< Job 31 >

1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid?
Med augo hev eg gjort ei pakt; eg skal’kje skygna etter møy.
2 For what would be the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
Kva gav meg elles Gud der uppe? Kva arv gav Allvald frå det høge?
3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
Kjem ikkje udådsmann i naud? Og illgjersmenn i ulukka?
4 Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?
Ser ikkje han på mine vegar? Tel ikkje han kvart stig eg gjeng?
5 If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit —
Dersom eg fram med fals hev fare, og foten sprunge etter svik
6 Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know mine integrity —
- Gud vege meg på rettferds vegt, so han kann sjå eg skuldlaus er! -
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to my hands;
Veik mine stig frå vegen av, hev hjarta etter augo gjenge, var det ein flekk på mine hender,
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
so gjev ein annan et mitt såd, og riv mi planting upp med rot!
9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door;
Let eg min hug av kvinna dåra, sneik eg til grannens dør meg fram,
10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
so lat mitt viv åt andre mala, og andre yver ho seg bøygje!
11 For that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
For dette er ei skjemdarferd, eit brot som dom og straff fortener,
12 For it is a fire that consumeth unto destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
ein eld som eta vil til avgrunns og øydeleggja all mi eiga.
13 If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me —
Vanvyrd’ eg retten åt min træl og trælkvinna i trætta med deim?
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when He remembereth, what shall I answer Him?
- Kva gjord’ eg då, når Gud reis upp? Kva svara eg, når han meg klaga?
15 Did not He that made me in the womb make him? And did not One fashion us in the womb?
Dei er som meg i morsliv skapte; ein forma oss i moderfang -
16 If I have withheld aught that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
Um eg sagde nei når arming bad, og let enkja gråtande gå burt,
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof —
hev eg mitt brød åleine ete, so farlaus inkje fekk ein bit,
18 Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide from my mother's womb.
- nei, far for han eg var frå yngdi, frå morsliv var eg hennar førar -
19 If I have seen any wanderer in want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
Såg eg ein stakar utan klæde, ein fatig utan yverplagg,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
og so hans lender ei meg signa, og ei mi saueull han vermde,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;
hev eg mot farlaus handi lyft, av di eg medhald fekk i retten:
22 Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
Let herdi mi or led då losna, og armen brotna frå sitt bein!
23 For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His majesty I could do nothing.
For eg var ovleg rædd Guds straff, eg magtlaus stod framfor hans velde.
24 If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold: 'Thou art my confidence';
Um eg mi lit til gullet sette, og voni til det fine gull,
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
Gledde eg meg ved auka rikdom, og alt eg vann meg med mi hand,
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
såg eg på ljoset når det stråla, på månen der han skreid i glans,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand;
vart hjarta mitt i løyndom dåra, so kyss på hand til deim eg sende,
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that is above.
so var det og straffande brot, då neitta eg min Gud der uppe.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or exulted when evil found him —
Hev eg meg gledt ved uvens uferd, og jubla når han kom i skade,
30 Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse.
- men eg let ikkje munnen synda og banna honom ifrå livet -
31 If the men of my tent said not: 'Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat?'
hev ei mitt husfolk stendigt sagt: «Kven gjekk vel svolten frå hans bord?»
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street; my doors I opened to the roadside.
- Eg let’kje framand natta ute; for ferdamann eg opna døri -
33 If after the manner of men I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom —
hev eg som Adam dult mi synd, og løynt mi misgjerd i min barm,
34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the most contemptible among families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door.
di eg var rædd den store hop og ottast spott frå ættefrendar, so stilt eg heldt meg innum dører?
35 Oh that I had one to hear me! — Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me — and that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!
Å, vilde nokon høyra på meg! Sjå her er underskrifti mi, lat berre Allvald svara meg! Fekk eg den skrift min motpart skreiv,
36 Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown.
den skulde eg på oksli bera og binda på meg som ein krans
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
eg melde honom kvart mitt stig, og som ein hovding møta honom.
38 If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together;
Dersom min åker klagar meg, og um plogforerne lyt gråta,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed —
åt eg hans grøda ubetalt, tok livet eg av eigarmannen:
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and noisome weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
Lat då for kveite klunger gro, og ugras der eg sådde bygg!» Her endar Jobs tale.

< Job 31 >