae manus meae
If I washed myself with snow water and made my hands ever so clean,
31 tamen sordibus intingues me et abominabuntur me vestimenta mea
God would plunge me in a ditch, and my own clothes would be disgusted with me.
32 neque enim viro qui similis mei est respondebo nec qui mecum in iudicio ex aequo possit audiri
For God is not a man, as I am, that I could answer him, that we could come together in court.
33 non est qui utrumque valeat arguere et ponere manum suam in ambobus
There is no judge between us who might lay his hand upon us both.
34 auferat a me virgam suam et pavor eius non me terreat
There is no other judge who could take God's rod off me, who could keep his terror from frightening me.
35 loquar et non timebo eum neque enim possum metuens respondere
Then would I speak up and not fear him. But as things are now, I cannot do that.
