Job 31

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

"I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

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

For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from Shaddai on high?

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

Is it not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for evildoers?

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

Doesn't he see my ways, and number all my steps?

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

"If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

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

(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);

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

if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to 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 another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

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

"If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,

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

then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.

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

For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

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

For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

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

"If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended 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 when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?

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

Did not he who made me in the womb make him? Did not the same one fashion us in the womb?

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

"If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

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

or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it

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

(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, her have I guided from my mother's womb);

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

if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

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

if his heart hasn't blessed me, if he hasn't been warmed with my sheep's fleece;

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

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,

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

then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

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

For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing.

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

"If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, 'You are my confidence;'

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

If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

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

if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,

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

and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

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

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have denied the God who is above.

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

"If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him;

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

(yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);

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

if the men of my tent have not said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?'

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

(the foreigner has not lodged in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);

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

if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

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

because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and did not go out of the door?

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 one to hear me. (look, here is my signature, let Shaddai answer me); let the accuser write my indictment.

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

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; and I would bind it to me as a crown.

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

I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.

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

If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;

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

if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

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

let briars grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.