Jobs 9
1 Då tok Job til ords og sagde:
And Job answered and said,
2 «Eg veit for visst at det er so; kva rett fær mannen imot Gud?
Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?
3 Um han med honom vilde trætta, han kann’kje svara eitt til tusund.
If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
4 Vis som han er og sterk i velde - kven kann vel strafflaust tråssa honom,
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
5 som fjelli flyt, dei veit’kje av det, og velter deim upp i harm,
Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 som ruggar jordi frå sin plass, so pilarne hennar skjelv,
Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
7 som soli byd so ho ei skin, og set eit segl for stjernorne,
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
8 som eine spanar himmeln ut og fram på havsens toppar skrid,
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
9 hev skapt Karlsvogni og Orion, Sjustjerna og Sørkamri med?
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
10 Som storverk gjer, me ei kann fata, og underverk forutan tal?
Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.
11 Han framum gjeng, eg ser han ikkje; um burt han glid, eg går han ikkje.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
12 Når han tek fat, kven stoggar honom? Kven honom spør: «Kva gjer du der?»
Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 Gud stoggar ikkje vreiden sin; for han seg bøygde Rahabs-fylgjet.
God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
14 Kor kann vel eg då svara han? Kor skal for han eg ordi leggja?
How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
15 Um eg hev rett, eg kann’kje svara, men lyt min domar be um nåde.
Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
16 Og um han svara når eg ropa, eg trudde ei mi røyst han høyrde.
If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, —
17 Han som i stormver reiv meg burt og auka grunnlaust såri mine,
He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 han let meg ikkje anda fritt, men metta meg med beiske ting.
He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
19 Når magt det gjeld, då er han der; men gjeld det rett: kven stemnar honom?
Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
20 Um eg hev rett, min munn meg dømer; er skuldlaus, han meg domfeller.
If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
21 Skuldlaus eg er! eg skyner ei meg sjølv, vanvyrder livet mitt.
Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 Det er det same, no eg segjer: Han tyner skuldig og uskuldig.
It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 Når svipa brått gjev ulivssår, med lått han ser den gode lida.
If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.
24 Han jordi gav i nidings hand; på domarar han syni kverver. Er det’kje han, kven er det då?
The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
25 Mitt liv fer snøggare enn lauparen, dei kverv, men lukka såg det aldri;
And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
26 Det glid som båtar utav sev, lik ørn som ned på fengdi slær.
They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
27 Når eg mi plåga gløyma vil og jamna panna mi og smila,
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
28 då gruvar eg for pina mi; eg veit du ei frikjenner meg.
I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 For når eg lyt straffskuldig vera, kvifor skal eg då fåfengt stræva?
Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
30 Um eg i snø meg vilde tvætta og reinsa henderne med lut.
If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
31 Du ned i grefti straks meg dukka, so mine klæde ved meg stygdest.
Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.
32 Han ikkje er ein mann som eg, kann ei med meg til retten gå;
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.
33 d’er ingen skilsmann millom oss som handi si kann på oss leggja.
There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
34 Når berre han tok riset frå meg og ikkje skræmde meg med rædsla,
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
35 eg skulde tala utan otte; sjølv dømer eg meg annarleis.
[Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
