Job 31

berit karatti le'enay umah etbonen al-betulah

I have covenanted with my eyes Not to gaze on a maiden.

umeh kheleq eloah mimma'al venakhalat shadday mimmeromim

What fate is decreed by God above? What lot, by Shaddai in the heights?

halo-ed le'avval venekher lefo'ale aven

Calamity is surely for the iniquitous; Misfortune, for the worker of mischief.

halo-hu yireh derakhay vekhol-tse'aday yispor

Surely [God] observes my ways, Takes account of my every step.

im-halakhti im-shav vattakhash al-mirmah ragli

Have I walked with the worthless, Or my feet hurried to deceit?

yishqeleni vemozene-tsedeq veyeda eloah tummati

Let me be weighed on the scale of righteousness; Let God ascertain my integrity.

im-titteh ashuri minni haddarekh ve'akhar enay halakh libbi uvekhappay davaq mum

If my feet have strayed from their course, My heart followed after my eyes, And a stain sullied my hands,

ezre'ah ve'akher yokhel vetse'etsa'ay yeshorashu

May I sow, but another reap, May the growth of my field be uprooted!

im-niftah libbi al-isha ve'al-petakh re'i araveti

If my heart was ravished by the wife of my neighbor, And I lay in wait at his door,

titkhan le'akher ishti ve'aleha yikhre'un akherin

May my wife grind for another, May others kneel over her!

ki-[hi] (hv) zimmah (vhy) [vehu] avon pelilim

For that would have been debauchery, A criminal offense,

ki esh hi ad-avaddon tokhel uvekhol-tevu'ati tesharesh

A fire burning down to Abaddon, Consuming the roots of all my increase.

im-emas mishpat avdi va'amati berivam immadi

Did I ever brush aside the case of my servants, man or maid, When they made a complaint against me?

umah e'eseh ki-yaqum el vekhi-yifqod mah ashivennu

What then should I do when God arises; When I am called to account, what should I answer?

halo-vabbeten oseni asahu vayekhunennu barekhem ekhad

Did not the One who made me in my mother’s belly make him? Did not One form us both in the womb?

im-emna mekhefets dallim ve'ene almanah akhalleh

Did I deny the poor their needs, Or let a widow pine away,

ve'okhal pitti levaddi velo-akhal yatom mimmennah

By eating my food alone, The fatherless not eating of it also?

ki minne'uray gedelani khe'av umibbeten immi ankhennah

Why, from my youth he grew up with me as though I were his father; Since I left my mother’s womb I was the widow’s guide.

im-ereh oved mibbeli levush ve'en kesut la'evyon

I never saw an unclad wretch, Someone needy without clothing,

im-lo verekhuni khalatsav umiggez kevasay yitkhammam

Whose loins did not bless me As they warmed themselves with the shearings of my sheep.

im-hanifoti al-yatom yadi ki-ereh vasha'ar ezrati

If I raised my hand against the fatherless, Looking to my supporters in the gate,

ketefi mishikhmah tippol ve'ezro'i miqqanah tishaver

May my arm drop off my shoulder; My forearm break off at the elbow.

ki fakhad elay ed el umisse'eto lo ukhal

For I am in dread of God-sent calamity; I cannot bear such a threat.

im-samti zahav kisli velakketem amarti mivtakhi

Did I put my reliance on gold, Or regard fine gold as my bulwark?

im-esmakh ki-rav kheli vekhi-khabbir matse'ah yadi

Did I rejoice in my great wealth, In having attained plenty?

im-ereh or ki yahel veyareakh yaqar holekh

If ever I saw the light shining, The moon on its course in full glory,

vayyift basseter libbi vattishaq yadi lefi

And I secretly succumbed, And my hand touched my mouth in a kiss,

gam-hu avon pelili ki-khikhashti la'el mimma'al

That, too, would have been a criminal offense, For I would have denied God above.

im-esmakh befid mesani vehitorarti ki-metsa'o ra

Did I rejoice over my enemies’ misfortune? Did I thrill because evil befell them?

velo-natatti lakhato khikki lishol be'alah nafsho

I never let my mouth sin By wishing their death in a curse.

im-lo ameru mete oholi mi-yitten mibbesaro lo nisba

(Indeed, those of my clan said, “We would consume his flesh insatiably!”)

bakhuts lo-yalin ger delatay la'orakh eftakh

No sojourner spent the night in the open; I opened my doors to the road.

im-kissiti khe'adam pesha'ay litmon bekhubbi avoni

Did I hide my transgressions like Adam, Bury my wrongdoing in my bosom,

ki e'erots hamon rabbah uvuz-mishpakhot yekhitteni va'eddom lo-etse fatakh

That I should [now] fear the great multitude, And am shattered by the contempt of families, So that I keep silent and do not step outdoors?

mi yitten-li shomea li hen-tavi shadday ya'aneni vesefer katav ish rivi

O that I had someone to give me a hearing; O that Shaddai would reply to my writ, Or my accuser draw up a true bill!

im-lo al-shikhmi essa'ennu e'endennu atarot li

I would carry it on my shoulder; Tie it around me for a wreath.

mispar tse'aday aggidennu kemo-nagid aqarevennu

I would give an account of my steps, Offer it as to a commander.

im-alay admati tizaq veyakhad telameha yivkayun

If my land cries out against me, Its furrows weep together;

im-kokhah akhalti veli-khasef venefesh be'aleha hippakheti

If I have eaten its produce without payment, And made its [rightful] owners despair,

takhat khittah yetse khoakh vetakhat-se'orah voshah tammu divre iyyov

May nettles grow there instead of wheat; Instead of barley, stinkweed! The words of Job are at an end.