איוב 31
| ברית כרתי לעיני ומה אתבונן על-בתולה | 1 |
I made an agreement with my eyes; how then might my eyes be looking on a virgin?
| ומה חלק אלוה ממעל ונחלת שדי ממרמים | 2 |
For what is God's reward from on high, or the heritage given by the Ruler of all from heaven?
| הלא-איד לעול ונכר לפעלי און | 3 |
Is it not trouble for the sinner, and destruction for the evil-doers?
| הלא-הוא יראה דרכי וכל-צעדי יספור | 4 |
Does he not see my ways, and are not my steps all numbered?
| אם-הלכתי עם-שוא ותחש על-מרמה רגלי | 5 |
If I have gone in false ways, or my foot has been quick in working deceit;
| ישקלני במאזני-צדק וידע אלוה תמתי | 6 |
(Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness: )
| אם תטה אשרי מני הדרך ואחר עיני הלך לבי ובכפי דבק מאום | 7 |
If my steps have been turned out of the way, or if my heart went after my eyes, or if the property of another is in my hands;
| אזרעה ואחר יאכל וצאצאי ישרשו | 8 |
Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.
| אם-נפתה לבי על-אשה ועל-פתח רעי ארבתי | 9 |
If my heart went after another man's wife, or if I was waiting secretly at my neighbour's door;
| תטחן לאחר אשתי ועליה יכרעון אחרין | 10 |
Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.
| כי-הוא (היא) זמה והיא (והוא) עון פלילים | 11 |
For that would be a crime; it would be an act for which punishment would be measured out by the judges:
| כי אש היא עד-אבדון תאכל ובכל-תבואתי תשרש | 12 |
It would be a fire burning even to destruction, and taking away all my produce.
| אם-אמאס--משפט עבדי ואמתי ברבם עמדי | 13 |
If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;
| ומה אעשה כי-יקום אל וכי-יפקד מה אשיבנו | 14 |
What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?
| הלא-בבטן עשני עשהו ויכננו ברחם אחד | 15 |
Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?
| אם-אמנע מחפץ דלים ועיני אלמנה אכלה | 16 |
If I kept back the desire of the poor; if the widow's eye was looking for help to no purpose;
| ואכל פתי לבדי ולא-אכל יתום ממנה | 17 |
If I kept my food for myself, and did not give some of it to the child with no father;
| כי מנעורי גדלני כאב ומבטן אמי אנחנה | 18 |
(For I was cared for by God as by a father from my earliest days; he was my guide from the body of my mother; )
| אם-אראה אובד מבלי לבוש ואין כסות לאביון | 19 |
If I saw one near to death for need of clothing, and that the poor had nothing covering him;
| אם-לא ברכוני חלצו ומגז כבשי יתחמם | 20 |
If his back did not give me a blessing, and the wool of my sheep did not make him warm;
| אם-הניפותי על-יתום ידי כי-אראה בשער עזרתי | 21 |
If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;
| כתפי משכמה תפול ואזרעי מקנה תשבר | 22 |
May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.
| כי פחד אלי איד אל ומשאתו לא אוכל | 23 |
For the fear of God kept me back, and because of his power I might not do such things.
| אם-שמתי זהב כסלי ולכתם אמרתי מבטחי | 24 |
If I made gold my hope, or if I ever said to the best gold, I have put my faith in you;
| אם-אשמח כי-רב חילי וכי-כביר מצאה ידי | 25 |
If I was glad because my wealth was great, and because my hand had got together a great store;
| אם-אראה אור כי יהל וירח יקר הלך | 26 |
If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,
| ויפת בסתר לבי ותשק ידי לפי | 27 |
A secret feeling of worship came into my heart, and my hand gave kisses from my mouth;
| גם-הוא עון פלילי כי-כחשתי לאל ממעל | 28 |
That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.
| אם-אשמח בפיד משנאי והתעררתי כי-מצאו רע | 29 |
If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;
| ולא-נתתי לחטא חכי-- לשאל באלה נפשו | 30 |
(For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life; )
| אם-לא אמרו מתי אהלי מי-יתן מבשרו לא נשבע | 31 |
If the men of my tent did not say, Who has not had full measure of his meat?
| בחוץ לא-ילין גר דלתי לארח אפתח | 32 |
The traveller did not take his night's rest in the street, and my doors were open to anyone on a journey;
| אם-כסיתי כאדם פשעי-- לטמון בחבי עוני | 33 |
If I kept my evil doings covered, and my sin in the secret of my breast,
| כי אערוץ המון רבה-- ובוז-משפחות יחתני ואדם לא-אצא פתח | 34 |
For fear of the great body of people, or for fear that families might make sport of me, so that I kept quiet, and did not go out of my door;
| מי יתן-לי שמע לי-- הן-תוי שדי יענני וספר כתב איש ריבי | 35 |
If only God would give ear to me, and the Ruler of all would give me an answer! or if what he has against me had been put in writing!
| אם-לא על-שכמי אשאנו אענדנו עטרות לי | 36 |
Truly I would take up the book in my hands; it would be to me as a crown;
| מספר צעדי אגידנו כמו-נגיד אקרבנו | 37 |
I would make clear the number of my steps, I would put it before him like a prince! The words of Job are ended.
| אם-עלי אדמתי תזעק ויחד תלמיה יבכיון | 38 |
If my land has made an outcry against me, or the ploughed earth has been in sorrow;
| אם-כחה אכלתי בלי-כסף ונפש בעליה הפחתי | 39 |
If I have taken its produce without payment, causing the death of its owners;
| תחת חטה יצא חוח--ותחת-שערה באשה תמו דברי איוב | 40 |
Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.
