Job 31
1 pepigi foedus cum oculis meis ut ne cogitarem quidem de virgine
“I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
2 quam enim partem haberet Deus in me desuper et hereditatem Omnipotens de excelsis
For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 numquid non perditio est iniquo et alienatio operantibus iniustitiam
Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
4 nonne ipse considerat vias meas et cunctos gressus meos dinumerat
Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5 si ambulavi in vanitate et festinavit in dolo pes meus
“If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit
6 adpendat me in statera iusta et sciat Deus simplicitatem meam
(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);
7 si declinavit gressus meus de via et si secutum est oculos meos cor meum et in manibus meis adhesit macula
if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,
8 seram et alius comedat et progenies mea eradicetur
then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
9 si deceptum est cor meum super mulierem et si ad ostium amici mei insidiatus sum
“If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door,
10 scortum sit alteri uxor mea et super illam incurventur alii
then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.
11 hoc enim nefas est et iniquitas maxima
For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
12 ignis est usque ad perditionem devorans et omnia eradicans genimina
for it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
13 si contempsi subire iudicium cum servo meo et ancillae meae cum disceptarent adversum me
“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,
14 quid enim faciam cum surrexerit ad iudicandum Deus et cum quaesierit quid respondebo illi
what then will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will I answer him?
15 numquid non in utero fecit me qui et illum operatus est et formavit in vulva unus
Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?
16 si negavi quod volebant pauperibus et oculos viduae expectare feci
“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 si comedi buccellam meam solus et non comedit pupillus ex ea
or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18 quia ab infantia mea crevit mecum miseratio et de utero matris meae egressa est mecum
(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, I have guided her from my mother’s womb);
19 si despexi pereuntem eo quod non habuerit indumentum et absque operimento pauperem
if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20 si non benedixerunt mihi latera eius et de velleribus ovium mearum calefactus est
if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;
21 si levavi super pupillum manum meam etiam cum viderem me in porta superiorem
if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;
22 umerus meus a iunctura sua cadat et brachium meum cum suis ossibus confringatur
then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
23 semper enim quasi tumentes super me fluctus timui Deum et pondus eius ferre non potui
For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing.
24 si putavi aurum robur meum et obrizae dixi fiducia mea
“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’
25 si laetatus sum super multis divitiis meis et quia plurima repperit manus mea
If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 si vidi solem cum fulgeret et lunam incedentem clare
if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendour,
27 et lactatum est in abscondito cor meum et osculatus sum manum meam ore meo
and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;
28 quae est iniquitas maxima et negatio contra Deum altissimum
this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29 si gavisus sum ad ruinam eius qui me oderat et exultavi quod invenisset eum malum
“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him
30 non enim dedi ad peccandum guttur meum ut expeterem maledicens animam eius
(I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
31 si non dixerunt viri tabernaculi mei quis det de carnibus eius ut saturemur
if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
32 foris non mansit peregrinus ostium meum viatori patuit
(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveller);
33 si abscondi quasi homo peccatum meum et celavi in sinu meo iniquitatem meam
if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34 si expavi ad multitudinem nimiam et despectio propinquorum terruit me et non magis tacui nec egressus sum ostium
because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—
35 quis mihi tribuat auditorem ut desiderium meum Omnipotens audiat et librum scribat ipse qui iudicat
oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!
36 ut in umero meo portem illum et circumdem illum quasi coronam mihi
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it to me as a crown.
37 per singulos gradus meos pronuntiabo illum et quasi principi offeram eum
I would declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him like a prince.
38 si adversum me terra mea clamat et cum ipsa sulci eius deflent
If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;
39 si fructus eius comedi absque pecunia et animam agricolarum eius adflixi
if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,
40 pro frumento oriatur mihi tribulus et pro hordeo spina finita sunt verba Iob
let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
