Job Continues
I Promised Myself
1 I promised myself
never to stare with desire
at a young woman.
2 God All-Powerful punishes
men who do that.
3 In fact, God sends disaster
on all who sin,
4 and he keeps a close watch
on everything I do.
5 I am not dishonest or deceitful,
6 and I beg God to prove
my innocence.
7 If I have disobeyed him
or even wanted to,
8 then others can eat my harvest
and uproot my crops.
9 If I have desired someone's wife
and chased after her,
10 then let some stranger
steal my wife from me.
11 If I took someone's wife,
it would be a horrible crime,
12 sending me to destruction
and my crops to the flames.
13 When my servants
complained against me,
I was fair to them.
14 Otherwise, what answer
would I give to God
when he judges me?
15 After all, God is the one
who gave life to each of us
before we were born.
I Have Never Cheated Anyone
16 I have never cheated widows
or others in need,
17 and I have always shared
my food with orphans.
18 Since the time I was young,
I have cared for orphans
and helped widows.
19 I provided clothes for the poor,
20 and I was praised
for supplying woolen garments
to keep them warm.
21 If I have ever raised my arm
to threaten an orphan
when the power was mine,
22 I hope that arm will fall
from its socket.
23 I could not have been abusive;
I was terrified at the thought
that God might punish me.
24 I have never trusted
the power of wealth,
25 or taken pride in owning
many possessions.
* 26 I have never openly or secretly
27 worshiped the sun or moon.
28 Such horrible sins
would have deserved
punishment from God.
29 I have never laughed
when my enemies
were struck by disaster.
30 Neither have I sinned
by asking God
to send down on them
the curse of death.
31 No one ever went hungry
at my house,
32 and travelers
were always welcome.
33 Many have attempted to hide
their sins from others—
but I refused.
34 And the fear of public disgrace
never forced me to keep silent
about what I had done.
Why Doesn't God Listen?
35 Why doesn't God All-Powerful
listen and answer?
If God has something against me,
let him speak up
or put it in writing!
36 Then I would wear his charges
on my clothes and forehead.
37 And with my head held high,
I would tell him everything
I have ever done.
38 I have never mistreated
the land I farmed
and made it mourn.
39 Nor have I cheated
my workers
and caused them pain.
40 If I had, I would pray
for weeds instead of wheat
to grow in my fields.
After saying these things,
Job was silent.
Ījabs pastāv uz savu godīgumu
1 Derību slēdzu ar savām acīm,
ka uz jaunavu pat neskatīšos!
2 Kādu daļu man dos Dievs augšā?
Ko man mantot no Visuvarenā augstumos?
3 Vai nenāks posts pār netaisno,
vai netiks atmests ļaundaris?
4 Vai viņš neuzmana manus ceļus,
vai neskaita man ik soli?
5 Vai es niecībā staigājis esmu,
vai kājas man steigušās uz viltu?
6 Lai viņš sver mani taisnības svaros,
lai Dievs manu krietnumu izzina!
7 Ja soļi man novērsušies no ceļa,
ja sirds steigusi acīm līdzi,
ja negods lipis pie plaukstām –
8 tad lai es sēju, bet cits lai ēd
un manus dēstus lai izplūc!
9 Ja mana sirds sievietei ļāvās,
ja glūnēju pie kaimiņa sliekšņa,
10 tad lai mana sieva citam maļ,
lai citi pie viņas guļ –
11 jo tā būtu nešķīstība
un vaina, kas jānes pie tiesas! –
12 un uguns, kas noēd līdz pazušanai
visu manu guvumu līdz pat saknēm!
13 Ja darīju pāri savam kalpam
vai kalponei, kad tie ar mani gāja tiesā,
14 ko tad man darīt, kad celtos Dievs?
Kad viņš sauktu – ko atbildēt man?
15 Viņš mātes miesās mūs radīja abus,
viņš mātes klēpī mūs darināja!
16 Vai esmu nabagiem liedzis prieku
vai atraitnes acīm licis raudāt,
17 vai ēdu savu kumosu viens,
vai bārenim no tā nedevu?
18 Šim mazam mācību devu kā tēvs,
kopš mātes klēpja šai izlīdzēju.
19 Ja redzēju kādu pliku nīkstam
vai kad bēdulim apsega nebij –
20 vai viņa gurni neslavēja mani,
ka silda tos manu jēru vilna?
21 Ja es cēlis pret bāreni roku,
zinādams sev atbalstu tiesā,
22 tad lai man lāpstiņas atlīp no pleciem,
lai roka nolūst no delma!
23 Jo biedē mani Dieva posts
un viņa dižuma es nejaudāju!
24 Vai uz zeltu es paļāvos
un kalumiem teicu: ak, jūs mans balsts!?
25 Vai priecājos, ka man mantas daudz,
ka diženi guvusi mana roka?
26 Vai lūkojos saulē, kā tā spīd,
un uz mēnesi – cik lepni staigā!
27 Vai mana sirds tiem paslepen ļāvās
un es tiem sūtīju skūpstu? –
28 tas būtu grēks, kas nesams pie tiesas, –
es būtu noliedzies Dievu tur augšā!
29 Vai priecājos par mana naidnieka postu,
vai tīksminājos, kad tam gāja ļauni?
30 Es taču neļāvu aukslējām grēkot
un viņa dzīvību nelādēju!
31 Vai tad neteica mana nama ļaudis:
ikviens ir paēdis pie viņa podiem? –
32 Svešinieks nenakšņoja laukā,
ceļiniekam es atvēru durvis.
33 Vai es kā Ādams slēpu vainu
vai azotē glabāju grēku,
34 vai baidījos ļaužu pūļa
vai radu nievu es bijos,
aiz kauna nekāpdams slieksnim pāri?
35 Kaut būtu, kas uzklausa mani!
Te mana liecība – lai Visuvarenais atbild!
Lai grāmatu raksta, kas nāk ar mani tiesā!
36 Tiešām, uz pleciem nēsāšu to,
kā vainagu galvā to likšu!
37 Atklāšu savas gaitas viņam,
kā lielkunga priekšā stāšos viņa priekšā.
38 Ja mani tīrumi pret mani sauktu,
ja vienā balsī vagas kliegtu,
39 ka es ražu bez maksas ēdu
un tās saimniekus postā dzenu, –
40 tad lai kviešu vietā aug dzelkšņi
un miežu vietā nezāles!”
Ījaba runas beidzas.
