Job 31
1 Jeg gjorde en Pagt med mine Øjne, og hvad skulde jeg agte paa en Jomfru?
I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look with desire on a virgin?
2 Og hvad for en Lod vilde Gud have givet ovenfra og hvad for en Arv den Almægtige fra det høje?
For what is the portion from God above, the inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Mon ikke Ulykke er beredt for den uretfærdige og Undergang for dem, som gøre Uret?
I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people, and that disaster is for doers of wickedness.
4 Mon han ikke ser mine Veje og tæller alle mine Skridt?
Does not God see my ways and count all my steps?
5 Dersom jeg har vandret med Falskhed, og min Fod har hastet til Svig,
If I have walked with falsehood, if my foot has hurried to deceit,
6 — han veje mig paa Retfærdigheds Vægtskaaler, og Gud kende min Uskyldighed —
let me be weighed in an even balance so that God will know 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 has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck 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 my crops be uprooted.
9 Dersom mit Hjerte er forlokket til en Kvinde, og jeg har luret ved min Næstes Dør:
If my heart has been deceived by a woman, 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 let my wife grind grain for another, and let others bow down on her.
11 Thi det var en Skændselsgerning, og det var en Misgerning, som hørte hen for Dommerne;
For that would be a terrible crime; indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.
12 thi det var en Ild, som fortærede indtil Afgrunden, og som skulde have oprykket al min Afgrøde med Rode.
For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn all my harvest to the root.
13 Dersom jeg havde foragtet min Tjeners eller min Tjenestepiges Ret, naar de trættede med mig;
If I ignored the plea for justice from my male or female servant when they argued with me,
14 — og hvad vilde jeg gøre, naar Gud vilde opstaa? og naar han vilde hjemsøge, hvad skulde jeg svare ham?
what then would I do when God rises up to accuse me? When he comes to judge me, how would 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 the one who made me in the womb not make them also? Did not the same one mold us all in the womb?
16 dersom jeg har nægtet de ringe deres Begæring og ladet Enkens Øjne vansmægte,
If I have withheld poor people from their desire, or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,
17 og jeg har ædt min Mundbid for mig alene, saa at den faderløse ikke aad deraf;
or if I have eaten my morsel alone and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—
18 — tværtimod, han er opvokset hos mig som hos en Fader fra min Ungdom af, og hende ledede jeg, fra min Moders Liv af —
because from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided his mother, a widow, from my own mother's womb.
19 dersom jeg har set en forkommen, uden Klæder, og at den fattige intet Dække havde;
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;
20 dersom hans Lænder ikke have velsignet mig, medens han varmede sig ved Ulden af mine Faar;
if his heart has not blessed me because he has not been warmed with the wool of my sheep,
21 dersom jeg har løftet min Haand imod den faderløse, fordi jeg saa Hjælp for mig i Porten:
if I have lifted up my hand against fatherless people because I saw my support in the city gate, then bring charges against me!
22 Da gid min Skulder maa falde fra Skulderbladet, og min Arm brydes fra Armpiben!
If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.
23 Thi en Rædsel vilde være kommen over mig, en Ulykke fra Gud, og imod hans Højhed formaaede jeg intet.
For I dreaded destruction from God; because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.
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 hope, and if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';
25 dersom jeg har glædet mig, at mit Gods var meget, og at min Haand havde forhvervet mangfoldigt;
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gotten many possessions, then bring charges against me!
26 dersom jeg har set til Sollyset, naar det skinnede, eller til Maanen, naar den gaar herlig,
If I have seen the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in its brightness,
27 og mit Hjerte har ladet sig forlokke i Løndom, saa at min Mund kyssede min Haand:
and if my heart has been secretly attracted, so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—
28 — Ogsaa dette havde været en Misgerning, som hørte hen under Dommerne; thi jeg havde hyklet for Gud i det høje —!
this also would be a crime to be punished by judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29 dersom jeg har glædet mig over min Fjendes Undergang og jublet, naar Ulykken ramte ham;
If I have rejoiced at the destruction of anyone who hated me or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him, then bring charges against me!
30 — men jeg tilstedede ikke min Gane at synde, saa at jeg under Forbandelse begærede hans Sjæl —
Indeed, I have not even allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.
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 have never said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'
32 — den fremmede maatte ikke ligge udenfor om Natten, jeg lod mine Døre op for vejfarende —
(even the foreigner has never had to stay in the city square, because I have always opened my doors to the traveler), and if that is not so, then bring charges against me!
33 dersom jeg har skjult mine Overtrædelser som Adam og dulgt min Misgerning i min Barm,
If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins by hiding my guilt inside my tunic
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 feared the great multitude, because the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside), then bring charges against me!
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, if only I had someone to hear me! See, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me! If only I had the indictment that my opponent has written!
36 sandelig, jeg skulde tage den paa min Skulder, jeg skulde binde den omkring mig som et Hovedsmykke!
Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder; I would put it on like a crown.
37 Jeg vil tilkendegive ham ethvert af mine Skridt, som en Fyrste vil jeg nærme mig ham.
I would declare to him an accounting for my steps; as a confident prince I would go up to him.
38 Dersom min Ager raaber imod mig, og alle dens Furer græde;
If my land ever cries out against me, and its furrows weep together,
39 dersom jeg har fortæret dens Grøde uden at have betalt den og udblæst Sjælen fra dens Ejermand:
if I have eaten its harvest without paying for it or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
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 finished.
