Job 9

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Job spoke next. He said:	1 And Job answered, and said:
2 Indeed, I know it is as you say: how could anyone claim to be upright before God?	2 Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with
3 Anyone trying to argue matters with him, could not give him one answer in a thousand.	3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
4 Among the wisest and the hardiest, who then can successful y defy him?	4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace ?
5 He moves the mountains, though they do not know it; he throws them down when he is angry.	5 Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
6 He shakes the earth, and moves it from its place, making al its pil ars tremble.	6 Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 The sun, at his command, forbears to rise, and on the stars he sets a seal.	7 Who commandeth tile sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
8 He and no other has stretched out the heavens and trampled on the back of the Sea.	8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
9 He has made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the Mansions of the South.	9 Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
10 The works he does are great and unfathomable, and his marvels cannot be counted.	10 Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
11 If he passes me, I do not see him; he slips by, imperceptible to me.	11 If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
12 If he snatches his prey, who is going to stop him or dare to ask, 'What are you doing?'	12 If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
13 God does not renounce his anger: beneath him, Rahab's minions stil lie prostrate.	13 God, whose wrath no mall can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
14 And here am I, proposing to defend myself and select my arguments against him!	14 What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
15 Even if I am upright, what point is there in answering him? I can only plead for mercy with my judge!	15 I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
16 And if he deigned to answer my citation, I cannot believe he would listen to what I said,	16 And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 he who crushes me for one hair, who, for no reason, wounds and wounds again,	17 For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
18 not even letting me regain my breath, with so much bitterness he fills me!	18 He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
19 Shal I try force? Look how strong he is! Or go to court? But who wil summon him?	19 If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
20 If I prove myself upright, his mouth may condemn me, even if I am innocent, he may pronounce meperverse.	20 If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
21 But am I innocent? I am no longer sure, and life itself I despise!	21 Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
22 It is al one, and hence I boldly say: he destroys innocent and guilty alike.	22 One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
23 When a sudden deadly scourge descends, he laughs at the plight of the innocent.	23 If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
24 When a country falls into the power of the wicked, he veils the faces of its judges. Or if not he, whoelse?	24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
25 My days pass: more swiftly than a runner they flee away with never a glimpse of happiness,	25 My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
26 they skim past like a reed canoe, like an eagle swooping on its prey.	26 They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
27 If I decide to stifle my complaining, change countenance, and wear a smiling face,	27 If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
28 fear seizes me at the thought of al my woes, for I know you do not regard me as innocent.	28 I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
29 And if I have done wrong, why should I put myself to useless trouble?	29 But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
30 If I wash myself in melted snow, clean my hands with soda,	30 If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean :
31 you wil only plunge me into the dung, til my clothes themselves recoil from me!	31 Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me,
32 For he is not human like me: impossible for me to answer him or appear alongside him in court.	32 For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 There is no arbiter between us, to lay his hand on both,	33 There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.
34 to stay his rod from me, or keep away his daunting terrors.	34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
35 Nonetheless, unafraid of him, I shal speak: since I do not see myself like that at al !	35 I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.