Jó 31

Jeg sluttede en Pagt med mit Øje om ikke at se på en Jomfru;

hvad var ellers min Lod fra Gud hist oppe, den Arv, den Almægtige gav fra det høje?

Har ikke den lovløse Vanheld i Vente, Udådsmændene Modgang?

Ser han ej mine Veje og tæller alle mine Skridt?

Har jeg holdt til med Løgn, og hasted min Fod til Svig

på Rettens Vægtskål veje han mig, så Gud kan kende min Uskyld

er mit Skridt bøjet af fra Vejen, og har mit Hjerte fulgt mine Øjne, hang noget ved mine Hænder,

da gid jeg må så og en anden fortære, og hvad jeg planted, oprykkes med Rode!

Blev jeg en Dåre på Grund at en Kvinde, og har jeg luret ved Næstens Dør,

så dreje min Hustru Kværn for en anden, og andre bøje sig over hende!

Thi sligt var Skændselsdåd, Brøde, der drages for Retten,

ja, Ild, der æder til Afgrunden og sætter hele min Høst i Brand!

Har jeg ringeagtet min Træls og min Trælkvindes Ret, når de trættede med mig,

hvad skulde jeg da gøre, når Gud stod op, hvad skulde jeg svare, når han så efter?

Har ikke min Skaber skabt ham i Moders Skød, har en og samme ej dannet os begge i Moders Liv?

Har jeg afslået ringes Ønske, ladet Enkens Øjne vansmægte,

var jeg ene om at spise mit Brød, har den faderløse ej spist deraf

nej, fra Barnsben fostred jeg ham som en Fader, jeg ledede hende fra min Moders Skød.

Har jeg set en Stakkel blottet for Klæder, en fattig savne et Tæppe

visselig nej, hans Hofter velsigned mig, når han varmed sig i Uld af mine Lam.

Har jeg løftet min Bånd mod en faderløs, fordi jeg var vis på Medhold i Retten,

så falde min Skulder fra Nakken, så rykkes min Arm af Led!

Thi Guds Rædsel var kommet over mig, og når han rejste sig, magted jeg intet!

Har jeg slået min Lid til Guld, kaldt det rene Guld min Fortrøstning,

var det min Glæde, at Rigdommen voksed, og at min Hånd fik sanket så meget,

så jeg, hvorledes Sollyset stråled, eller den herligt skridende Måne,

og lod mit Hjerte sig dåre i Løn, så jeg hylded dem med Kys på min Hånd

også det var Brøde, der drages for Retten, thi da fornægted jeg Gud hist oppe.

Var min Avindsmands Fald min Glæd jubled jeg, når han ramtes af Vanheld

nej, jeg tillod ikke min Gane at synde, så jeg bandende kræved hans Sjæl.

nej, den fremmede lå ej ude om Natten, jeg åbned min Dør for Vandringsmænd.

Har jeg skjult mine Synder, som Mennesker gør, så jeg dulgte min Brøde i Brystet

af Frygt for den store Hob, af Angst for Stamfrænders Ringeagt, så jeg blev inden Døre i Stilhed!

Ak, var der dog en, der hørte på mig! Her er mit Bomærke - lad den Almægtige svare! Havde jeg blot min Modparts Indlæg!

Sandelig, tog jeg det på min Skulder, kransed mit Hoved dermed som en Krone,

svared ham for hvert eneste Skridt og mødte ham som en Fyrste.

Har min Mark måttet skrige over mig og alle Furerne græde,

har jeg tæret dens Kraft uden Vederlag, udslukt dens Ejeres Liv,

så gro der Tjørn for Hvede og Ukrudt i Stedet for Byg! Her ender Jobs Ord.

I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

For what portion of God {is there} from above? and {what} inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

{Is} not destruction to the wicked? and a strange {punishment} to the workers of iniquity?

Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. {Let...: Heb. Let him weigh me in balances of justice}

If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

{Then} let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or {if} I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;

{Then} let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

For this {is} an heinous crime; yea, it {is} an iniquity {to be punished by} the judges.

For it {is} a fire {that} consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? {did not one...: or, did he not fashion us in one womb?}

If I have withheld the poor from {their} desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as {with} a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;) {her: that is, the widow}

If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

If his loins have not blessed me, and {if} he were {not} warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

{Then} let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. {bone: or, chanelbone}

For destruction {from} God {was} a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, {Thou art} my confidence;

If I rejoiced because my wealth {was} great, and because mine hand had gotten much; {gotten...: Heb. found much}

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking {in} brightness; {sun: Heb. light} {in...: Heb. bright}

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: {my mouth...: Heb. my hand hath kissed my mouth}

This also {were} an iniquity {to be punished by} the judge: for I should have denied the God {that is} above.

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. {mouth: Heb. palate}

If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

The stranger did not lodge in the street: {but} I opened my doors to the traveller. {traveller: or, way}

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom: {as Adam: or, after the manner of men}

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, {and} went not out of the door?

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire {is, that} the Almighty would answer me, and {that} mine adversary had written a book. {my...: or, my sign is that the Almighty will}

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, {and} bind it {as} a crown to me.

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; {complain: Heb. weep}

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: {fruits: Heb. strength} {the owners...: Heb. the soul of the owners thereof to expire, or, breathe out}

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended. {cockle: or, noisome weeds}