איוב 31

1 ברית כרתי לעיני ומה אתבונן על בתולה׃

I made an agreement with my eyes; how then might my eyes be looking on a virgin?

2 ומה חלק אלוה ממעל ונחלת שדי ממרמים׃

For what is God's reward from on high, or the heritage given by the Ruler of all from heaven?

3 הלא איד לעול ונכר לפעלי און׃

Is it not trouble for the sinner, and destruction for the evil-doers?

4 הלא הוא יראה דרכי וכל צעדי יספור׃

Does he not see my ways, and are not my steps all numbered?

5 אם הלכתי עם שוא ותחש על מרמה רגלי׃

If I have gone in false ways, or my foot has been quick in working deceit;

6 ישקלני במאזני צדק וידע אלוה תמתי׃

(Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness: )

7 אם תטה אשרי מני הדרך ואחר עיני הלך לבי ובכפי דבק מאום׃

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;

8 אזרעה ואחר יאכל וצאצאי ישרשו׃

Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.

9 אם נפתה לבי על אשה ועל פתח רעי ארבתי׃

If my heart went after another man's wife, or if I was waiting secretly at my neighbour's door;

10 תטחן לאחר אשתי ועליה יכרעון אחרין׃

Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.

11 כי הוא זמה והיא עון פלילים׃

For that would be a crime; it would be an act for which punishment would be measured out by the judges:

12 כי אש היא עד אבדון תאכל ובכל תבואתי תשרש׃

It would be a fire burning even to destruction, and taking away all my produce.

13 אם אמאס משפט עבדי ואמתי ברבם עמדי׃

If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;

14 ומה אעשה כי יקום אל וכי יפקד מה אשיבנו׃

What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?

15 הלא בבטן עשני עשהו ויכננו ברחם אחד׃

Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?

16 אם אמנע מחפץ דלים ועיני אלמנה אכלה׃

If I kept back the desire of the poor; if the widow's eye was looking for help to no purpose;

17 ואכל פתי לבדי ולא אכל יתום ממנה׃

If I kept my food for myself, and did not give some of it to the child with no father;

18 כי מנעורי גדלני כאב ומבטן אמי אנחנה׃

(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; )

19 אם אראה אובד מבלי לבוש ואין כסות לאביון׃

If I saw one near to death for need of clothing, and that the poor had nothing covering him;

20 אם לא ברכוני חלצו ומגז כבשי יתחמם׃

If his back did not give me a blessing, and the wool of my sheep did not make him warm;

21 אם הניפותי על יתום ידי כי אראה בשער עזרתי׃

If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;

22 כתפי משכמה תפול ואזרעי מקנה תשבר׃

May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.

23 כי פחד אלי איד אל ומשאתו לא אוכל׃

For the fear of God kept me back, and because of his power I might not do such things.

24 אם שמתי זהב כסלי ולכתם אמרתי מבטחי׃

If I made gold my hope, or if I ever said to the best gold, I have put my faith in you;

25 אם אשמח כי רב חילי וכי כביר מצאה ידי׃

If I was glad because my wealth was great, and because my hand had got together a great store;

26 אם אראה אור כי יהל וירח יקר הלך׃

If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,

27 ויפת בסתר לבי ותשק ידי לפי׃

A secret feeling of worship came into my heart, and my hand gave kisses from my mouth;

28 גם הוא עון פלילי כי כחשתי לאל ממעל׃

That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.

29 אם אשמח בפיד משנאי והתעררתי כי מצאו רע׃

If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;

30 ולא נתתי לחטא חכי לשאל באלה נפשו׃

(For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life; )

31 אם לא אמרו מתי אהלי מי יתן מבשרו לא נשבע׃

If the men of my tent did not say, Who has not had full measure of his meat?

32 בחוץ לא ילין גר דלתי לארח אפתח׃

The traveller did not take his night's rest in the street, and my doors were open to anyone on a journey;

33 אם כסיתי כאדם פשעי לטמון בחבי עוני׃

If I kept my evil doings covered, and my sin in the secret of my breast,

34 כי אערוץ המון רבה ובוז משפחות יחתני ואדם לא אצא פתח׃

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;

35 מי יתן לי שמע לי הן תוי שדי יענני וספר כתב איש ריבי׃

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!

36 אם לא על שכמי אשאנו אענדנו עטרות לי׃

Truly I would take up the book in my hands; it would be to me as a crown;

37 מספר צעדי אגידנו כמו נגיד אקרבנו׃

I would make clear the number of my steps, I would put it before him like a prince! The words of Job are ended.

38 אם עלי אדמתי תזעק ויחד תלמיה יבכיון׃

If my land has made an outcry against me, or the ploughed earth has been in sorrow;

39 אם כחה אכלתי בלי כסף ונפש בעליה הפחתי׃

If I have taken its produce without payment, causing the death of its owners;

40 תחת חטה יצא חוח ותחת שערה באשה תמו דברי איוב׃

Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.