Job 31
1 pepigi foedus cum oculis meis ut ne cogitarem quidem de virgine
A covenant, I solemnised for mine eyes, —How then could I gaze upon a virgin?
2 quam enim partem haberet Deus in me desuper et hereditatem Omnipotens de excelsis
Or what would have been my portion of GOD from above? Or what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 numquid non perditio est iniquo et alienatio operantibus iniustitiam
Is there not calamity, for the perverse? and misfortune, for the workers of iniquity?
4 nonne ipse considerat vias meas et cunctos gressus meos dinumerat
Would, he, not see my ways? and of all my steps, take account?
5 si ambulavi in vanitate et festinavit in dolo pes meus
Verily I walked not in falsity, nor did my foot haste unto deceit: —
6 adpendat me in statera iusta et sciat Deus simplicitatem meam
Let him weigh me in balances of righteousness, —and let GOD take note of mine integrity!
7 si declinavit gressus meus de via et si secutum est oculos meos cor meum et in manibus meis adhesit macula
If my goings have swerved from the way, —and, after mine eyes, hath gone my heart, and, to my hands, hath adhered any stain,
8 seram et alius comedat et progenies mea eradicetur
Let me sow but, another, eat. And let, what I have springing up, be uprooted!
9 si deceptum est cor meum super mulierem et si ad ostium amici mei insidiatus sum
If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, or, by the door of my neighbour, I have lien in wait,
10 scortum sit alteri uxor mea et super illam incurventur alii
Let my wife, grind to another, and, over her, let others bend!
11 hoc enim nefas est et iniquitas maxima
Surely that had been a shameful thing! and that an iniquity for the judges!
12 ignis est usque ad perditionem devorans et omnia eradicans genimina
Surely, a fire, had that been, which, unto destruction, would have consumed, and, of all mine increase, had it torn up the root.
13 si contempsi subire iudicium cum servo meo et ancillae meae cum disceptarent adversum me
If I refused the right of my servant, or my handmaid, when they contended with me,
14 quid enim faciam cum surrexerit ad iudicandum Deus et cum quaesierit quid respondebo illi
What then could I have done when GOD rose up? And, when he visited, what could I have answered him?
15 numquid non in utero fecit me qui et illum operatus est et formavit in vulva unus
Did not he who, in the womb, made me, make him? And is not he who formed us in the body one?
16 si negavi quod volebant pauperibus et oculos viduae expectare feci
If I withheld—from pleasure—the poor, or, the eyes of the widow, I dimmed;
17 si comedi buccellam meam solus et non comedit pupillus ex ea
Or, used to eat my morsel alone, so that the fatherless did not eat thereof;
18 quia ab infantia mea crevit mecum miseratio et de utero matris meae egressa est mecum
Surely, from my youth, he grew up to me, as to a father, and, from my birth, I acted as guide to her:
19 si despexi pereuntem eo quod non habuerit indumentum et absque operimento pauperem
If I saw one perishing for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20 si non benedixerunt mihi latera eius et de velleribus ovium mearum calefactus est
If his loins did not bless me, or if, with the fleece of my lambs, he did not warm himself;
21 si levavi super pupillum manum meam etiam cum viderem me in porta superiorem
If I shook—against the fatherless—my hand, when I saw, in the gate, his need of my help,
22 umerus meus a iunctura sua cadat et brachium meum cum suis ossibus confringatur
Let, my shoulder, from the shoulder-blade, fall, and, my arm, from the upper bone, be broken;
23 semper enim quasi tumentes super me fluctus timui Deum et pondus eius ferre non potui
For, a dread unto me, was calamity from GOD, and, from his majesty, I could not escape.
24 si putavi aurum robur meum et obrizae dixi fiducia mea
If I made gold my stay, and, to precious metal, said, My confidence!
25 si laetatus sum super multis divitiis meis et quia plurima repperit manus mea
If I rejoiced because great was my substance, and, an abundance, my hand had discovered;
26 si vidi solem cum fulgeret et lunam incedentem clare
If I looked at the sun, when it flashed forth light, or at the moon, majestically marching along;
27 et lactatum est in abscondito cor meum et osculatus sum manum meam ore meo
And befooled secretly was my heart, so that my hand kissed my mouth,
28 quae est iniquitas maxima et negatio contra Deum altissimum
That too, had been a judicial iniquity, For I should have been false to GOD, above.
29 si gavisus sum ad ruinam eius qui me oderat et exultavi quod invenisset eum malum
If rejoiced in the misfortune of him that hated me, or exulted when calamity found him; —
30 non enim dedi ad peccandum guttur meum ut expeterem maledicens animam eius
Neither did I suffer my palate to sin, by asking, with a curse, for his life:
31 si non dixerunt viri tabernaculi mei quis det de carnibus eius ut saturemur
If the men of my household have not said, Oh for some of his flesh—we cannot get filled,
32 foris non mansit peregrinus ostium meum viatori patuit
Outside, the sojourner lodged not for the night, My doors—to the wayfarer, I threw open.
33 si abscondi quasi homo peccatum meum et celavi in sinu meo iniquitatem meam
If I covered, like Adam, my transgressions, by hiding in my bosom mine iniquity,
34 si expavi ad multitudinem nimiam et despectio propinquorum terruit me et non magis tacui nec egressus sum ostium
Then let me be made to tremble at a great throng, yea let, the contempt of families, terrify me, so that, keeping silence, I shall not go out of the door!
35 quis mihi tribuat auditorem ut desiderium meum Omnipotens audiat et librum scribat ipse qui iudicat
Oh that I had one to hear me, Lo! my crossmark, May, the Almighty, answer me! And would that, a book, mine opponent had written!
36 ut in umero meo portem illum et circumdem illum quasi coronam mihi
Oh! would I not, upon my shoulder, lift it, or bind it as a crown upon me;
37 per singulos gradus meos pronuntiabo illum et quasi principi offeram eum
The number of my footsteps, I would declare to him, Like a noble, would I draw near to him.
38 si adversum me terra mea clamat et cum ipsa sulci eius deflent
If, against me, my ground used to cry out, and, together, my ridges did weep;
39 si fructus eius comedi absque pecunia et animam agricolarum eius adflixi
If, the strength thereof, I used to eat, without payment, and, the soul of the holders thereof, I made groan;
40 pro frumento oriatur mihi tribulus et pro hordeo spina finita sunt verba Iob
Instead of wheat, let there come forth bramble, and, instead of barley, a bad-smelling weed! Ended are the words of Job.
