Job 31
1 Jeg gjorde en Pagt med mine Øjne, og hvad skulde jeg agte paa en Jomfru?
I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women.
2 Og hvad for en Lod vilde Gud have givet ovenfra og hvad for en Arv den Almægtige fra det høje?
What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them?
3 Mon ikke Ulykke er beredt for den uretfærdige og Undergang for dem, som gøre Uret?
Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong?
4 Mon han ikke ser mine Veje og tæller alle mine Skridt?
Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take?
5 Dersom jeg har vandret med Falskhed, og min Fod har hastet til Svig,
Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?
6 — han veje mig paa Retfærdigheds Vægtskaaler, og Gud kende min Uskyldighed —
No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.
7 dersom min Gang har bøjet af fra Vejen, og mit Hjerte er gaaet efter mine Øjne, og en Plet har klæbet ved mine Hænder:
If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,
8 Da gid jeg maa saa, men en anden æde, og mit Afkom maa oprykkes med Rod.
then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.
9 Dersom mit Hjerte er forlokket til en Kvinde, og jeg har luret ved min Næstes Dør:
If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,
10 Da gid min Hustru maa male for en anden, og andre bøje sig over hende.
then let my wife serve another, let other men sleep with her.
11 Thi det var en Skændselsgerning, og det var en Misgerning, som hørte hen for Dommerne;
For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment,
12 thi det var en Ild, som fortærede indtil Afgrunden, og som skulde have oprykket al min Afgrøde med Rode.
for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction, destroying everything I have.
13 Dersom jeg havde foragtet min Tjeners eller min Tjenestepiges Ret, naar de trættede med mig;
If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me,
14 — og hvad vilde jeg gøre, naar Gud vilde opstaa? og naar han vilde hjemsøge, hvad skulde jeg svare ham?
what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me?
15 har ikke han, som skabte mig i Moders Liv, skabt ham? og har ikke en og den samme beredt os i Moderskød? —
Didn't the same God make all of us?
16 dersom jeg har nægtet de ringe deres Begæring og ladet Enkens Øjne vansmægte,
Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair?
17 og jeg har ædt min Mundbid for mig alene, saa at den faderløse ikke aad deraf;
Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans?
18 — tværtimod, han er opvokset hos mig som hos en Fader fra min Ungdom af, og hende ledede jeg, fra min Moders Liv af —
From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows.
19 dersom jeg har set en forkommen, uden Klæder, og at den fattige intet Dække havde;
If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear,
20 dersom hans Lænder ikke have velsignet mig, medens han varmede sig ved Ulden af mine Faar;
they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.
21 dersom jeg har løftet min Haand imod den faderløse, fordi jeg saa Hjælp for mig i Porten:
If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,
22 Da gid min Skulder maa falde fra Skulderbladet, og min Arm brydes fra Armpiben!
then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.
23 Thi en Rædsel vilde være kommen over mig, en Ulykke fra Gud, og imod hans Højhed formaaede jeg intet.
Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.
24 Dersom jeg har sat Guld til mit Haab eller sagt til det kostelige Guld: Du er min Tillid;
Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’?
25 dersom jeg har glædet mig, at mit Gods var meget, og at min Haand havde forhvervet mangfoldigt;
Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained?
26 dersom jeg har set til Sollyset, naar det skinnede, eller til Maanen, naar den gaar herlig,
Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky
27 og mit Hjerte har ladet sig forlokke i Løndom, saa at min Mund kyssede min Haand:
and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand to them in devotion?
28 — Ogsaa dette havde været en Misgerning, som hørte hen under Dommerne; thi jeg havde hyklet for Gud i det høje —!
This too would be a sin deserving punishment for it would mean I had denied God above.
29 dersom jeg har glædet mig over min Fjendes Undergang og jublet, naar Ulykken ramte ham;
Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down?
30 — men jeg tilstedede ikke min Gane at synde, saa at jeg under Forbandelse begærede hans Sjæl —
I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life.
31 dersom ikke Mændene i mit Telt have sagt: Hvor finder man nogen, som ikke er bleven mæt af hans Kød?
Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’
32 — den fremmede maatte ikke ligge udenfor om Natten, jeg lod mine Døre op for vejfarende —
I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers.
33 dersom jeg har skjult mine Overtrædelser som Adam og dulgt min Misgerning i min Barm,
Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me?
34 fordi jeg frygtede den store Hob, og Slægters Foragt kunde have forfærdet mig, saa at jeg tav og ikke gik ud af en Dør —
Was I afraid of what everybody else would think, scared of the contempt families would show me, so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside?
35 Havde jeg dog den, som vilde høre paa mig! se her min Underskrift — den Almægtige svare mig — og her den Klage, min Modpart har opsat;
Why won't anyone listen to what I'm saying! I'm signing my name to endorse everything I've said. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write down what he is charging me with.
36 sandelig, jeg skulde tage den paa min Skulder, jeg skulde binde den omkring mig som et Hovedsmykke!
I would hold them up high; I would wear them on my head like a crown.
37 Jeg vil tilkendegive ham ethvert af mine Skridt, som en Fyrste vil jeg nærme mig ham.
I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.
38 Dersom min Ager raaber imod mig, og alle dens Furer græde;
If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me;
39 dersom jeg har fortæret dens Grøde uden at have betalt den og udblæst Sjælen fra dens Ejermand:
if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers;
40 Gid da vokse Tjørn i Stedet for Hvede, og Ukrudt i Stedet for Byg; — Jobs Ord have Ende.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
