1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? 2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? 3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? 4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? 5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; 6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. 7 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; 8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door; 10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. 11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. 12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. 13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; 14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? 15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; 18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb;) 19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; 20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; 21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: 22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. 23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; 25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; 26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; 27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: 28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. 29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: 30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. 31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied. 32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom: 34 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? 35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. 36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. 37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him. 38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; 39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: 40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
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.
