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; how then should I look upon a maid?
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?
For what [is] the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
3 Ọ bụghị mbibi nye ndị ajọ omume, nhụju anya nye ndị na-eme ihe ọjọọ?
Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
4 Ọ bụ na ọ naghị ahụ ụzọ m niile, gụọkwa nzọ ukwu m niile ọnụ?
Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
5 “Ọ bụrụ na m gara ije nʼụzọ ụgha maọbụ na ụkwụ m mere ngwangwa gbasoro ụzọ aghụghọ,
If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit;
6 ka Chineke were ihe ọtụtụ ziri ezi tụọ m, ọ ga-amata na m bụ onye na-enweghị ịta ụta.
(Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity; )
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 step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to mine 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 another eat; yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
9 “Ọ bụrụ na ọ gụọla obi m agụụ ijekwuru nwanyị ọzọ, maọbụ na m ezoola nʼọnụ ụzọ onye agbataobi m,
If mine heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door:
10 mgbe ahụ, ka nwunye m kwọọrọ nwoke ọzọ nri, ka ndị ikom ọzọ dinaa ya.
Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 Nʼihi na nke ahụ ga-abụ ihe ihere, bụrụkwa mmehie kwesiri ka e kpee ya ikpe.
For that were an heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges:
12 Ọ bụ ọkụ na-ere ruo nʼebe ịla nʼiyi; nke pụrụ ihopu ihe owuwe ubi m niile.
For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
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,
If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended 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 when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
15 Ọ bụ na ọ bụghị onye kpụrụ m nʼafọ nne m mekwara ha? Ọ bụghị ya kpụrụ anyị abụọ nʼafọ nne anyị?
Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the 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,
If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 ọ bụrụ na m dobere ihe oriri m maka naanị m, ma jụ inye ya ụmụ mgbei;
Or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
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.
(Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide 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,
If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20 ma obi ha agọzighị m nʼihi iji ajị sitere nʼụmụ atụrụ m mee ka o nwee okpomọkụ nʼahụ ya.
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
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 have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate:
22 mgbe ahụ, ka aka m si nʼubu m dapụ, ka e tijiekwa ogwe aka m site na nkwonkwo ya.
Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
23 Nʼihi na atụrụ m egwu mbibi na-esite nʼaka Chineke, nʼihi egwu ebube ya, enweghị m ike ime ihe ndị a.
For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I could do nothing.
24 “Ọ bụrụ na ntụkwasị obi m dị nʼọlaedo, maọbụ na m sị ọlaedo a nụchara anụcha, ‘Ị bụ ebe ndabere m.’
If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;
25 Ọ bụrụ na m ṅụrịrị ọṅụ nʼihi oke akụ m, ihe nnweta nke aka m ritere nʼuru,
If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
26 ọ bụrụ na m legidere anyanwụ anya nʼebube ya, maọbụ ọnwa nʼike nchawa ya,
If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
27 nke ga-eme ka obi m bụrụ ihe a rafuru na nzuzo, maọbụ aka m abụrụ ihe e weliri ife ha ofufe,
And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand:
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.
This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: for I should have lied to God that is above.
29 “Ọ bụrụ na m ṅụrịrị ọṅụ nʼihi ọdachi nke dakwasịrị onye iro m maọbụ chịa ọchị nʼihi nsogbu nke dakwasịrị ya,
If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him;
30 ekwebeghị m ka ọnụ m mehie megide ha site nʼịbụ ndụ ha ọnụ.
(Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )
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?’
If the men of my tent said not, Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his flesh?
32 Ma ọ dịghị onye ọbịa na-anọ ọnọdụ abalị nʼama, nʼihi ụzọ m na-eghe oghe mgbe ọbụla nye ndị ije.
The stranger did not lodge in the street; but I opened my doors to the traveller;
33 Ọ bụrụ na m na-ezo mmehie m dịka ndị ọzọ, site nʼizobe mmehie m nʼime obi m,
If like Adam I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom;
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.
Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door—
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 one to hear me! (lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me; ) and [that I had] the indictment which mine adversary hath written!
36 Nʼezie, aga m eyiri ya nʼubu m, aga m eyinyekwa ya dịka okpueze.
Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown.
37 Aga m agụkọrọ ya nzọ ụkwụ m niile, aga m ejekwuru ya dịka ọkpara eze.)
I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
38 “Ọ bụrụ na ala m etie mkpu megide m, ọ bụrụ na olulu dị na ya ejupụta nʼanya mmiri,
If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together;
39 ọ bụrụ na m eripịa ihe o mepụtara na-akwụghị ụgwọ, maọbụ mee ka mmụọ ndị bi nʼime ya daa mba,
If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
40 ka ogwu pupụta nʼọnọdụ ọka wiiti, ka ahịhịa na-esi isi ọjọọ pupụtakwa nʼọnọdụ ọka balị.” Okwu Job agwụla.
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
