Job 31
1 "Ich schloß mit meinen Augen einen Bund. Wie sollte ich auf Jungfraun achten?
“I solemnly promised myself that I would not look at a young woman with a desire [to have sex with her].
2 Was ist mein Teil von Gott da droben, mein Lohn von dem Allmächtigen im Himmel?
[If I did not do what I promised, ] what would God who is in heaven [MTY] do to me [RHQ]? Almighty [God] would certainly not [RHQ] give me any reward!
3 Wahrhaftig, Unheil, wie's dem Bösewicht gebührt, und Ungemach, das nur für Übeltäter paßt.
[Previously I thought that] surely [RHQ] it was unrighteous people who would experience calamities, and that it was those who do what is wrong who would experience disasters.
4 Besieht er denn nicht meine Wege, da er doch alle meine Schritte zählt?"
God certainly sees [RHQ] everything that I do, [so why is he causing me to suffer?] [It is as though] he counts every step that I take.
5 "Wenn ich der Falschheit nachgegangen wäre, verweilte auf dem Weg des Truges gern mein Fuß!
[“I solemnly declare that] I have never acted wickedly and have never tried to deceive people.
6 Mit rechter Waage möge Gott mich wägen, und ohne Schuld wird er mich finden!
I request only that God judge me fairly [MET], and if he does that, he will know that I (am innocent/have not done what is wrong).
7 Wenn meine Schritte je vom rechten Wege bogen, und wenn mein Herz den Augen folgte, und klebte je ein Makel meinen Händen an,
If [it were true that] I have stopped living righteously, or [that] I [SYN] have desired the things that I look at [MTY], or [that] I am guilty of any other sin,
8 dann zehre nur ein anderer von meiner Saat; entwurzelt werde meine Pflanzung!
then I hope/wish that when I plant [seeds], someone else will [harvest the crops and] eat [them] and that others will uproot the [fruit trees] that I planted.
9 Wenn's mich zum fremden Weibe zog, und stellte ich dem Eheweib des Freundes nach,
“If [it were true that] I [SYN] have been attracted by some other man’s wife, or [that] I have hidden myself and waited outside [the] door [to] her [house],
10 dann mahle auch mein Weib für andere, und andere mögen über sie sich beugen!
I hope/desire that my wife will become the servant/slave of another man and have sex [EUP] with him.
11 Denn dieses wäre eine Schandtat, ein Verbrechen, vom Richter zu bestrafen,
[For me to do] that would be a terrible sin, and the judges would decide that I should be punished.
12 ein Feuer, das bis zu dem Abgrund fräße und meine Habe all entwurzeln müßte.
My [committing adultery] would [produce in me a fire like] [MET] the fire that burns people in hell, and it would burn up everything that I own. (questioned)
13 Mißachtete ich meines Sklaven Recht und meiner Magd, wenn sie mit mir im Streite waren,
“And, if [it were true that] I have ever refused to listen to one of my male or female servants when they complained to me about something,
14 was wollte ich da machen, wenn Gott jetzt Rache nähme, und untersuchte er, was ihm erwidern?
God would arise [and declare that he would punish me]; and when he would do that, what would I do? If he would ask me [about what I have done], (what would I answer?/I would not be able to answer.) [RHQ]
15 Hat er ihn nicht geformt, im gleichen Schoß wie mich und sie geschaffen in dem gleichen Mutterleibe?
God, who created me, certainly also created my servants [RHQ]; surely he is the one who formed them and me in our mothers’ wombs [RHQ]; [so we all should behave toward each other equally].
16 Versagte ich den Schwachen einen Wunsch und ließ der Witwe Augen schmachten,
“I have guided orphans from the time that they were born; I have taken care of them since they were young. So, if [it were true that] I ate all my food myself and did not share some of it with orphans, or [that] I refused to give poor people the things that they wanted, or [that] I caused widows to live (in despair/without hope [that they would receive any help from anyone]),
17 verzehrt' für mich allein ich meinen Bissen, und durfte nicht die Waise mitessen; -
18 seit meiner Jugend blickte sie zu mir gleich einem Vater auf, vom Mutterschoß an leitete ich sie, -
19 und sah ich einen nackten Bettler und einen Armen hüllenlos,
or [that] I had seen people die [from cold] because they had no clothes, or [that] I had seen poor people who did not have clothes [to keep them warm],
20 wenn seine Hüften keinen Dank mir wußten und er sich nicht von meiner Lämmer Schur erwärmte,
and they were not able to become warm [from clothes made] from the wool of my sheep with the result that they thanked me for [giving them clothes, ]
21 und schwang ich gegen eine Waise meine Faust, weil ich in dem Gerichtstor Beistand für mich sah,
or if [it were true that] I threatened to strike any orphan because I knew that the elders at the city gates would (decide in my favor);
22 dann falle mir die Achsel aus der Schulter, und aus dem Rohr werd' mir der Arm gerissen! -
[if those things were true about me], I hope/desire that my shoulder blade would be torn out and my arm be torn from my shoulder.
23 Denn fürchterliches Unheil ist meines Gottes Schrecken; vor seiner Hoheit kann ich nicht bestehen.
I always feared that God would cause me to experience a great disaster [if I did any of those evil things], and I would not have been able to endure the powerful [things that he would do to punish me].
24 Und machte ich zu meinem Götzen Gold und hieß ich Mammon meinen Helfer
“If [it were true that] I trusted in my gold/money [DOU],
25 und sonnte mich an meinen Schätzen, daß ich's so weit gebracht,
or that I rejoiced because I had acquired many things and had become very rich,
26 und wenn ich das Gestirn erblickte, wann's sichtbar ward, den lieben Mond, wie er des Weges zog,
or that I looked at the sun when it was shining or looked at the beautiful moon
27 und ließ' mein Herz sich insgeheim betören und legte meine Hand zum Kusse sich an meinen Mund:
and I [SYN] had been tempted [to worship them] by kissing my hand to revere them,
28 auch das wär' ein Vergehn, vom Richter zu bestrafen, weil ich Gott in der Höh' verleugnet hätte.
those things also would be sins for which the judges would say that I must be punished, because I would have been rejecting God [by doing those things].
29 Nie freute mich des Feindes Not, und nie frohlockt' ich, wenn ihn Unheil traf.
“[It is not true that] I [SYN] sinned by requesting God to curse people who hated me with the result that God would cause them to die. It is also not true that I was glad when they were ruined or that I rejoiced when they experienced disasters [DOU].
30 Nie gab ich meinen Mund der Sünde hin, um seine Seele zum Verfluchen mir zu fordern.
31 In meinem Zelte sagten die Geringsten: 'Ach, möchte er mit seiner Rache unersättlich sein!'
[It is also not true that] I never welcomed travelers to stay in my tent or that I did not open my doors to them, but [forced them to] sleep in the streets. [All] the men who work for me certainly know that [RHQ]!
32 Kein Fremdling durfte je im Freien nächtigen, und jedem Wandersmann stand meine Türe offen.
33 Nie habe ich, wie Adam, meine Missetat verheimlicht, im Busen meine Schuld geborgen,
Some people try to hide their sins, but I have never done that;
34 weil es mir vor dem Auflauf graute und mich der Sippe Schimpf erschreckte, so daß ich stille mich verhalten und nicht aus meiner Tür gegangen wäre!
and I never remained silent and refused to go outside of my home because I was very (afraid of/worried about) what people would say [about me], and that they would hate/scorn me.
35 Wer aber hört mich an? Hier meine Unterschrift! Drauf soll mir der Allmächtige erwidern, aufs Schreiben, das als Kläger ich verfaßt!
“I wish/desire that there was someone who would hear what I am saying! I solemnly declare [that all that I have said is true]. I wish that those who oppose me would write down [on a scroll] the evil things that they say that I did.
36 Ich trüge einen solchen auf der Schulter und wollt' ihn mir als Diadem aufsetzen.
[If they did that, ] I would wear that scroll on my shoulder, or wear it on top of my head, [in order that everyone could see it].
37 Bei jedem meiner Schritte huldigte ich ihm wie einem Fürsten: gleich einem Fürsten träte ich ihm da entgegen.
I would tell [God] everything that I have done, and I would approach him [confidently], like a ruler would.
38 Wenn über mich mein Acker schrie und alle seine Furchen weinten
If [it were true that] I have stolen land, with the result that [it was as though] its furrows cried out to accuse me of stealing;
39 und ich verzehrte seine Ernte, ohne zu bezahlen, und ließe die, die ihn bebauten, stöhnen,
or [if it were true that] I have eaten the crops that grew in someone else’s fields without paying [for those crops], with the result that those farmers who grew those crops died [from hunger];
40 dann sollen Disteln statt des Weizens und statt der Gerste Unkraut sprossen!" - Hier enden Jobs Reden.
then I wish/desire that thorns would grow [in my fields] instead of wheat. May bad weeds grow instead of barley!” That is the end of what Job said [to his three friends].
