Jobs 31
1 Med augo hev eg gjort ei pakt; eg skal’kje skygna etter møy.
I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?
2 Kva gav meg elles Gud der uppe? Kva arv gav Allvald frå det høge?
For what would have been [my] portion of God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
3 Kjem ikkje udådsmann i naud? Og illgjersmenn i ulukka?
Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?
4 Ser ikkje han på mine vegar? Tel ikkje han kvart stig eg gjeng?
Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
5 Dersom eg fram med fals hev fare, og foten sprunge etter svik
If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,
6 - Gud vege meg på rettferds vegt, so han kann sjå eg skuldlaus er! -
(Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )
7 Veik mine stig frå vegen av, hev hjarta etter augo gjenge, var det ein flekk på mine hender,
If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;
8 so gjev ein annan et mitt såd, og riv mi planting upp med rot!
Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.
9 Let eg min hug av kvinna dåra, sneik eg til grannens dør meg fram,
If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,
10 so lat mitt viv åt andre mala, og andre yver ho seg bøygje!
Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 For dette er ei skjemdarferd, eit brot som dom og straff fortener,
For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:
12 ein eld som eta vil til avgrunns og øydeleggja all mi eiga.
For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
13 Vanvyrd’ eg retten åt min træl og trælkvinna i trætta med deim?
If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,
14 - Kva gjord’ eg då, når Gud reis upp? Kva svara eg, når han meg klaga?
What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?
15 Dei er som meg i morsliv skapte; ein forma oss i moderfang -
Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion us in the womb?
16 Um eg sagde nei når arming bad, og let enkja gråtande gå burt,
If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 hev eg mitt brød åleine ete, so farlaus inkje fekk ein bit,
Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,
18 - nei, far for han eg var frå yngdi, frå morsliv var eg hennar førar -
(For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb; )
19 Såg eg ein stakar utan klæde, ein fatig utan yverplagg,
If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;
20 og so hans lender ei meg signa, og ei mi saueull han vermde,
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
21 hev eg mot farlaus handi lyft, av di eg medhald fekk i retten:
If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:
22 Let herdi mi or led då losna, og armen brotna frå sitt bein!
[Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!
23 For eg var ovleg rædd Guds straff, eg magtlaus stod framfor hans velde.
For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.
24 Um eg mi lit til gullet sette, og voni til det fine gull,
If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!
25 Gledde eg meg ved auka rikdom, og alt eg vann meg med mi hand,
If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 såg eg på ljoset når det stråla, på månen der han skreid i glans,
If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,
27 vart hjarta mitt i løyndom dåra, so kyss på hand til deim eg sende,
And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:
28 so var det og straffande brot, då neitta eg min Gud der uppe.
This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.
29 Hev eg meg gledt ved uvens uferd, og jubla når han kom i skade,
If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;
30 - men eg let ikkje munnen synda og banna honom ifrå livet -
(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )
31 hev ei mitt husfolk stendigt sagt: «Kven gjekk vel svolten frå hans bord?»
If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —
32 - Eg let’kje framand natta ute; for ferdamann eg opna døri -
The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.
33 hev eg som Adam dult mi synd, og løynt mi misgjerd i min barm,
If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
34 di eg var rædd den store hop og ottast spott frå ættefrendar, so stilt eg heldt meg innum dører?
Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...
35 Å, vilde nokon høyra på meg! Sjå her er underskrifti mi, lat berre Allvald svara meg! Fekk eg den skrift min motpart skreiv,
Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!
36 den skulde eg på oksli bera og binda på meg som ein krans
Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;
37 eg melde honom kvart mitt stig, og som ein hovding møta honom.
I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.
38 Dersom min åker klagar meg, og um plogforerne lyt gråta,
If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;
39 åt eg hans grøda ubetalt, tok livet eg av eigarmannen:
If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:
40 Lat då for kveite klunger gro, og ugras der eg sådde bygg!» Her endar Jobs tale.
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
