约伯最后的申辩

31 “我跟自己的眼睛立了约,
决不贪看女色。
天上的上帝所定的是什么?
高天的全能者赐下什么产业?
岂不是降灾难给不义之人,
降祸患给作恶的人?
上帝岂不鉴察我走的路,
数算我的脚步?
我何曾与虚假同行,
疾步追随诡诈?
愿上帝把我放在公义的天平上称量,
让祂知道我的清白。
倘若我的脚偏离正路,
贪图眼目之欲,
或手上粘着罪污,
愿我种的庄稼被别人享用,
我田中的出产被连根拔起。
我的心若迷恋女人,
在邻居的门口窥探,
10 愿我妻子为别人推磨,
愿别人与她同房。
11 因为这是大恶,
是当受审判的罪,
12 是烧向灭亡的火焰,
会吞噬我所有家业。
13 我的仆婢告我,
我也会讲公道,
14 否则上帝追究,我怎么办?
祂审问我,我如何回答?
15 祂创造了我,岂不也创造了他们?
岂不是同一位使我们在母腹中成胎?
16 我何曾拒绝穷人的请求,
或使寡妇眼露失望之情,
17 或独吞我的食物,
不与孤儿同享?
18 我自幼就如父亲般抚养孤儿,
我自出母胎就照顾寡妇。
19 倘若我见有人冻得要死,
或有穷人衣不蔽体,
20 却没有把我的羊毛给他们御寒,
以致他们向我道谢;
21 倘若我仗着在城门口有势力,
就动手欺负孤儿,
22 情愿我的肩膀从肩胛脱落,
我的手臂从手肘折断。
23 因为我惧怕上帝降灾祸,
我无法承担祂的威严。

24 “我若仰仗金子,
依靠纯金,
25 因财富充裕、
或家产丰足而欢喜;
26 我若见太阳发光,
明月在天上移动,
27 就暗自心生迷恋,
向它们吻手示敬,
28 就是犯了当受审判的罪恶,
因为这等于我背弃了天上的上帝。

29 “我何曾因敌人遭殃而欢喜,
因他们遇祸而快乐?
30 我从未咒诅他们丧命,
以致我的口犯罪。
31 住在我帐篷中的人,
谁没饱餐我的肉食呢?
32 我的家门向路人敞开,
从未有旅客露宿街头。
33 我何曾像亚当一样遮掩我的过犯,
将罪恶藏在怀中,
34 因惧怕群众,
被族人藐视,
就默不作声、不敢出门?

35 “但愿有人听我申诉!
看啊,我在这里画押,愿全能者回答我!
愿我的控诉者写好状词!
36 我会把状词披在肩上,
如冠冕一般戴在头上。
37 我会像王者一样到祂面前,
向祂交代我的一切所为。

38 “若我的田地向我喊冤,
条条犁沟一同哭诉;
39 若我白吃地的出产,
或使地的主人丧命,
40 愿地长出蒺藜而非麦子,
长出杂草而非大麦。”

约伯的话说完了。

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.

31 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.

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;

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

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 rejoice 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 rejoice 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.