Job 31
1 A covenant, I solemnised for mine eyes, —How then could I gaze upon a virgin?
Jeg sluttede en Pagt med mit Øje om ikke at se paa en Jomfru;
2 Or what would have been my portion of GOD from above? Or what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
hvad var ellers min Lod fra Gud hist oppe, den Arv, den Almægtige gav fra det høje?
3 Is there not calamity, for the perverse? and misfortune, for the workers of iniquity?
Har ikke den lovløse Vanheld i Vente, Udaadsmændene Modgang?
4 Would, he, not see my ways? and of all my steps, take account?
Ser han ej mine Veje og tæller alle mine Skridt?
5 Verily I walked not in falsity, nor did my foot haste unto deceit: —
Har jeg holdt til med Løgn, og hasted min Fod til Svig —
6 Let him weigh me in balances of righteousness, —and let GOD take note of mine integrity!
paa Rettens Vægtskaal veje han mig, saa Gud kan kende min Uskyld —
7 If my goings have swerved from the way, —and, after mine eyes, hath gone my heart, and, to my hands, hath adhered any stain,
er mit Skridt bøjet af fra Vejen, og har mit Hjerte fulgt mine Øjne, hang noget ved mine Hænder,
8 Let me sow but, another, eat. And let, what I have springing up, be uprooted!
da gid jeg maa saa og en anden fortære, og hvad jeg planted, oprykkes med Rode!
9 If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, or, by the door of my neighbour, I have lien in wait,
Blev jeg en Daare paa Grund af en Kvinde, og har jeg luret ved Næstens Dør,
10 Let my wife, grind to another, and, over her, let others bend!
saa dreje min Hustru Kværn for en anden, og andre bøje sig over hende!
11 Surely that had been a shameful thing! and that an iniquity for the judges!
Thi sligt var Skændselsdaad, Brøde, der drages for Retten,
12 Surely, a fire, had that been, which, unto destruction, would have consumed, and, of all mine increase, had it torn up the root.
ja, Ild, der æder til Afgrunden og sætter hele min Høst i Brand!
13 If I refused the right of my servant, or my handmaid, when they contended with me,
Har jeg ringeagtet min Træls og min Trælkvindes Ret, naar de trættede med mig,
14 What then could I have done when GOD rose up? And, when he visited, what could I have answered him?
hvad skulde jeg da gøre, naar Gud stod op, hvad skulde jeg svare, naar han saa efter?
15 Did not he who, in the womb, made me, make him? And is not he who formed us in the body one?
Har ikke min Skaber skabt ham i Moders Skød, har en og samme ej dannet os begge i Moders Liv?
16 If I withheld—from pleasure—the poor, or, the eyes of the widow, I dimmed;
Har jeg afslaaet ringes Ønske, ladet Enkens Øjne vansmægte,
17 Or, used to eat my morsel alone, so that the fatherless did not eat thereof;
var jeg ene om at spise mit Brød, har den faderløse ej spist deraf —
18 Surely, from my youth, he grew up to me, as to a father, and, from my birth, I acted as guide to her:
nej, fra Barnsben fostred jeg ham som en Fader, jeg ledede hende fra min Moders Skød.
19 If I saw one perishing for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
Har jeg set en Stakkel blottet for Klæder, en fattig savne et Tæppe —
20 If his loins did not bless me, or if, with the fleece of my lambs, he did not warm himself;
visselig nej, hans Hofter velsigned mig, naar han varmed sig i Uld af mine Lam.
21 If I shook—against the fatherless—my hand, when I saw, in the gate, his need of my help,
Har jeg løftet min Baand mod en faderløs, fordi jeg var vis paa Medhold i Retten,
22 Let, my shoulder, from the shoulder-blade, fall, and, my arm, from the upper bone, be broken;
saa falde min Skulder fra Nakken, saa rykkes min Arm af Led!
23 For, a dread unto me, was calamity from GOD, and, from his majesty, I could not escape.
Thi Guds Rædsel var kommet over mig, og naar han rejste sig, magted jeg intet!
24 If I made gold my stay, and, to precious metal, said, My confidence!
Har jeg slaaet min Lid til Guld, kaldt det rene Guld min Fortrøstning,
25 If I rejoiced because great was my substance, and, an abundance, my hand had discovered;
var det min Glæde, at Rigdommen voksed, og at min Haand fik sanket saa meget,
26 If I looked at the sun, when it flashed forth light, or at the moon, majestically marching along;
saa jeg, hvorledes Sollyset straaled, eller den herligt skridende Maane,
27 And befooled secretly was my heart, so that my hand kissed my mouth,
og lod mit Hjerte sig daare i Løn, saa jeg hylded dem med Kys paa min Haand —
28 That too, had been a judicial iniquity, For I should have been false to GOD, above.
ogsaa det var Brøde, der drages for Retten, thi da fornægted jeg Gud hist oppe.
29 If rejoiced in the misfortune of him that hated me, or exulted when calamity found him; —
Var min Avindsmands Fald min Glæd jubled jeg, naar han ramtes af Vanheld —
30 Neither did I suffer my palate to sin, by asking, with a curse, for his life:
nej, jeg tillod ikke min Gane at synde, saa jeg bandende kræved hans Sjæl.
31 If the men of my household have not said, Oh for some of his flesh—we cannot get filled,
Har min Husfælle ej maattet sige: »Hvem mættedes ej af Kød fra hans Bord« —
32 Outside, the sojourner lodged not for the night, My doors—to the wayfarer, I threw open.
nej, den fremmede laa ej ude om Natten, jeg aabned min Dør for Vandringsmænd.
33 If I covered, like Adam, my transgressions, by hiding in my bosom mine iniquity,
Har jeg skjult mine Synder, som Mennesker gør, saa jeg dulgte min Brøde i Brystet
34 Then let me be made to tremble at a great throng, yea let, the contempt of families, terrify me, so that, keeping silence, I shall not go out of the door!
af Frygt for den store Hob, af Angst for Stamfrænders Ringeagt, saa jeg blev inden Døre i Stilhed! —
35 Oh that I had one to hear me, Lo! my crossmark, May, the Almighty, answer me! And would that, a book, mine opponent had written!
Ak, var der dog en, der hørte paa mig! Her er mit Bomærke — lad den Almægtige svare! Havde jeg blot min Modparts Indlæg!
36 Oh! would I not, upon my shoulder, lift it, or bind it as a crown upon me;
Sandelig, tog jeg det paa min Skulder, kransed mit Hoved dermed som en Krone,
37 The number of my footsteps, I would declare to him, Like a noble, would I draw near to him.
svared ham for hvert eneste Skridt og mødte ham som en Fyrste.
38 If, against me, my ground used to cry out, and, together, my ridges did weep;
Har min Mark maattet skrige over mig og alle Furerne græde,
39 If, the strength thereof, I used to eat, without payment, and, the soul of the holders thereof, I made groan;
har jeg tæret dens Kraft uden Vederlag, udslukt dens Ejeres Liv,
40 Instead of wheat, let there come forth bramble, and, instead of barley, a bad-smelling weed! Ended are the words of Job.
saa gro der Tjørn for Hvede og Ukrudt i Stedet for Byg! Her ender Jobs Ord.
