約伯最後的申辯

31 「我跟自己的眼睛立了約,
決不貪看女色。
天上的上帝所定的是什麼?
高天的全能者賜下什麼產業?
豈不是降災難給不義之人,
降禍患給作惡的人?
上帝豈不鑒察我走的路,
數算我的腳步?
我何曾與虛假同行,
疾步追隨詭詐?
願上帝把我放在公義的天平上秤量,
讓祂知道我的清白。
倘若我的腳偏離正路,
貪圖眼目之慾,
或手上粘著罪污,
願我種的莊稼被別人享用,
我田中的出產被連根拔起。
我的心若迷戀女人,
在鄰居的門口窺探,
10 願我妻子為別人推磨,
願別人與她同房。
11 因為這是大惡,
是當受審判的罪,
12 是燒向滅亡的火焰,
會吞噬我所有家業。
13 我的僕婢告我,
我也會講公道,
14 否則上帝追究,我怎麼辦?
祂審問我,我如何回答?
15 祂創造了我,豈不也創造了他們?
豈不是同一位使我們在母腹中成胎?
16 我何曾拒絕窮人的請求,
或使寡婦眼露失望之情,
17 或獨吞我的食物,
不與孤兒同享?
18 我自幼就如父親般撫養孤兒,
我自出母胎就照顧寡婦。
19 倘若我見有人凍得要死,
或有窮人衣不蔽體,
20 卻沒有把我的羊毛給他們禦寒,
以致他們向我道謝;
21 倘若我仗著在城門口有勢力,
就動手欺負孤兒,
22 情願我的肩膀從肩胛脫落,
我的手臂從手肘折斷。
23 因為我懼怕上帝降災禍,
我無法承擔祂的威嚴。

24 「我若仰仗金子,
依靠純金,
25 因財富充裕、
或家產豐足而歡喜;
26 我若見太陽發光,
明月在天上移動,
27 就暗自心生迷戀,
向它們吻手示敬,
28 就是犯了當受審判的罪惡,
因為這等於我背棄了天上的上帝。

29 「我何曾因敵人遭殃而歡喜,
因他們遇禍而快樂?
30 我從未咒詛他們喪命,
以致我的口犯罪。
31 住在我帳篷中的人,
誰沒飽餐我的肉食呢?
32 我的家門向路人敞開,
從未有旅客露宿街頭。
33 我何曾像亞當一樣遮掩我的過犯,
將罪惡藏在懷中,
34 因懼怕群眾,
被族人藐視,
就默不作聲、不敢出門?

35 「但願有人聽我申訴!
看啊,我在這裡畫押,願全能者回答我!
願我的控訴者寫好狀詞!
36 我會把狀詞披在肩上,
如冠冕一般戴在頭上。
37 我會像王者一樣到祂面前,
向祂交代我的一切所為。

38 「若我的田地向我喊冤,
條條犁溝一同哭訴;
39 若我白吃地的出產,
或使地的主人喪命,
40 願地長出蒺藜而非麥子,
長出雜草而非大麥。」

約伯的話說完了。

31 I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin.

For what part should God from above have in me, and what inheritance the Almighty from on high?

Is not destruction to the wicked, and aversion to them that work iniquity?

Doth not he consider my ways, and number all my steps?

If I have walked in vanity, and my foot hath made haste to deceit:

Let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

If my step hath turned out of the way, and if my heart hath followed my eyes, and if a spot hath cleaved to my hands:

Then let me sow and let another eat: and let my offspring be rooted out.

If my heart hath been deceived upon a woman, and if I have laid wait at my friend's door:

10 Let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lie with her.

11 For this is a heinous crime, and a most grievous iniquity.

12 It is a fire that devoureth even to destruction, and rooteth up all things that spring.

13 If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me:

14 For what shall I do when God shall rise to judge? and when he shall examine, what shall I answer him?

15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him also: and did not one and the same form me in the womb?

16 If I have denied to the poor what they desired, and have made the eyes of the widow wait:

17 If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof:

18 (For from my infancy mercy grew up with me: and it came out with me from my mother's womb:)

19 If I have despised him that was perishing for want of clothing, and the poor man that had no covering:

20 If his sides 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, even when I saw myself superior in the gate:

22 Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken.

23 For I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and his weight I was not able to bear.

24 If I have thought gold my strength, and have said to fine gold: My confidence:

25 If I have rejoiced over my great riches, and because my hand had gotten much.

26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, and the moon going in brightness:

27 And my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my hand with my mouth:

28 Which is a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God.

29 If I have been glad at the downfall of him that hated me, and have rejoiced that evil had found him.

30 For I have not given my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul.

31 If the men of my tabernacle have not said: Who will give us of his flesh that we may be filled?

32 The stranger did not stay without, my door was open to the traveller.

33 If as a man I have hid my sin, and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom.

34 If I have been afraid at a very great multitude, and the contempt of kinsmen hath terrified me: and I have not rather held my peace, and not gone out of the door.

35 Who would grant me a hearer, that the Almighty may hear my desire; and that he himself that judgeth would write a book,

36 That I may carry it on my shoulder, and put it about me as a crown?

37 At every step of mine I would pronounce it, and offer it as to a prince.

38 If my land cry against me, and with it the furrows thereof mourn:

39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the soul of the tillers thereof:

40 Let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley.

31 “I made a covenant with my eyes(A)
    not to look lustfully at a young woman.(B)
For what is our lot(C) from God above,
    our heritage from the Almighty on high?(D)
Is it not ruin(E) for the wicked,
    disaster(F) for those who do wrong?(G)
Does he not see my ways(H)
    and count my every step?(I)

“If I have walked with falsehood
    or my foot has hurried after deceit(J)
let God weigh me(K) in honest scales(L)
    and he will know that I am blameless(M)
if my steps have turned from the path,(N)
    if my heart has been led by my eyes,
    or if my hands(O) have been defiled,(P)
then may others eat what I have sown,(Q)
    and may my crops be uprooted.(R)

“If my heart has been enticed(S) by a woman,(T)
    or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 then may my wife grind(U) another man’s grain,
    and may other men sleep with her.(V)
11 For that would have been wicked,(W)
    a sin to be judged.(X)
12 It is a fire(Y) that burns to Destruction[a];(Z)
    it would have uprooted my harvest.(AA)

13 “If I have denied justice to any of my servants,(AB)
    whether male or female,
    when they had a grievance against me,(AC)
14 what will I do when God confronts me?(AD)
    What will I answer when called to account?(AE)
15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them?(AF)
    Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?(AG)

16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor(AH)
    or let the eyes of the widow(AI) grow weary,(AJ)
17 if I have kept my bread to myself,
    not sharing it with the fatherless(AK)
18 but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
    and from my birth I guided the widow(AL)
19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,(AM)
    or the needy(AN) without garments,
20 and their hearts did not bless me(AO)
    for warming them with the fleece(AP) from my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,(AQ)
    knowing that I had influence in court,(AR)
22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder,
    let it be broken off at the joint.(AS)
23 For I dreaded destruction from God,(AT)
    and for fear of his splendor(AU) I could not do such things.(AV)

24 “If I have put my trust in gold(AW)
    or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’(AX)
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,(AY)
    the fortune my hands had gained,(AZ)
26 if I have regarded the sun(BA) in its radiance
    or the moon(BB) moving in splendor,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed(BC)
    and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,(BD)
28 then these also would be sins to be judged,(BE)
    for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.(BF)

29 “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune(BG)
    or gloated over the trouble that came to him(BH)
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin
    by invoking a curse against their life(BI)
31 if those of my household have never said,
    ‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’(BJ)
32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,
    for my door was always open to the traveler(BK)
33 if I have concealed(BL) my sin as people do,[b]
    by hiding(BM) my guilt in my heart
34 because I so feared the crowd(BN)
    and so dreaded the contempt of the clans
    that I kept silent(BO) and would not go outside—

35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!(BP)
    I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;
    let my accuser(BQ) put his indictment in writing.
36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,(BR)
    I would put it on like a crown.(BS)
37 I would give him an account of my every step;(BT)
    I would present it to him as to a ruler.(BU))—

38 “if my land cries out against me(BV)
    and all its furrows are wet(BW) with tears,
39 if I have devoured its yield without payment(BX)
    or broken the spirit of its tenants,(BY)
40 then let briers(BZ) come up instead of wheat
    and stinkweed(CA) instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.(CB)

Footnotes

  1. Job 31:12 Hebrew Abaddon
  2. Job 31:33 Or as Adam did

Jó declara sua integridade nos seus deveres

31 Fiz concerto com os meus olhos; como, pois, os fixaria numa virgem? Porque qual seria a parte de Deus vinda de cima, ou a herança do Todo-Poderoso desde as alturas? Porventura, não é a perdição para o perverso, e o desastre, para os que praticam iniquidade? Ou não vê ele os meus caminhos e não conta todos os meus passos?

Se andei com vaidade, e se o meu pé se apressou para o engano (pese-me em balanças fiéis, e saberá Deus a minha sinceridade); se os meus passos se desviaram do caminho, e se o meu coração segue os meus olhos, e se às minhas mãos se apegou alguma coisa, então, semeie eu, e outro coma, e seja a minha descendência arrancada até à raiz.

Se o meu coração se deixou seduzir por uma mulher, ou se eu andei rondando à porta do meu próximo, 10 então, moa minha mulher para outro, e outros se encurvem sobre ela. 11 Porque isso seria uma infâmia e delito, pertencente aos juízes. 12 Porque é fogo que consome até à perdição e desarraigaria toda a minha renda.

13 Se desprezei o direito do meu servo ou da minha serva, quando eles contendiam comigo, 14 então, que faria eu quando Deus se levantasse? E, inquirindo a causa, que lhe responderia? 15 Aquele que me formou no ventre não o fez também a ele? Ou não nos formou do mesmo modo na madre?

16 Se retive o que os pobres desejavam ou fiz desfalecer os olhos da viúva; 17 ou sozinho comi o meu bocado, e o órfão não comeu dele 18 (porque desde a minha mocidade cresceu comigo como com seu pai, e o guiei desde o ventre da minha mãe); 19 se a alguém vi perecer por falta de veste e, ao necessitado, por não ter coberta; 20 se os seus lombos me não abençoaram, se ele não se aquentava com as peles dos meus cordeiros; 21 se eu levantei a mão contra o órfão, porque na porta via a minha ajuda, 22 então, caia do ombro a minha espádua, e quebre-se o meu braço desde o osso. 23 Porque o castigo de Deus era para mim um assombro, e eu não podia suportar a sua grandeza.

24 Se no ouro pus a minha esperança ou disse ao ouro fino: Tu és a minha confiança; 25 se me alegrei de que era muita a minha fazenda e de que a minha mão tinha alcançado muito; 26 se olhei para o sol, quando resplandecia, ou para a lua, caminhando gloriosa; 27 e o meu coração se deixou enganar em oculto, e a minha boca beijou a minha mão, 28 também isto seria delito pertencente ao juiz; pois assim negaria a Deus, que está em cima.

29 Se me alegrei da desgraça do que me tem ódio, e se eu exultei quando o mal o achou 30 (também não deixei pecar o meu paladar, desejando a sua morte com maldição); 31 se a gente da minha tenda não disse: Ah! Quem se não terá saciado com a sua carne! 32 O estrangeiro não passava a noite na rua; as minhas portas abria ao viandante. 33 Se, como Adão, encobri as minhas transgressões, ocultando o meu delito no meu seio, 34 trema eu perante uma grande multidão, e o desprezo das famílias me apavore, e eu me cale, e não saia da porta. 35 Ah! Quem me dera um que me ouvisse! Eis que o meu intento é que o Todo-Poderoso me responda e que o meu adversário escreva um livro. 36 Por certo que o levaria sobre o meu ombro, sobre mim o ataria como coroa. 37 O número dos meus passos lhe mostraria; como príncipe me chegaria a ele.

38 Se a minha terra clamar contra mim, e se os seus regos juntamente chorarem; 39 se comi a sua novidade sem dinheiro e sufoquei a alma dos seus donos, 40 por trigo me produza cardos, e por cevada, joio. Acabaram-se as palavras de Jó.