< Job 31 >
1 Pepigi foedus cum oculis meis ut ne cogitarem quidem de virgine.
A covenant I made for mine eyes, And what — do I attend to a virgin?
2 Quam enim partem haberet in me Deus desuper, et hereditatem Omnipotens de excelsis?
And what [is] the portion of God from above? And the inheritance of the Mighty from the heights?
3 Numquid non perditio est iniquo, et alienatio operantibus iniustitiam?
Is not calamity to the perverse? And strangeness to workers of iniquity?
4 Nonne ipse considerat vias meas, et cunctos gressus meos dinumerat?
Doth not He see my ways, And all my steps number?
5 Si ambulavi in vanitate, et festinavit in dolo pes meus:
If I have walked with vanity, And my foot doth hasten to deceit,
6 Appendat me in statera iusta, et sciat Deus simplicitatem meam.
He doth weigh me in righteous balances, And God doth know my integrity.
7 Si declinavit gressus meus de via, et si secutus est oculus meus cor meum, et si manibus meis adhaesit macula:
If my step doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,
8 Seram, et alius comedat: et progenies mea eradicetur.
Let me sow — and another eat, And my products let be rooted out.
9 Si deceptum est cor meum super muliere, et si ad ostium amici mei insidiatus sum:
If my heart hath been enticed by woman, And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait,
10 Scortum alterius sit uxor mea, et super illam incurventur alii.
Grind to another let my wife, And over her let others bend.
11 Hoc enim nefas est, et iniquitas maxima.
For it [is] a wicked thing, and a judicial iniquity;
12 Ignis est usque ad perditionem devorans, et omnia eradicans genimina.
For a fire it [is], to destruction it consumeth, And among all mine increase doth take root,
13 Si contempsi subire iudicium cum servo meo, et ancilla mea, cum disceptarent adversum me.
If I despise the cause of my man-servant, And of my handmaid, In their contending with me,
14 Quid enim faciam cum surrexerit ad iudicandum Deus? et cum quaesierit, quid respondebo illi?
Then what do I do when God ariseth? And when He doth inspect, What do I answer Him?
15 Numquid non in utero fecit me qui et illum operatus est: et formavit me in vulva unus?
Did not He that made me in the womb make him? Yea, prepare us in the womb doth One.
16 Si negavi, quod volebant, pauperibus, et oculos viduae expectare feci:
If I withhold from pleasure the poor, And the eyes of the widow do consume,
17 Si comedi buccellam meam solus, et non comedit pupillus ex ea:
And I do eat my morsel by myself, And the orphan hath not eat of it,
18 (Quia ab infantia mea crevit mecum miseratio: et de utero matris meae egressa est mecum.)
(But from my youth He grew up with me as [with] a father, And from the belly of my mother I am led.)
19 Si despexi pereuntem, eo quod non habuerit indumentum, et absque operimento pauperem:
If I see [any] perishing without clothing, And there is no covering to the needy,
20 Si non benedixerunt mihi latera eius, et de velleribus ovium mearum calefactus est:
If his loins have not blessed me, And from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself,
21 Si levavi super pupillum manum meam, etiam cum viderem me in porta superiorem:
If I have waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in [him] the gate of my court,
22 Humerus meus a iunctura sua cadat, et brachium meum cum suis ossibus confringatur.
My shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken.
23 Semper enim quasi tumentes super me fluctus timui Deum, et pondus eius ferre non potui.
For a dread unto me [is] calamity [from] God, And because of His excellency I am not able.
24 Si putavi aurum robur meum, et obrizo dixi: Fiducia mea.
If I have made gold my confidence, And to the pure gold have said, 'My trust,'
25 Si laetatus sum super multis divitiis meis, et quia plurima reperit manus mea.
If I rejoice because great [is] my wealth, And because abundance hath my hand found,
26 Si vidi solem cum fulgeret, et lunam incedentem clare:
If I see the light when it shineth, And the precious moon walking,
27 Et laetatum est in abscondito cor meum, et osculatus sum manum meam ore meo.
And my heart is enticed in secret, And my hand doth kiss my mouth,
28 Quae est iniquitas maxima, et negatio contra Deum altissimum.
It also [is] a judicial iniquity, For I had lied to God above.
29 Si gavisus sum ad ruinam eius, qui me oderat, et exultavi quod invenisset eum malum.
If I rejoice at the ruin of my hater, And stirred up myself when evil found him,
30 Non enim dedi ad peccandum guttur meum, ut expeterem maledicens animam eius.
Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, To ask with an oath his life.
31 Si non dixerunt viri tabernaculi mei: Quis det de carnibus eius ut saturemur?
If not — say ye, O men of my tent, 'O that we had of his flesh, we are not satisfied.'
32 Foris non mansit peregrinus, ostium meum viatori patuit.
In the street doth not lodge a stranger, My doors to the traveller I open.
33 Si abscondi quasi homo peccatum meum, et celavi in sinu meo iniquitatem meam.
If I have covered as Adam my transgressions, To hide in my bosom mine iniquity,
34 Si expavi ad multitudinem nimiam, et despectio propinquorum terruit me: et non magis tacui, nec egressus sum ostium.
Because I fear a great multitude, And the contempt of families doth affright me, Then I am silent, I go not out of the opening.
35 Quis mihi tribuat auditorem, ut desiderium meum audiat Omnipotens: et librum scribat ipse qui iudicat.
Who giveth to me a hearing? lo, my mark. The Mighty One doth answer me, And a bill hath mine adversary written.
36 Ut in humero meo portem illum, et circumdem illum quasi coronam mihi?
If not — on my shoulder I take it up, I bind it a crown on myself.
37 Per singulos gradus meos pronunciabo illum, et quasi principi offeram eum.
The number of my steps I tell Him, As a leader I approach Him.
38 Si adversum me terra mea clamat, et cum ipsa sulci eius deflent:
If against me my land doth cry out, And together its furrows weep,
39 Si fructus eius comedi absque pecunia, et animam agricolarum eius afflixi:
If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,
40 Pro frumento oriatur mihi tribulus, et pro hordeo spina.
Instead of wheat let a thorn go forth, And instead of barley a useless weed! The words of Job are finished.