Job 31
1 Jeg gjorde en Pagt med mine Øjne, og hvad skulde jeg agte paa en Jomfru?
A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on a virgin?
2 Og hvad for en Lod vilde Gud have givet ovenfra og hvad for en Arv den Almægtige fra det høje?
And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?
3 Mon ikke Ulykke er beredt for den uretfærdige og Undergang for dem, som gøre Uret?
Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?
4 Mon han ikke ser mine Veje og tæller alle mine Skridt?
Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;
5 Dersom jeg har vandret med Falskhed, og min Fod har hastet til Svig,
[And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.
6 — han veje mig paa Retfærdigheds Vægtskaaler, og Gud kende min Uskyldighed —
Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge 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 my step have turned aside from the [proper] way, and my heart have walked after my eyes, and if any blemish have cleaved to my hands:
8 Da gid jeg maa saa, men en anden æde, og mit Afkom maa oprykkes med Rod.
Then let me sow, and let another eat; and let what I have growing be rooted out.
9 Dersom mit Hjerte er forlokket til en Kvinde, og jeg har luret ved min Næstes Dør:
If my heart have been beguiled toward a woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door:
10 Da gid min Hustru maa male for en anden, og andre bøje sig over hende.
Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;
11 Thi det var en Skændselsgerning, og det var en Misgerning, som hørte hen for Dommerne;
For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;
12 thi det var en Ild, som fortærede indtil Afgrunden, og som skulde have oprykket al min Afgrøde med Rode.
For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.
13 Dersom jeg havde foragtet min Tjeners eller min Tjenestepiges Ret, naar de trættede med mig;
If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and my maid-servant, when they contended with me:
14 — og hvad vilde jeg gøre, naar Gud vilde opstaa? og naar han vilde hjemsøge, hvad skulde jeg svare ham?
What then could I do when God should rise up? and when he should investigate, what could I answer him?
15 har ikke han, som skabte mig i Moders Liv, skabt ham? og har ikke en og den samme beredt os i Moderskød? —
Did not he that made me make him born or a woman? and did not the same one fashion us in the womb?
16 dersom jeg har nægtet de ringe deres Begæring og ladet Enkens Øjne vansmægte,
If ever I denied the wish of the indigent, or ever allowed the eyes of the widow to fall [in vain hopes];
17 og jeg har ædt min Mundbid for mig alene, saa at den faderløse ikke aad deraf;
Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat thereof;
18 — tværtimod, han er opvokset hos mig som hos en Fader fra min Ungdom af, og hende ledede jeg, fra min Moders Liv af —
(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as though we were of one father, and I have guided her [as though she was sprung] from my mother's womb; )
19 dersom jeg har set en forkommen, uden Klæder, og at den fattige intet Dække havde;
If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy without covering:
20 dersom hans Lænder ikke have velsignet mig, medens han varmede sig ved Ulden af mine Faar;
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he have not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 dersom jeg har løftet min Haand imod den faderløse, fordi jeg saa Hjælp for mig i Porten:
If I have swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:
22 Da gid min Skulder maa falde fra Skulderbladet, og min Arm brydes fra Armpiben!
Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;
23 Thi en Rædsel vilde være kommen over mig, en Ulykke fra Gud, og imod hans Højhed formaaede jeg intet.
For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish nothing.
24 Dersom jeg har sat Guld til mit Haab eller sagt til det kostelige Guld: Du er min Tillid;
If I have made gold my confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:
25 dersom jeg har glædet mig, at mit Gods var meget, og at min Haand havde forhvervet mangfoldigt;
If ever I rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 dersom jeg har set til Sollyset, naar det skinnede, eller til Maanen, naar den gaar herlig,
If ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:
27 og mit Hjerte har ladet sig forlokke i Løndom, saa at min Mund kyssede min Haand:
And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed my mouth:
28 — Ogsaa dette havde været en Misgerning, som hørte hen under Dommerne; thi jeg havde hyklet for Gud i det høje —!
This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for thus would I have denied the God that is above.
29 dersom jeg har glædet mig over min Fjendes Undergang og jublet, naar Ulykken ramte ham;
If ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell him; —
30 — men jeg tilstedede ikke min Gane at synde, saa at jeg under Forbandelse begærede hans Sjæl —
But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse his soul: —
31 dersom ikke Mændene i mit Telt have sagt: Hvor finder man nogen, som ikke er bleven mæt af hans Kød?
If the men of my tent said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —
32 — den fremmede maatte ikke ligge udenfor om Natten, jeg lod mine Døre op for vejfarende —
In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;
33 dersom jeg har skjult mine Overtrædelser som Adam og dulgt min Misgerning i min Barm,
If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;
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 —
Because I dreaded the great multitude, or because the contempt of families did terrify me, so that I kept silence, and dared not to go out of the door; —
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;
Oh who will bring me one that would hear me! behold, here is my plea; may the Almighty answer me; and any record which my opponent may have written, —
36 sandelig, jeg skulde tage den paa min Skulder, jeg skulde binde den omkring mig som et Hovedsmykke!
Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.
37 Jeg vil tilkendegive ham ethvert af mine Skridt, som en Fyrste vil jeg nærme mig ham.
The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] a prince would I go near unto him.—
38 Dersom min Ager raaber imod mig, og alle dens Furer græde;
If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;
39 dersom jeg har fortæret dens Grøde uden at have betalt den og udblæst Sjælen fra dens Ejermand:
If I ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:
40 Gid da vokse Tjørn i Stedet for Hvede, og Ukrudt i Stedet for Byg; — Jobs Ord have Ende.
Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)
