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.
I know it is so truthfully: but how should man be just with God?
3 Si voluerit contendere cum eo, non poterit ei respondere unum pro mille.
If he will contend with him, he cannot 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 has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?
5 Qui transtulit montes, et nescierunt hi quos subvertit in furore suo.
Which removes the mountains, and they know not: which overturns them in his anger.
6 Qui commovet terram de loco suo, et columnæ eius concutiuntur.
Which shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Qui præcipit Soli, et non oritur: et stellas claudit quasi sub signaculo:
Which commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars.
8 Qui extendit cælos solus, et graditur super fluctus maris.
Which alone spreads out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea.
9 Qui facit Arcturum, et Oriona, et Hyadas, et interiora austri.
Which makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 Qui facit magna, et incomprehensibilia, et mirabilia, quorum non est numerus.
Which does great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
11 Si venerit ad me, non videbo eum: si abierit, non intelligam.
Lo, he goes by me, and I see him not: he passes on also, but I perceive him not.
12 Si repente interroget, quis respondebit ei? vel quis dicere potest: Cur ita facis?
Behold, he takes away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What do you?
13 Deus, cuius iræ nemo resistere potest, et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem.
If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do 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 words to reason 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, but I would make supplication to my judge.
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 had hearkened unto 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 will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19 Si fortitudo quæritur, robustissimus est: si æquitas iudicii, nemo audet pro me testimonium dicere.
If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20 Si iustificare me voluero, os meum condemnabit me: si innocentem ostendero, pravum me comprobabit.
If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21 Etiam si simplex fuero, hoc ipsum ignorabit anima mea, et tædebit me vitæ meæ.
Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 Unum est quod locutus sum, et innocentem et impium ipse consumit.
This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.
23 Si flagellat, occidat semel, et non de pœnis innocentum rideat.
If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
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 covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
25 Dies mei velociores fuerunt cursore: fugerunt, et non viderunt bonum.
Now my days are swifter than a post: 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 eagle that hastes to the prey.
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 heaviness, and comfort myself:
28 Verebar omnia opera mea, sciens quod non parceres delinquenti.
I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.
29 Si autem et sic impius sum, quare frustra laboravi?
If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
30 Si lotus fuero quasi aquis nivis, et fulserit velut mundissimæ manus meæ:
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 shall you plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall detest me.
32 Neque enim viro qui similis mei est, respondebo: nec qui mecum in iudicio ex æquo possit audiri.
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
33 Non est qui utrumque valeat arguere, et ponere manum suam in ambobus.
Neither is there any arbitrator between 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 fear terrify me:
35 Loquar, et non timebo eum: neque enim possum metuens respondere.
Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
