Job 31

1 Jeg sluttede en Pagt med mit Øje om ikke at se paa en Jomfru;

I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.

2 hvad var ellers min Lod fra Gud hist oppe, den Arv, den Almægtige gav fra det høje?

Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?

3 Har ikke den lovløse Vanheld i Vente, Udaadsmændene Modgang?

Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.

4 Ser han ej mine Veje og tæller alle mine Skridt?

Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?

5 Har jeg holdt til med Løgn, og hasted min Fod til Svig —

But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:

6 paa Rettens Vægtskaal veje han mig, saa Gud kan kende min Uskyld —

(for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )

7 er mit Skridt bøjet af fra Vejen, og har mit Hjerte fulgt mine Øjne, hang noget ved mine Hænder,

if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;

8 da gid jeg maa saa og en anden fortære, og hvad jeg planted, oprykkes med Rode!

then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.

9 Blev jeg en Daare paa Grund af en Kvinde, og har jeg luret ved Næstens Dør,

If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;

10 saa dreje min Hustru Kværn for en anden, og andre bøje sig over hende!

then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.

11 Thi sligt var Skændselsdaad, Brøde, der drages for Retten,

For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.

12 ja, Ild, der æder til Afgrunden og sætter hele min Høst i Brand!

For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.

13 Har jeg ringeagtet min Træls og min Trælkvindes Ret, naar de trættede med mig,

And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;

14 hvad skulde jeg da gøre, naar Gud stod op, hvad skulde jeg svare, naar han saa efter?

what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?

15 Har ikke min Skaber skabt ham i Moders Skød, har en og samme ej dannet os begge i Moders Liv?

Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.

16 Har jeg afslaaet ringes Ønske, ladet Enkens Øjne vansmægte,

But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.

17 var jeg ene om at spise mit Brød, har den faderløse ej spist deraf —

And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;

18 nej, fra Barnsben fostred jeg ham som en Fader, jeg ledede hende fra min Moders Skød.

(for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)

19 Har jeg set en Stakkel blottet for Klæder, en fattig savne et Tæppe —

And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;

20 visselig nej, hans Hofter velsigned mig, naar han varmed sig i Uld af mine Lam.

and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

21 Har jeg løftet min Baand mod en faderløs, fordi jeg var vis paa Medhold i Retten,

if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:

22 saa falde min Skulder fra Nakken, saa rykkes min Arm af Led!

let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.

23 Thi Guds Rædsel var kommet over mig, og naar han rejste sig, magted jeg intet!

For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.

24 Har jeg slaaet min Lid til Guld, kaldt det rene Guld min Fortrøstning,

If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;

25 var det min Glæde, at Rigdommen voksed, og at min Haand fik sanket saa meget,

and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:

26 saa jeg, hvorledes Sollyset straaled, eller den herligt skridende Maane,

(do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )

27 og lod mit Hjerte sig daare i Løn, saa jeg hylded dem med Kys paa min Haand —

and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:

28 ogsaa det var Brøde, der drages for Retten, thi da fornægted jeg Gud hist oppe.

let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.

29 Var min Avindsmands Fald min Glæd jubled jeg, naar han ramtes af Vanheld —

And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!

30 nej, jeg tillod ikke min Gane at synde, saa jeg bandende kræved hans Sjæl.

let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.

31 Har min Husfælle ej maattet sige: »Hvem mættedes ej af Kød fra hans Bord« —

And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:

32 nej, den fremmede laa ej ude om Natten, jeg aabned min Dør for Vandringsmænd.

for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )

33 Har jeg skjult mine Synder, som Mennesker gør, saa jeg dulgte min Brøde i Brystet

or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;

34 af Frygt for den store Hob, af Angst for Stamfrænders Ringeagt, saa jeg blev inden Døre i Stilhed! —

(for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:

35 Ak, var der dog en, der hørte paa mig! Her er mit Bomærke — lad den Almægtige svare! Havde jeg blot min Modparts Indlæg!

(Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,

36 Sandelig, tog jeg det paa min Skulder, kransed mit Hoved dermed som en Krone,

I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.

37 svared ham for hvert eneste Skridt og mødte ham som en Fyrste.

And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:

38 Har min Mark maattet skrige over mig og alle Furerne græde,

If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;

39 har jeg tæret dens Kraft uden Vederlag, udslukt dens Ejeres Liv,

and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:

40 saa gro der Tjørn for Hvede og Ukrudt i Stedet for Byg! Her ender Jobs Ord.

then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.