1‘I made a covenant with my eyes
not to look lustfully at a young woman.
2For what is our lot from God above,
our heritage from the Almighty on high?
3Is it not ruin for the wicked,
disaster for those who do wrong?
4Does he not see my ways
and count my every step?
5‘If I have walked with falsehood
or my foot has hurried after deceit –
6let God weigh me in honest scales
and he will know that I am blameless –
7if my steps have turned from the path,
if my heart has been led by my eyes,
or if my hands have been defiled,
8then may others eat what I have sown,
and may my crops be uprooted.
9‘If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
or if I have lurked at my neighbour’s door,
10then may my wife grind another man’s grain,
and may other men sleep with her.
11For that would have been wicked,
a sin to be judged.
12It is a fire that burns to Destruction31:12 Hebrew Abaddon;
it would have uprooted my harvest.
13‘If I have denied justice to any of my servants,
whether male or female,
when they had a grievance against me,
14what will I do when God confronts me?
What will I answer when called to account?
15Did not he who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?
16‘If I have denied the desires of the poor
or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,
17if I have kept my bread to myself,
not sharing it with the fatherless –
18but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
and from my birth I guided the widow –
19if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,
or the needy without garments,
20and their hearts did not bless me
for warming them with the fleece from my sheep,
21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
knowing that I had influence in court,
22then let my arm fall from the shoulder,
let it be broken off at the joint.
23For I dreaded destruction from God,
and for fear of his splendour I could not do such things.
24‘If I have put my trust in gold
or said to pure gold, “You are my security,”
25if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,
the fortune my hands had gained,
26if I have regarded the sun in its radiance
or the moon moving in splendour,
27so that my heart was secretly enticed
and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,
28then these also would be sins to be judged,
for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.
29‘If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune
or gloated over the trouble that came to him –
30I have not allowed my mouth to sin
by invoking a curse against their life –
31if those of my household have never said,
“Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?” –
32but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,
for my door was always open to the traveller –
33if I have concealed my sin as people do,31:33 Or as Adam did
by hiding my guilt in my heart
34because I so feared the crowd
and so dreaded the contempt of the clans
that I kept silent and would not go outside –
35(‘Oh, that I had someone to hear me!
I sign now my defence – let the Almighty answer me;
let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
36Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,
I would put it on like a crown.
37I would give him an account of my every step;
I would present it to him as to a ruler.) –
38‘if my land cries out against me
and all its furrows are wet with tears,
39if I have devoured its yield without payment
or broken the spirit of its tenants,
40then let briers come up instead of wheat
and stinkweed instead of barley.’
The words of Job are ended.
1I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? 2For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? 3Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? 4Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? 5If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; 6Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.31.6 Let…: Heb. Let him weigh me in balances of justice 7If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; 8Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
9If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door; 10Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. 11For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. 12For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. 13If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; 14What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? 15Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?31.15 did not one…: or, did he not fashion us in one womb?
16If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 17Or 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;)31.18 her: that is, the widow 19If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; 20If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; 21If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: 22Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.31.22 bone: or, chanelbone 23For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
24If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; 25If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;31.25 gotten…: Heb. found much 26If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;31.26 sun: Heb. light31.26 in…: Heb. bright 27And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:31.27 my mouth…: Heb. my hand hath kissed my mouth 28This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. 29If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: 30Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.31.30 mouth: Heb. palate 31If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied. 32The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.31.32 traveller: or, way
33If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:31.33 as Adam: or, after the manner of men 34Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door? 35Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.31.35 my…: or, my sign is that the Almighty will 36Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. 37I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him. 38If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;31.38 complain: Heb. weep 39If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:31.39 fruits: Heb. strength31.39 the owners…: Heb. the soul of the owners thereof to expire, or, breathe out 40Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.31.40 cockle: or, noisome weeds
