Job 31

1 “Mụ na anya m gbara ndụ kpebie na o nweghị mgbe m ga-ele nwaagbọghọ ọbụla anya nʼihi agụụ ịkwa iko.

I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.

2 Nʼihi na, gịnị bụ oke mmadụ ketara nʼaka Chineke onye bi nʼelu; gịnị bụkwa ihe nketa ya site nʼaka Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile nọ nʼelu?

Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?

3 Ọ bụghị mbibi nye ndị ajọ omume, nhụju anya nye ndị na-eme ihe ọjọọ?

Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.

4 Ọ bụ na ọ naghị ahụ ụzọ m niile, gụọkwa nzọ ukwu m niile ọnụ?

Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?

5 “Ọ bụrụ na m gara ije nʼụzọ ụgha maọbụ na ụkwụ m mere ngwangwa gbasoro ụzọ aghụghọ,

But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:

6 ka Chineke were ihe ọtụtụ ziri ezi tụọ m, ọ ga-amata na m bụ onye na-enweghị ịta ụta.

(for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )

7 Ọ bụrụ na nzọ ụkwụ m si nʼụzọ wezuga onwe ya, ọ bụrụ anya m na-edu obi m, ma ọ bụkwanụ na aka m abụọ bụ ihe e merụrụ emerụ,

if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;

8 ọ bụrụ otu a, ka onye ọzọ rie ihe m kụrụ nʼubi, ka e hopuchakwa ihe niile m kụrụ nʼubi.

then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.

9 “Ọ bụrụ na ọ gụọla obi m agụụ ijekwuru nwanyị ọzọ, maọbụ na m ezoola nʼọnụ ụzọ onye agbataobi m,

If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;

10 mgbe ahụ, ka nwunye m kwọọrọ nwoke ọzọ nri, ka ndị ikom ọzọ dinaa ya.

then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.

11 Nʼihi na nke ahụ ga-abụ ihe ihere, bụrụkwa mmehie kwesiri ka e kpee ya ikpe.

For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.

12 Ọ bụ ọkụ na-ere ruo nʼebe ịla nʼiyi; nke pụrụ ihopu ihe owuwe ubi m niile.

For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.

13 “Ọ bụrụ na m jụrụ ikpe ikpe ziri ezi nye nwoke maọbụ nwanyị ọbụla na-ejere m ozi mgbe ha nwere mkpesa megide m,

And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;

14 gịnị ka m ga-eme mgbe Chineke bịakwutere m? Gịnị ka m ga-aza ya mgbe ọ jụrụ m ajụjụ?

what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?

15 Ọ bụ na ọ bụghị onye kpụrụ m nʼafọ nne m mekwara ha? Ọ bụghị ya kpụrụ anyị abụọ nʼafọ nne anyị?

Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.

16 “Ọ bụrụ na m ajụ inye ndị ogbenye ihe dị ha mkpa, ma ọ bụrụkwa na m eme ka anya nwanyị di ya nwụrụ dalaa ya nʼisi,

But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.

17 ọ bụrụ na m dobere ihe oriri m maka naanị m, ma jụ inye ya ụmụ mgbei;

And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;

18 ma site nʼokorobịa m, azụlitere m ha dịka nna kwesiri, ọ bụkwa site na nwantakịrị ka m bụ onyendu nye nwanyị di ya nwụrụ.

(for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)

19 Ọ bụrụ na ọ dị mgbe m hụrụ onye na-ala nʼiyi nʼihi enweghị akwa, maọbụ onye nọ nʼụkọ nke na-enweghị uwe,

And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;

20 ma obi ha agọzighị m nʼihi iji ajị sitere nʼụmụ atụrụ m mee ka o nwee okpomọkụ nʼahụ ya.

and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

21 Ọ bụrụ na m eweliela aka m megide onye nna ya nwụrụ, nʼihi na m mara na m nwere nkwuwa okwu nʼụlọikpe,

if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:

22 mgbe ahụ, ka aka m si nʼubu m dapụ, ka e tijiekwa ogwe aka m site na nkwonkwo ya.

let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.

23 Nʼihi na atụrụ m egwu mbibi na-esite nʼaka Chineke, nʼihi egwu ebube ya, enweghị m ike ime ihe ndị a.

For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.

24 “Ọ bụrụ na ntụkwasị obi m dị nʼọlaedo, maọbụ na m sị ọlaedo a nụchara anụcha, ‘Ị bụ ebe ndabere m.’

If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;

25 Ọ bụrụ na m ṅụrịrị ọṅụ nʼihi oke akụ m, ihe nnweta nke aka m ritere nʼuru,

and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:

26 ọ bụrụ na m legidere anyanwụ anya nʼebube ya, maọbụ ọnwa nʼike nchawa ya,

(do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )

27 nke ga-eme ka obi m bụrụ ihe a rafuru na nzuzo, maọbụ aka m abụrụ ihe e weliri ife ha ofufe,

and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:

28 mgbe ahụ, ihe ndị a ga-abụ mmehie nke a ga-ekpe ikpe, nʼihi na m gaara abụ onye na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi nye Chineke, Onye bi nʼelu.

let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.

29 “Ọ bụrụ na m ṅụrịrị ọṅụ nʼihi ọdachi nke dakwasịrị onye iro m maọbụ chịa ọchị nʼihi nsogbu nke dakwasịrị ya,

And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!

30 ekwebeghị m ka ọnụ m mehie megide ha site nʼịbụ ndụ ha ọnụ.

let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.

31 Ọ bụrụ na o nwebeghị oge ndị nọ nʼezinaụlọ m kwuru okwu sị. ‘Onye ka ọ bụ nke na-erijubeghị afọ site nʼihe oriri Job na-enye?’

And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:

32 Ma ọ dịghị onye ọbịa na-anọ ọnọdụ abalị nʼama, nʼihi ụzọ m na-eghe oghe mgbe ọbụla nye ndị ije.

for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )

33 Ọ bụrụ na m na-ezo mmehie m dịka ndị ọzọ, site nʼizobe mmehie m nʼime obi m,

or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;

34 nʼihi na m tụrụ egwu igwe mmadụ, si otu a, tụọ oke egwu nʼihi nleda anya nke ndị agbụrụ dị iche iche, nke mere ka m gbaa nkịtị ghara ịpụ nʼezi.

(for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:

35 (“O, a sị na o nwere onye ga-ege m ntị! Ana m ebinye aka m nʼokwu ngọpụ m, ka Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile za m, ka onye na-ebo m ebubo depụta ihe o nwere megide m nʼakwụkwọ.

(Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,

36 Nʼezie, aga m eyiri ya nʼubu m, aga m eyinyekwa ya dịka okpueze.

I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.

37 Aga m agụkọrọ ya nzọ ụkwụ m niile, aga m ejekwuru ya dịka ọkpara eze.)

And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:

38 “Ọ bụrụ na ala m etie mkpu megide m, ọ bụrụ na olulu dị na ya ejupụta nʼanya mmiri,

If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;

39 ọ bụrụ na m eripịa ihe o mepụtara na-akwụghị ụgwọ, maọbụ mee ka mmụọ ndị bi nʼime ya daa mba,

and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:

40 ka ogwu pupụta nʼọnọdụ ọka wiiti, ka ahịhịa na-esi isi ọjọọ pupụtakwa nʼọnọdụ ọka balị.” Okwu Job agwụla.

then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.