Job 31
1 A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on a virgin?
| ברית כרתי לעיני ומה אתבונן על בתולה׃ |
2 And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?
| ומה חלק אלוה ממעל ונחלת שדי ממרמים׃ |
3 Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?
| הלא איד לעול ונכר לפעלי און׃ |
4 Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;
| הלא הוא יראה דרכי וכל צעדי יספור׃ |
5 [And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.
| אם הלכתי עם שוא ותחש על מרמה רגלי׃ |
6 Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge my integrity,
| ישקלני במאזני צדק וידע אלוה תמתי׃ |
7 If my step have turned aside from the [proper] way, and my heart have walked after my eyes, and if any blemish have cleaved to my hands:
| אם תטה אשרי מני הדרך ואחר עיני הלך לבי ובכפי דבק מאום׃ |
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; and let what I have growing be rooted out.
| אזרעה ואחר יאכל וצאצאי ישרשו׃ |
9 If my heart have been beguiled toward a woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door:
| אם נפתה לבי על אשה ועל פתח רעי ארבתי׃ |
10 Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;
| תטחן לאחר אשתי ועליה יכרעון אחרין׃ |
11 For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;
| כי הוא זמה והיא עון פלילים׃ |
12 For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.
| כי אש היא עד אבדון תאכל ובכל תבואתי תשרש׃ |
13 If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and my maid-servant, when they contended with me:
| אם אמאס משפט עבדי ואמתי ברבם עמדי׃ |
14 What then could I do when God should rise up? and when he should investigate, what could I answer him?
| ומה אעשה כי יקום אל וכי יפקד מה אשיבנו׃ |
15 Did not he that made me make him born or a woman? and did not the same one fashion us in the womb?
| הלא בבטן עשני עשהו ויכננו ברחם אחד׃ |
16 If ever I denied the wish of the indigent, or ever allowed the eyes of the widow to fall [in vain hopes];
| אם אמנע מחפץ דלים ועיני אלמנה אכלה׃ |
17 Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat thereof;
| ואכל פתי לבדי ולא אכל יתום ממנה׃ |
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as though we were of one father, and I have guided her [as though she was sprung] from my mother's womb; )
| כי מנעורי גדלני כאב ומבטן אמי אנחנה׃ |
19 If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy without covering:
| אם אראה אובד מבלי לבוש ואין כסות לאביון׃ |
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he have not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
| אם לא ברכוני חלצו ומגז כבשי יתחמם׃ |
21 If I have swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:
| אם הניפותי על יתום ידי כי אראה בשער עזרתי׃ |
22 Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;
| כתפי משכמה תפול ואזרעי מקנה תשבר׃ |
23 For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish nothing.
| כי פחד אלי איד אל ומשאתו לא אוכל׃ |
24 If I have made gold my confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:
| אם שמתי זהב כסלי ולכתם אמרתי מבטחי׃ |
25 If ever I rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, and because my hand had gotten much;
| אם אשמח כי רב חילי וכי כביר מצאה ידי׃ |
26 If ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:
| אם אראה אור כי יהל וירח יקר הלך׃ |
27 And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed my mouth:
| ויפת בסתר לבי ותשק ידי לפי׃ |
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for thus would I have denied the God that is above.
| גם הוא עון פלילי כי כחשתי לאל ממעל׃ |
29 If ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell him; —
| אם אשמח בפיד משנאי והתעררתי כי מצאו רע׃ |
30 But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse his soul: —
| ולא נתתי לחטא חכי לשאל באלה נפשו׃ |
31 If the men of my tent said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —
| אם לא אמרו מתי אהלי מי יתן מבשרו לא נשבע׃ |
32 In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;
| בחוץ לא ילין גר דלתי לארח אפתח׃ |
33 If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;
| אם כסיתי כאדם פשעי לטמון בחבי עוני׃ |
34 Because I dreaded the great multitude, or because the contempt of families did terrify me, so that I kept silence, and dared not to go out of the door; —
| כי אערוץ המון רבה ובוז משפחות יחתני ואדם לא אצא פתח׃ |
35 Oh who will bring me one that would hear me! behold, here is my plea; may the Almighty answer me; and any record which my opponent may have written, —
| מי יתן לי שמע לי הן תוי שדי יענני וספר כתב איש ריבי׃ |
36 Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.
| אם לא על שכמי אשאנו אענדנו עטרות לי׃ |
37 The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] a prince would I go near unto him.—
| מספר צעדי אגידנו כמו נגיד אקרבנו׃ |
38 If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;
| אם עלי אדמתי תזעק ויחד תלמיה יבכיון׃ |
39 If I ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:
| אם כחה אכלתי בלי כסף ונפש בעליה הפחתי׃ |
40 Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)
| תחת חטה יצא חוח ותחת שערה באשה תמו דברי איוב׃ |
