1
ܩܝܡܐ ܐܩܝܡܬ ܠܥܝܢ̈ܝ ܕܠܐ ܐܬܒܝܢ ܒܒܬܘܠܬܐ
qym' 'qymth leyny dl' 'thbyn bbthwlth'
“I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
2
ܘܡܢܐ ܗܝ ܦܠܓܘܬܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܡܢ ܠܥܠ ܘܝܪܬܘܬܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܡܢ ܡܪܘܡܐ
wmn' hy plgwthh d'lh' dmn lel wyrthwthh d'lh' dmn mrwm'
For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3
ܐܠܐ ܬܒܪܐ ܠܥ̇ܘ̈ܠܐ ܘܢܘܟܪܝܘܬܐ ܥܠ ܥܒ̈ܕܝ ܥܘ̣ܠܐ
'l' thbr' lewl' wnwkrywth' el ebdy ewl'
Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
4
ܗܘܝܘ ܚܙܐ ܐܘܪ̈ܚܬܝ ܘܟܠܗܝܢ ܗ̈ܠܟܬܝ ܡܢܐ
hwyw khz' 'wrkhthy wklhyn hlkthy mn'
Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5
ܐܢ ܗܠܟܬ ܥܡ ܫܩܪ̈ܐ ܘܐܢ ܐܣܬܪܗܒ ܪ̈ܓܠܝ ܠܡܪܗܛ ܒܢܟܠܐ
'n hlkth em shqr' w'n 'sthrhb rgly lmrhT bnkl'
“If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit
6
ܢܬܩܠܢܝ ܒܡܣܐܬܐ ܕܩܘܫܬܐ ܘܢܕܥ ܐܠܗܐ ܫܠܡܘܬܝ
nthqlny bms'th' dqwshth' wnde 'lh' shlmwthy
(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);
7
ܐܢ ܐܣܛܝܬ ܗ̈ܠܟܬܝ ܡܢ ܐܘܪܚܐ ܘܐܢ ܐܙܠ ܠܒܝ ܒܬܪ ܥܝܢ̈ܝ ܘܐܢ ܕܒܩ ܒܝ ܡܕܡ
'n 'sTyth hlkthy mn 'wrkh' w'n 'zl lby bthr eyny w'n dbq by mdm
if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,
8
ܐܠܐ ܐܢ ܙܪܥܬ ܗܝܕܝܢ ܐܟܠܬ ܘܐܢ ܢܨܒܬ ܗܝܕܝܢ ܪܒܝܬ ܘܚܡܠܬ
'l' 'n zreth hydyn 'klth w'n ntsbth hydyn rbyth wkhmlth
then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
9
ܘܐܢ ܐܫܬܕܠ ܠܒܝ ܥܠ ܐܢܬܬܐ ܢܘܟܪܝܬܐ ܘܥܠ ܬܪܥܐ ܕܚܒܪܝ ܐܢ ܟܡܢܬ
w'n 'shthdl lby el 'nthth' nwkryth' wel thre' dkhbry 'n kmnth
“If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,
10
ܐܠܐ ܛܚܢܬ ܠܐܚܪ̈ܢܝܢ ܐܢܬܬܝ ܘܐܦܬ ܒܕܘܟܐ ܐܚܪܢܝܐ
'l' Tkhnth l'khrnyn 'nththy w'pth bdwk' 'khrny'
then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.
11
ܡܛܠ ܕܗܝ ܚܛܝܬܐ ܗܝ ܘܗܝ ܥܝܢܐ ܗܝ ܕܨܢܥܬܐ
mTl dhy khTyth' hy why eyn' hy dtsneth'
For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
12
ܘܢܘܪܐ ܗܝ ܕܥܕܡܐ ܠܐܒܕܢܐ ܐܟܠܐ ܘܟܠܗܝܢ ܥ̈ܠܠܬܝ ܢܬܥܩܪ̈ܢ
wnwr' hy dedm' l'bdn' 'kl' wklhyn ellthy ntheqrn
for it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
13
ܐܢ ܐܣܠܝܬ ܕܝܢܐ ܕܥܒܕܝ ܘܕܐܡܬܝ ܡܐ ܕܕܝܢܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܥܡܝ
'n 'slyth dyn' debdy wd'mthy m' ddynyn hww emy
“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,
14
ܐܠܐ ܐܡܪܬ ܡܢܐ ܐܥܒܕ ܡܐ ܕܩ̇ܐܡ ܐܠܗܐ ܘܡܐ ܕܦ̇ܩܕ ܡܢܐ ܐܬܝܒܝܘܗܝ
'l' 'mrth mn' 'ebd m' dq'm 'lh' wm' dpqd mn' 'thybywhy
what then will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will I answer him?
15
ܕܗܐ ܒܟܪܣܐ ܕܥܒܕܢܝ ܥܒܕܗ ܘܒܚܕ ܡܪܒܥܐ ܬܩܢܢ
dh' bkrs' debdny ebdh wbkhd mrbe' thqnn
Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?
16
ܐܢ ܟܠܝܬ ܠܡܣܟܢܐ ܡܕܡ ܕܨܒܐ ܘܐܢ ܐܚܫܟܬ ܠܥܝ̈ܢܐ ܕܐܪܡܠܬܐ
'n klyth lmskn' mdm dtsb' w'n 'khshkth leyn' d'rmlth'
“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17
ܐܢ ܐܟܠܬ ܠܚܡܝ ܒܠܚܘܕܝ ܘܠܐ ܝܬܡܐ ܡܢܗ ܐܟܠ
'n 'klth lkhmy blkhwdy wl' ythm' mnh 'kl
or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18
ܡܛܠ ܕܡܢ ܛܠܝܘܬܝ ܪܒܝܘܢܝ ܟܐ̈ܒܐ ܘܡܢ ܟܪܣܗ̇ ܕܐܡܝ ܬܢܚ̈ܬܐ
mTl dmn Tlywthy rbywny k'b' wmn krsh d'my thnkhth'
(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, I have guided her from my mother’s womb);
19
ܐܢ ܚܙܝܬ ܕܐܒܝܕ ܡܢ ܒܠܝ ܠܒܘܫܐ ܘܠܝܬ ܬܟܣܝܬܐ ܠܒ̇ܝܫܐ
'n khzyth d'byd mn bly lbwsh' wlyth thksyth' lbysh'
if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20
ܐܠܐ ܥܠ ܒܘܪ̈ܟܝ ܐܬܪܒܝܘ ܘܡܢ ܓܙ̈ܐ ܕܥܢܝ ܐܫܬܚܢܘ
'l' el bwrky 'thrbyw wmn gz' deny 'shthkhnw
if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;
21
ܐܢ ܐܪܝܡܬ ܥܠ ܝܬܡܐ ܐܝܕܝ ܐܠܐ ܡܐ ܕܚܙܝܬܗ ܒܬܪܥܐ ܥܕܪܬܗ
'n 'rymth el ythm' 'ydy 'l' m' dkhzythh bthre' edrthh
if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;
22
ܟܬܦܝ ܡܢ ܟܪܗ̇ ܬܦܠ ܘܕܪܥܝ ܡܢ ܩܢܝܗ ܢܬܬܒܪ
kthpy mn krh thpl wdrey mn qnyh nththbr
then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
23
ܡܛܠ ܕܕܚܠܬܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܐܙܝܥܬܢܝ ܘܬܒܪܗ ܐܬܐ ܥܠܝ ܘܡܢ ܙܘܥܬܐ ܠܐ ܐܫܟܚܬ ܠܡܩܡ
mTl ddkhlthh d'lh' 'zyethny wthbrh 'th' ely wmn zweth' l' 'shkkhth lmqm
For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing.
24
ܐܢ ܥܒܕܬ ܕܗܒܐ ܬܘܟܠܢܝ ܘܐܢ ܐܡܪܬ ܥܠ ܟܐܦܐ ܛܒܬܐ ܕܐܢܬܝ ܗܝ ܬܘܟܠܢܝ ܘܐܢ ܐܡܪܬ ܥܠ ܣܢܝܢܐ ܕܐܢܬ ܗܘ ܣܒܪܝ
'n ebdth dhb' thwklny w'n 'mrth el k'p' Tbth' d'nthy hy thwklny w'n 'mrth el snyn' d'nth hw sbry
“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’
25
ܘܐܢ ܚܕܝܬ ܟܕ ܣܓܝ ܩܢܝܢܝ ܘܟܕ ܣܓܝ ܐܫܟܚܬ ܐܝܕܝ
w'n khdyth kd sgy qnyny wkd sgy 'shkkhth 'ydy
If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26
ܐܢ ܚܙܝܬ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܟܕ ܕܢܝܚ ܘܣܗܪܐ ܟܕ ܚܒܝܒ
'n khzyth nwhr' kd dnykh wshr' kd khbyb
if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,
27
ܐܢ ܐܙܠ ܘܐܫܬܕܠ ܒܣܬܪܐ ܠܒܝ ܘܢܫܩܬ ܐܝܕܝ ܠܦܘܡܝ
'n 'zl w'shthdl bsthr' lby wnshqth 'ydy lpwmy
and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;
28
ܐܦ ܗܘ ܚܙܐ ܟܠܗܝܢ ܨܢܥ̈ܬܝ ܐܢ ܟܕܒܬ ܩܕܡ ܐܠܗܐ
'p hw khz' klhyn tsnethy 'n kdbth qdm 'lh'
this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29
ܘܐܢ ܚܕܝܬ ܒܬܒܪܐ ܕܣܢܐܝ ܘܐܢ ܕܨܬ ܡܐ ܕܗܘܬ ܠܗ ܒܝܫܬܐ
w'n khdyth bthbr' dsn'y w'n dtsth m' dhwth lh byshth'
“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him
30
ܘܠܐ ܐܫܠܡܬ ܦܘܡܝ ܠܚܛܗܐ ܘܢܦܫܝ ܠܚܕܐ ܡܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܠܐ ܫܐܠܬ
wl' 'shlmth pwmy lkhTh' wnpshy lkhd' mn hlyn l' sh'lth
(I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
31
ܐܠܐ ܐܡܪܘ ܪ̈ܚܡܝ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܝܢ ܝܗܒ ܠܢ ܡܢ ܒܣܪܗ ܘܠܐ ܣܒܥܢ
'l' 'mrw rkhmy mn dyn yhb ln mn bsrh wl' sben
if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
32
ܒܫܘܩܐ ܠܐ ܐܒܝܬܬ ܐܟܣܢܝܐ ܘܬܪܥܝ ܠܐܪܚܐ ܦܬܚܬ
bshwq' l' 'bythth 'ksny' wthrey l'rkh' pthkhth
(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);
33
ܐܢ ܟܣܝܬ ܐܝܟ ܐܢܫܐ ܚ̈ܛܗܝ ܘܐܢ ܛܡܪܬ ܒܛܘܫܝܐ ܚ̈ܘܒܝ
'n ksyth 'yk 'nsh' khThy w'n Tmrth bTwshy' khwby
if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34
ܘܐܢ ܕܫܬ ܚܝܠܐ ܕܣ̈ܓܝܐܐ ܐܠܐ ܣܘܓܐܐ ܗܘ ܕܫܪ̈ܒܬܐ ܬܒܪܢܝ ܘܒܪܢܫܐ ܠܐ ܐܗܦܟܬ ܒܬܪܥܐ ܘܒܡܡܠܠܐ ܕܣ̈ܦܘܬܐ ܠܐ ܪܢܝܬ ܓܘܪ̈ܓܘܗܝ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܡܟܟܘܢܝ
w'n dshth khyl' dsgy'' 'l' swg'' hw dshrbth' thbrny wbrnsh' l' 'hpkth bthre' wbmmll' dspwth' l' rnyth gwrgwhy d'lh' mkkwny
because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—
35
ܡ̇ܢ ܕܝܢ ܝܗܒ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܫ̇ܡܥ ܠܝ ܐܢ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܢܥܢܝܢܝ ܘܢܟܬܘܒ ܒܣܦܪܐ ܕܝܢ̈ܘܗܝ ܕܓܒܪܐ
mn dyn yhb mn dshme ly 'n 'ythwhy 'lh' nenyny wnkthwb bspr' dynwhy dgbr'
oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!
36
ܐܠܐ ܥܠ ܟܬܦܝ ܐܫܩܠܝܘܗܝ ܘܥܒܕܬܗ ܠܝ ܟܠܝܠܐ
'l' el kthpy 'shqlywhy webdthh ly klyl'
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it to me as a crown.
37
ܡܢܝܢܐ ܕܗ̈ܠܟܬܝ ܐܚܘܝܘܗܝ ܘܐܝܟ ܫܠܝܛܐ ܐܒܕܩܝܘܗܝ
mnyn' dhlkthy 'khwywhy w'yk shlyT' 'bdqywhy
I would declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him like a prince.
38
ܘܥܠܝ ܐܪܥܐ ܬܝܠܠ ܘܟܪ̈ܒܝܗ̇ ܐܟܚܕܐ ܢܒܟܘܢ
wely 're' thyll wkrbyh 'kkhd' nbkwn
If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;
39
ܐܢ ܐܟܠܬ ܚܝܠܗ̇ ܕܠܐ ܟܣܦ ܘܢܦܫܐ ܕܡܪܝܪܐ ܐܢ ܐܕܘܝܬ
'n 'klth khylh dl' ksp wnpsh' dmryr' 'n 'dwyth
if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,
40
ܚܠܦ ܚܛܬܐ ܢܦܘܩ ܙܒܠܐ ܘܚܠܦ ܣܥܪܬܐ ܢܦܘܩ ܟܘܒܐ ܘܫܠܡܘ ܦܬ̈ܓܡܘܗܝ ܕܐܝܘܒ
khlp khTth' npwq zbl' wkhlp serth' npwq kwb' wshlmw pthgmwhy d'ywb
let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.