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 my eyes; why then should I think 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 portion of God [is there] from above? and [what] inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Ọ bụghị mbibi nye ndị ajọ omume, nhụju anya nye ndị na-eme ihe ọjọọ?
[Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] 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 count 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, or if 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 my 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 my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to 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 another eat; yes, let my offspring 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 my heart hath been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbor's door;
10 mgbe ahụ, ka nwunye m kwọọrọ nwoke ọzọ nri, ka ndị ikom ọzọ dinaa ya.
[Then] let my wife grind to 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 this [is] a hainous crime; yea, it [is] 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 to destruction, and would root out all my 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 despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, 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 myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten of it;
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 from my youth he was brought up with me, as [with] a father, and I have guided her 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 any poor without 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 hath not been 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, when 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 arm fall from my shoulder-blade, and my 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 destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
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, or 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 have rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because my hand had gained much;
26 ọ bụrụ na m legidere anyanwụ anya nʼebube ya, maọbụ ọnwa nʼike nchawa ya,
If I have 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, or 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 judge: for I should have denied the 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 have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or have lifted up myself when evil found him:
30 ekwebeghị m ka ọnụ m mehie megide ha site nʼịbụ ndụ ha ọnụ.
Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
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 tabernacle have not said, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
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 traveler.
33 Ọ bụrụ na m na-ezo mmehie m dịka ndị ọzọ, site nʼizobe mmehie m nʼime obi m,
If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my 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.
Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, 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 one would hear me! behold, my desire [is], [that] the Almighty would answer me, and [that] my adversary had written a book.
36 Nʼezie, aga m eyiri ya nʼubu m, aga m eyinyekwa ya dịka okpueze.
Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, [and] bind it [as] a crown to me.
37 Aga m agụkọrọ ya nzọ ụkwụ m niile, aga m ejekwuru ya dịka ọkpara eze.)
I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.
38 “Ọ bụrụ na ala m etie mkpu megide m, ọ bụrụ na olulu dị na ya ejupụta nʼanya mmiri,
If my land crieth against me, or its furrows likewise complain;
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 of it without money, or have caused its owners 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.
