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