Job 31
1 I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women.
Jeg sluttede en Pagt med mit Øje om ikke at se paa en Jomfru;
2 What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them?
hvad var ellers min Lod fra Gud hist oppe, den Arv, den Almægtige gav fra det høje?
3 Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong?
Har ikke den lovløse Vanheld i Vente, Udaadsmændene Modgang?
4 Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take?
Ser han ej mine Veje og tæller alle mine Skridt?
5 Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?
Har jeg holdt til med Løgn, og hasted min Fod til Svig —
6 No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.
paa Rettens Vægtskaal veje han mig, saa Gud kan kende min Uskyld —
7 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,
er mit Skridt bøjet af fra Vejen, og har mit Hjerte fulgt mine Øjne, hang noget ved mine Hænder,
8 then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.
da gid jeg maa saa og en anden fortære, og hvad jeg planted, oprykkes med Rode!
9 If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,
Blev jeg en Daare paa Grund af en Kvinde, og har jeg luret ved Næstens Dør,
10 then let my wife serve another, let other men sleep with her.
saa dreje min Hustru Kværn for en anden, og andre bøje sig over hende!
11 For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment,
Thi sligt var Skændselsdaad, Brøde, der drages for Retten,
12 for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction, destroying everything I have.
ja, Ild, der æder til Afgrunden og sætter hele min Høst i Brand!
13 If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me,
Har jeg ringeagtet min Træls og min Trælkvindes Ret, naar de trættede med mig,
14 what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me?
hvad skulde jeg da gøre, naar Gud stod op, hvad skulde jeg svare, naar han saa efter?
15 Didn't the same God make all of us?
Har ikke min Skaber skabt ham i Moders Skød, har en og samme ej dannet os begge i Moders Liv?
16 Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair?
Har jeg afslaaet ringes Ønske, ladet Enkens Øjne vansmægte,
17 Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans?
var jeg ene om at spise mit Brød, har den faderløse ej spist deraf —
18 From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows.
nej, fra Barnsben fostred jeg ham som en Fader, jeg ledede hende fra min Moders Skød.
19 If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear,
Har jeg set en Stakkel blottet for Klæder, en fattig savne et Tæppe —
20 they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.
visselig nej, hans Hofter velsigned mig, naar han varmed sig i Uld af mine Lam.
21 If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,
Har jeg løftet min Baand mod en faderløs, fordi jeg var vis paa Medhold i Retten,
22 then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.
saa falde min Skulder fra Nakken, saa rykkes min Arm af Led!
23 Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.
Thi Guds Rædsel var kommet over mig, og naar han rejste sig, magted jeg intet!
24 Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’?
Har jeg slaaet min Lid til Guld, kaldt det rene Guld min Fortrøstning,
25 Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained?
var det min Glæde, at Rigdommen voksed, og at min Haand fik sanket saa meget,
26 Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky
saa jeg, hvorledes Sollyset straaled, eller den herligt skridende Maane,
27 and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand to them in devotion?
og lod mit Hjerte sig daare i Løn, saa jeg hylded dem med Kys paa min Haand —
28 This too would be a sin deserving punishment for it would mean I had denied God above.
ogsaa det var Brøde, der drages for Retten, thi da fornægted jeg Gud hist oppe.
29 Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down?
Var min Avindsmands Fald min Glæd jubled jeg, naar han ramtes af Vanheld —
30 I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life.
nej, jeg tillod ikke min Gane at synde, saa jeg bandende kræved hans Sjæl.
31 Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’
Har min Husfælle ej maattet sige: »Hvem mættedes ej af Kød fra hans Bord« —
32 I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers.
nej, den fremmede laa ej ude om Natten, jeg aabned min Dør for Vandringsmænd.
33 Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me?
Har jeg skjult mine Synder, som Mennesker gør, saa jeg dulgte min Brøde i Brystet
34 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?
af Frygt for den store Hob, af Angst for Stamfrænders Ringeagt, saa jeg blev inden Døre i Stilhed! —
35 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.
Ak, var der dog en, der hørte paa mig! Her er mit Bomærke — lad den Almægtige svare! Havde jeg blot min Modparts Indlæg!
36 I would hold them up high; I would wear them on my head like a crown.
Sandelig, tog jeg det paa min Skulder, kransed mit Hoved dermed som en Krone,
37 I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.
svared ham for hvert eneste Skridt og mødte ham som en Fyrste.
38 If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me;
Har min Mark maattet skrige over mig og alle Furerne græde,
39 if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers;
har jeg tæret dens Kraft uden Vederlag, udslukt dens Ejeres Liv,
40 then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
saa gro der Tjørn for Hvede og Ukrudt i Stedet for Byg! Her ender Jobs Ord.
