Job 31
1 pepigi foedus cum oculis meis ut ne cogitarem quidem de virgine
“I made a covenant for my eyes, And how do I attend to a virgin?
2 quam enim partem haberet Deus in me 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
Does He not see my ways, And number all my steps?
5 si ambulavi in vanitate et festinavit in dolo pes meus
If I have walked with vanity, And my foot hurries to deceit,
6 adpendat me in statera iusta et sciat Deus simplicitatem meam
He weighs me in righteous balances, And God knows my integrity.
7 si declinavit gressus meus de via et si secutum est oculos meos cor meum et in manibus meis adhesit macula
If my step turns aside from the way, And my heart has gone after my eyes, And blemish has cleaved to my hands,
8 seram et alius comedat et progenies mea eradicetur
Let me sow—and another eat, And let my products be rooted out.
9 si deceptum est cor meum super mulierem et si ad ostium amici mei insidiatus sum
If my heart has been enticed by a woman, And I laid wait by the opening of my neighbor,
10 scortum sit alteri uxor mea et super illam incurventur alii
Let my wife grind to another, And let others bend over her.
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 it [is] a fire, it consumes to destruction, And takes root among all my increase,
13 si contempsi subire iudicium cum servo meo et ancillae meae cum disceptarent adversum me
If I despise the cause of my manservant, 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 arises? And when He inspects, What do I answer Him?
15 numquid non in utero fecit me qui et illum operatus est et formavit in vulva unus
Did He that made me in the womb not make him? Indeed, One prepares us in the womb.
16 si negavi quod volebant pauperibus et oculos viduae expectare feci
If I withhold the poor from pleasure, And consume the eyes of the widow,
17 si comedi buccellam meam solus et non comedit pupillus ex ea
And I eat my morsel by myself, And the orphan has nothing [to] 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 for 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 does not warm himself,
21 si levavi super pupillum manum meam etiam cum viderem me in porta superiorem
If I have waved my hand at the fatherless, When I see [him] in the gate of my court,
22 umerus meus a iunctura sua cadat et brachium meum cum suis ossibus confringatur
Let my shoulder fall from its blade, And the bone from my arm be broken.
23 semper enim quasi tumentes super me fluctus timui Deum et pondus eius ferre non potui
For calamity [from] God [is] a dread to me, And because of His excellence I am not able.
24 si putavi aurum robur meum et obrizae 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 repperit manus mea
If I rejoice because my wealth [is] great, And because my hand has found abundance,
26 si vidi solem cum fulgeret et lunam incedentem clare
If I see the light when it shines, And the precious moon walking,
27 et lactatum est in abscondito cor meum et osculatus sum manum meam ore meo
And my heart is enticed in secret, And my hand kisses 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
Indeed, I have not permitted 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, 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
A stranger does not lodge in the street, I open my doors to the traveler.
33 si abscondi quasi homo peccatum meum et celavi in sinu meo iniquitatem meam
If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, To hide my iniquity in my bosom,
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 frightens me, Then I am silent, I do not go out of the opening.
35 quis mihi tribuat auditorem ut desiderium meum Omnipotens audiat et librum scribat ipse qui iudicat
Who gives to me a hearing? Behold, my mark. The Mighty One answers me, And my adversary has written a bill.
36 ut in umero meo portem illum et circumdem illum quasi coronam mihi
If not—on my shoulder I take it up, I bind it [as] a crown on myself.
37 per singulos gradus meos pronuntiabo 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 my land cries out against me, And together its furrows weep,
39 si fructus eius comedi absque pecunia et animam agricolarum eius adflixi
If I consumed its strength without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,
40 pro frumento oriatur mihi tribulus et pro hordeo spina finita sunt verba Iob
Instead of wheat let a thorn go forth, And instead of barley a useless weed!” The words of Job are finished.
