Job 9
1 Et respondens Iob, ait:
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 Vere scio quod ita sit, et quod non iustificetur homo compositus Deo.
Truly I have known that [it is] so, And what — is man righteous with God?
3 Si voluerit contendere cum eo, non poterit ei respondere unum pro mille.
If he delight to strive with Him — He doth not answer him one of a thousand.
4 Sapiens corde est, et fortis robore: quis restitit ei, et pacem habuit?
Wise in heart and strong in power — Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
5 Qui transtulit montes, et nescierunt hi quos subvertit in furore suo.
Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.
6 Qui commovet terram de loco suo, et columnæ eius concutiuntur.
Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
7 Qui præcipit Soli, et non oritur: et stellas claudit quasi sub signaculo:
Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.
8 Qui extendit cælos solus, et graditur super fluctus maris.
Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
9 Qui facit Arcturum, et Oriona, et Hyadas, et interiora austri.
Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.
10 Qui facit magna, et incomprehensibilia, et mirabilia, quorum non est numerus.
Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.
11 Si venerit ad me, non videbo eum: si abierit, non intelligam.
Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.
12 Si repente interroget, quis respondebit ei? vel quis dicere potest: Cur ita facis?
Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, 'What dost Thou?'
13 Deus, cuius iræ nemo resistere potest, et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem.
God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.
14 Quantus ergo sum ego, ut respondeam ei, et loquar verbis meis cum eo?
How much less do I — I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
15 Qui etiam si habuero quippiam iustum, non respondebo, sed meum iudicem deprecabor.
Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.
16 Et cum invocantem exaudierit me, non credo quod audierit vocem meam.
Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear [to] my voice.
17 In turbine enim conteret me, et multiplicabit vulnera mea etiam sine causa.
Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.
18 Non concedit requiescere spiritum meum, et implet me amaritudinibus.
He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.
19 Si fortitudo quæritur, robustissimus est: si æquitas iudicii, nemo audet pro me testimonium dicere.
If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment — who doth convene me?
20 Si iustificare me voluero, os meum condemnabit me: si innocentem ostendero, pravum me comprobabit.
If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! — it declareth me perverse.
21 Etiam si simplex fuero, hoc ipsum ignorabit anima mea, et tædebit me vitæ meæ.
Perfect I am! — I know not my soul, I despise my life.
22 Unum est quod locutus sum, et innocentem et impium ipse consumit.
It is the same thing, therefore I said, 'The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'
23 Si flagellat, occidat semel, et non de pœnis innocentum rideat.
If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.
24 Terra data est in manus impii, vultum iudicum eius operit: quod si non ille est, quis ergo est?
Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not — where, who [is] he?
25 Dies mei velociores fuerunt cursore: fugerunt, et non viderunt bonum.
My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
26 Pertransierunt quasi naves poma portantes, sicut aquila volans ad escam.
They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.
27 Cum dixero: Nequaquam ita loquar: commuto faciem meam, et dolore torqueor.
Though I say, 'I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'
28 Verebar omnia opera mea, sciens quod non parceres delinquenti.
I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
29 Si autem et sic impius sum, quare frustra laboravi?
I — I am become wicked; why [is] this? [In] vain I labour.
30 Si lotus fuero quasi aquis nivis, et fulserit velut mundissimæ manus meæ:
If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,
31 Tamen sordibus intinges me, et abominabuntur me vestimenta mea.
Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.
32 Neque enim viro qui similis mei est, respondebo: nec qui mecum in iudicio ex æquo possit audiri.
But if a man like myself — I answer him, We come together into judgment.
33 Non est qui utrumque valeat arguere, et ponere manum suam in ambobus.
If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.
34 Auferat a me virgam suam, et pavor eius non me terreat.
He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,
35 Loquar, et non timebo eum: neque enim possum metuens respondere.
I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.
