Jobs 31
1 Med augo hev eg gjort ei pakt; eg skal’kje skygna etter møy.
A covenant, I solemnised for mine eyes, —How then could I gaze upon a virgin?
2 Kva gav meg elles Gud der uppe? Kva arv gav Allvald frå det høge?
Or what would have been my portion of GOD from above? Or what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Kjem ikkje udådsmann i naud? Og illgjersmenn i ulukka?
Is there not calamity, for the perverse? and misfortune, for the workers of iniquity?
4 Ser ikkje han på mine vegar? Tel ikkje han kvart stig eg gjeng?
Would, he, not see my ways? and of all my steps, take account?
5 Dersom eg fram med fals hev fare, og foten sprunge etter svik
Verily I walked not in falsity, nor did my foot haste unto deceit: —
6 - Gud vege meg på rettferds vegt, so han kann sjå eg skuldlaus er! -
Let him weigh me in balances of righteousness, —and let GOD take note of mine integrity!
7 Veik mine stig frå vegen av, hev hjarta etter augo gjenge, var det ein flekk på mine hender,
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 so gjev ein annan et mitt såd, og riv mi planting upp med rot!
Let me sow but, another, eat. And let, what I have springing up, be uprooted!
9 Let eg min hug av kvinna dåra, sneik eg til grannens dør meg fram,
If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, or, by the door of my neighbour, I have lien in wait,
10 so lat mitt viv åt andre mala, og andre yver ho seg bøygje!
Let my wife, grind to another, and, over her, let others bend!
11 For dette er ei skjemdarferd, eit brot som dom og straff fortener,
Surely that had been a shameful thing! and that an iniquity for the judges!
12 ein eld som eta vil til avgrunns og øydeleggja all mi eiga.
Surely, a fire, had that been, which, unto destruction, would have consumed, and, of all mine increase, had it torn up the root.
13 Vanvyrd’ eg retten åt min træl og trælkvinna i trætta med deim?
If I refused the right of my servant, or my handmaid, when they contended with me,
14 - Kva gjord’ eg då, når Gud reis upp? Kva svara eg, når han meg klaga?
What then could I have done when GOD rose up? And, when he visited, what could I have answered him?
15 Dei er som meg i morsliv skapte; ein forma oss i moderfang -
Did not he who, in the womb, made me, make him? And is not he who formed us in the body one?
16 Um eg sagde nei når arming bad, og let enkja gråtande gå burt,
If I withheld—from pleasure—the poor, or, the eyes of the widow, I dimmed;
17 hev eg mitt brød åleine ete, so farlaus inkje fekk ein bit,
Or, used to eat my morsel alone, so that the fatherless did not eat thereof;
18 - nei, far for han eg var frå yngdi, frå morsliv var eg hennar førar -
Surely, from my youth, he grew up to me, as to a father, and, from my birth, I acted as guide to her:
19 Såg eg ein stakar utan klæde, ein fatig utan yverplagg,
If I saw one perishing for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20 og so hans lender ei meg signa, og ei mi saueull han vermde,
If his loins did not bless me, or if, with the fleece of my lambs, he did not warm himself;
21 hev eg mot farlaus handi lyft, av di eg medhald fekk i retten:
If I shook—against the fatherless—my hand, when I saw, in the gate, his need of my help,
22 Let herdi mi or led då losna, og armen brotna frå sitt bein!
Let, my shoulder, from the shoulder-blade, fall, and, my arm, from the upper bone, be broken;
23 For eg var ovleg rædd Guds straff, eg magtlaus stod framfor hans velde.
For, a dread unto me, was calamity from GOD, and, from his majesty, I could not escape.
24 Um eg mi lit til gullet sette, og voni til det fine gull,
If I made gold my stay, and, to precious metal, said, My confidence!
25 Gledde eg meg ved auka rikdom, og alt eg vann meg med mi hand,
If I rejoiced because great was my substance, and, an abundance, my hand had discovered;
26 såg eg på ljoset når det stråla, på månen der han skreid i glans,
If I looked at the sun, when it flashed forth light, or at the moon, majestically marching along;
27 vart hjarta mitt i løyndom dåra, so kyss på hand til deim eg sende,
And befooled secretly was my heart, so that my hand kissed my mouth,
28 so var det og straffande brot, då neitta eg min Gud der uppe.
That too, had been a judicial iniquity, For I should have been false to GOD, above.
29 Hev eg meg gledt ved uvens uferd, og jubla når han kom i skade,
If rejoiced in the misfortune of him that hated me, or exulted when calamity found him; —
30 - men eg let ikkje munnen synda og banna honom ifrå livet -
Neither did I suffer my palate to sin, by asking, with a curse, for his life:
31 hev ei mitt husfolk stendigt sagt: «Kven gjekk vel svolten frå hans bord?»
If the men of my household have not said, Oh for some of his flesh—we cannot get filled,
32 - Eg let’kje framand natta ute; for ferdamann eg opna døri -
Outside, the sojourner lodged not for the night, My doors—to the wayfarer, I threw open.
33 hev eg som Adam dult mi synd, og løynt mi misgjerd i min barm,
If I covered, like Adam, my transgressions, by hiding in my bosom mine iniquity,
34 di eg var rædd den store hop og ottast spott frå ættefrendar, so stilt eg heldt meg innum dører?
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 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, Lo! my crossmark, May, the Almighty, answer me! And would that, a book, mine opponent had written!
36 den skulde eg på oksli bera og binda på meg som ein krans
Oh! would I not, upon my shoulder, lift it, or bind it as a crown upon me;
37 eg melde honom kvart mitt stig, og som ein hovding møta honom.
The number of my footsteps, I would declare to him, Like a noble, would I draw near to him.
38 Dersom min åker klagar meg, og um plogforerne lyt gråta,
If, against me, my ground used to cry out, and, together, my ridges did weep;
39 åt eg hans grøda ubetalt, tok livet eg av eigarmannen:
If, the strength thereof, I used to eat, without payment, and, the soul of the holders thereof, I made groan;
40 Lat då for kveite klunger gro, og ugras der eg sådde bygg!» Her endar Jobs tale.
Instead of wheat, let there come forth bramble, and, instead of barley, a bad-smelling weed! Ended are the words of Job.
