Job 9
1 et respondens Iob ait
And Job, responding, said:
2 vere scio quod ita sit et quod non iustificetur homo conpositus Deo
Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 si voluerit contendere cum eo non poterit ei respondere unum pro mille
If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.
4 sapiens corde est et fortis robore quis restitit ei et pacem habuit
He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?
5 qui transtulit montes et nescierunt hii quos subvertit in furore suo
He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.
6 qui commovet terram de loco suo et columnae eius concutiuntur
He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.
7 qui praecipit soli et non oritur et stellas claudit quasi sub signaculo
He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.
8 qui extendit caelos solus et graditur super fluctus maris
He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.
9 qui facit Arcturum et Oriona et Hyadas et interiora austri
He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.
10 qui facit magna et inconprehensibilia et mirabilia quorum non est numerus
He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.
11 si venerit ad me non videbo si abierit non intellegam eum
If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.
12 si repente interroget quis respondebit ei vel quis dicere potest cur facis
If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”
13 Deus cuius resistere irae nemo potest et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem
God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,
14 quantus ergo sum ego qui respondeam ei et loquar verbis meis cum eo
what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?
15 qui etiam si habuero quippiam iustum non respondebo sed meum iudicem deprecabor
And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.
16 et cum invocantem exaudierit me non credo quod audierit vocem meam
And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 in turbine enim conteret me et multiplicabit vulnera mea etiam sine causa
For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.
18 non concedit requiescere spiritum meum et implet me amaritudinibus
He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.
19 si fortitudo quaeritur robustissimus est si aequitas iudicii nemo pro me audet testimonium dicere
If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.
20 si iustificare me voluero os meum condemnabit me si innocentem ostendere pravum me conprobabit
If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.
21 etiam si simplex fuero hoc ipsum ignorabit anima mea et taedebit me vitae meae
And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.
22 unum est quod locutus sum et innocentem et impium ipse consumit
There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.
23 si flagellat occidat semel et non de poenis innocentum rideat
If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent.
24 terra data est in manu impii vultum iudicum eius operit quod si non ille est quis ergo est
Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?
25 dies mei velociores fuerunt cursore fugerunt et non viderunt bonum
My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.
26 pertransierunt quasi naves poma portantes sicut aquila volans ad escam
They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.
27 cum dixero nequaquam ita loquar commuto faciem meam et dolore torqueor
If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.
28 verebar omnia opera mea sciens quod non parceres delinquenti
I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.
29 si autem et sic impius sum quare frustra laboravi
Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?
30 si lotus fuero quasi aquis nivis et fulserint velut mundissimae manus meae
If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,
31 tamen sordibus intingues me et abominabuntur me vestimenta mea
yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me.
32 neque enim viro qui similis mei est respondebo nec qui mecum in iudicio ex aequo possit audiri
For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 non est qui utrumque valeat arguere et ponere manum suam in ambobus
There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.
34 auferat a me virgam suam et pavor eius non me terreat
Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.
35 loquar et non timebo eum neque enim possum metuens respondere
I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.
