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; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
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 from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty 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?
Doesn’t 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 falsehood, and my foot has hurried 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 has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck 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 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 my heart has been enticed to 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 for another, and let others sleep with her.
11 Nʼihi na nke ahụ ga-abụ ihe ihere, bụrụkwa mmehie kwesiri ka e kpee ya ikpe.
For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be 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 consumes 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 have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female 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 will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will 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?
Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t 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 has 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.
(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, 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 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 heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;
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 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 calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can 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, ‘You are 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 gotten much;
26 ọ bụrụ na m legidere anyanwụ anya nʼebube ya, maọbụ ọnwa nʼike nchawa ya,
if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendour,
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 has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;
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 would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God who 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 who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him
30 ekwebeghị m ka ọnụ m mehie megide ha site nʼịbụ ndụ ha ọnụ.
(I have certainly not allowed 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 have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
32 Ma ọ dịghị onye ọbịa na-anọ ọnọdụ abalị nʼama, nʼihi ụzọ m na-eghe oghe mgbe ọbụla nye ndị ije.
(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have 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 have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
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 didn’t go 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! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!
36 Nʼezie, aga m eyiri ya nʼubu m, aga m eyinyekwa ya dịka okpueze.
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it to me as a crown.
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. I would go near to him like a prince.
38 “Ọ bụrụ na ala m etie mkpu megide m, ọ bụrụ na olulu dị na ya ejupụta nʼanya mmiri,
If my land cries out against me, and its furrows 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 its fruits 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 briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
