Job acknowledges God's justice: although He often afflicts the innocent.

 1 And Job answered, and said:
Et respondens Job, ait :

 2 Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
Vere scio quod ita sit, et quod non justificetur homo compositus Deo.

 3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
Si voluerit contendere cum eo, non poterit ei respondere unum pro mille.

 4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
Sapiens corde est, et fortis robore : quis restitit ei, et pacem habuit?

 5 Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
Qui transtulit montes, et nescierunt hi quos subvertit in furore suo.

 6 Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
Qui commovet terram de loco suo, et columnae ejus concutiuntur.

 7 Who commandeth the sun and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal:
Qui praecipit soli, et non oritur, et stellas claudit quasi sub signaculo.

 8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
Qui extendit caelos solus, et graditur super fluctus maris.

 9 Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
Qui facit Arcturum et Oriona, et Hyadas et interiora austri.

 10 Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
Qui facit magna, et incomprehensibilia, et mirabilia, quorum non est numerus.

 11 If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart I shall not understand.
Si venerit ad me, non videbo eum; si abierit, non intelligam.

 12 If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
Si repente interroget, quis respondebit ei? vel quis dicere potest : Cur ita facis?

 13 God, whose wrath no man can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
Deus, cujus irae nemo resistere potest, et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem.

 14 What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
Quantus ergo sum ego, ut respondeam ei, et loquar verbis meis cum eo?

 15 I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
Qui, etiam si habuero quippiam justum, non respondebo : sed meum judicem deprecabor.

 16 And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
Et cum invocantem exaudierit me, non credo quod audierit vocem meam.

 17 For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
In turbine enim conteret me, et multiplicabit vulnera mea, etiam sine causa.

 18 He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
Non concedit requiescere spiritum meum, et implet me amaritudinibus.

 19 If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
Si fortitudo quaeritur, robustissimus est; si aequitas judicii, nemo audet pro me testimonium dicere.

 20 If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
Si justificare me voluero, os meum condemnabit me; si innocentem ostendero, pravum me comprobabit.

 21 Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
Etiam si simplex fuero, hoc ipsum ignorabit anima mea, et taedebit me vitae meae.

 22 One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
Unum est quod locutus sum : et innocentem et impium ipse consumit.

 23 If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
Si flagellat, occidat semel, et non de poenis innocentum rideat.

 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?
Terra data est in manus impii, vultum judicum ejus operit. Quod si non ille est, quis ergo est?

 25 My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
Dies mei velociores fuerunt cursore; fugerunt, et non viderunt bonum.

 26 They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
Pertransierunt quasi naves poma portantes, sicut aquila volans ad escam.

 27 If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
Cum dixero : Nequaquam ita loquar, commuto faciem meam, et dolore torqueor.

 28 I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
Verebar omnia opera mea, sciens quod non parceres delinquenti.

 29 But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
Si autem et sic impius sum, quare frustra laboravi?

 30 If I be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:
Si lotus fuero quasi aquis nivis, et fulserit velut mundissimae manus meae,

 31 Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me,
tamen sordibus intinges me, et abominabuntur me vestimenta mea.

 32 For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
Neque enim viro qui similis mei est, respondebo; nec qui mecum in judicio ex aequo possit audiri.

 33 There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.
Non est qui utrumque valeat arguere, et ponere manum suam in ambobus.

 34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
Auferat a me virgam suam, et pavor ejus non me terreat.

 35 I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
Loquar, et non timebo eum; neque enim possum metuens respondere.