Jobs 31
1 Med augo hev eg gjort ei pakt; eg skal’kje skygna etter møy.
I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women.
2 Kva gav meg elles Gud der uppe? Kva arv gav Allvald frå det høge?
What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them?
3 Kjem ikkje udådsmann i naud? Og illgjersmenn i ulukka?
Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong?
4 Ser ikkje han på mine vegar? Tel ikkje han kvart stig eg gjeng?
Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take?
5 Dersom eg fram med fals hev fare, og foten sprunge etter svik
Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?
6 - Gud vege meg på rettferds vegt, so han kann sjå eg skuldlaus er! -
No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.
7 Veik mine stig frå vegen av, hev hjarta etter augo gjenge, var det ein flekk på mine hender,
If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,
8 so gjev ein annan et mitt såd, og riv mi planting upp med rot!
then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.
9 Let eg min hug av kvinna dåra, sneik eg til grannens dør meg fram,
If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,
10 so lat mitt viv åt andre mala, og andre yver ho seg bøygje!
then let my wife serve another, let other men sleep with her.
11 For dette er ei skjemdarferd, eit brot som dom og straff fortener,
For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment,
12 ein eld som eta vil til avgrunns og øydeleggja all mi eiga.
for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction, destroying everything I have.
13 Vanvyrd’ eg retten åt min træl og trælkvinna i trætta med deim?
If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me,
14 - Kva gjord’ eg då, når Gud reis upp? Kva svara eg, når han meg klaga?
what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me?
15 Dei er som meg i morsliv skapte; ein forma oss i moderfang -
Didn't the same God make all of us?
16 Um eg sagde nei når arming bad, og let enkja gråtande gå burt,
Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair?
17 hev eg mitt brød åleine ete, so farlaus inkje fekk ein bit,
Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans?
18 - nei, far for han eg var frå yngdi, frå morsliv var eg hennar førar -
From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows.
19 Såg eg ein stakar utan klæde, ein fatig utan yverplagg,
If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear,
20 og so hans lender ei meg signa, og ei mi saueull han vermde,
they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.
21 hev eg mot farlaus handi lyft, av di eg medhald fekk i retten:
If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,
22 Let herdi mi or led då losna, og armen brotna frå sitt bein!
then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.
23 For eg var ovleg rædd Guds straff, eg magtlaus stod framfor hans velde.
Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.
24 Um eg mi lit til gullet sette, og voni til det fine gull,
Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’?
25 Gledde eg meg ved auka rikdom, og alt eg vann meg med mi hand,
Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained?
26 såg eg på ljoset når det stråla, på månen der han skreid i glans,
Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky
27 vart hjarta mitt i løyndom dåra, so kyss på hand til deim eg sende,
and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand to them in devotion?
28 so var det og straffande brot, då neitta eg min Gud der uppe.
This too would be a sin deserving punishment for it would mean I had denied God above.
29 Hev eg meg gledt ved uvens uferd, og jubla når han kom i skade,
Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down?
30 - men eg let ikkje munnen synda og banna honom ifrå livet -
I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life.
31 hev ei mitt husfolk stendigt sagt: «Kven gjekk vel svolten frå hans bord?»
Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’
32 - Eg let’kje framand natta ute; for ferdamann eg opna døri -
I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers.
33 hev eg som Adam dult mi synd, og løynt mi misgjerd i min barm,
Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me?
34 di eg var rædd den store hop og ottast spott frå ættefrendar, so stilt eg heldt meg innum dører?
Was I afraid of what everybody else would think, scared of the contempt families would show me, so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside?
35 Å, vilde nokon høyra på meg! Sjå her er underskrifti mi, lat berre Allvald svara meg! Fekk eg den skrift min motpart skreiv,
Why won't anyone listen to what I'm saying! I'm signing my name to endorse everything I've said. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write down what he is charging me with.
36 den skulde eg på oksli bera og binda på meg som ein krans
I would hold them up high; I would wear them on my head like a crown.
37 eg melde honom kvart mitt stig, og som ein hovding møta honom.
I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.
38 Dersom min åker klagar meg, og um plogforerne lyt gråta,
If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me;
39 åt eg hans grøda ubetalt, tok livet eg av eigarmannen:
if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers;
40 Lat då for kveite klunger gro, og ugras der eg sådde bygg!» Her endar Jobs tale.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
