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1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
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2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
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3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
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4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
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5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
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6 Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.
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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;
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8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
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9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;
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10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
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11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
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12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
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13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
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14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
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15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
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16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
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17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
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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;)
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19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
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20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
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21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
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22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
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23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
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24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
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25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
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26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
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27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
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28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
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29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
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30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
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31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
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32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
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33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
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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?
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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.
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36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
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37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
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38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
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39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
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40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
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- 1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?
- 2 “And what is the portion of God from above Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
- 3 “Is it not calamity to the unjust And disaster to those who work iniquity?
- 4 “Does He not see my ways And number all my steps?
- 5 “If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot has hastened after deceit,
- 6 Let Him weigh me with accurate scales, And let God know my integrity.
- 7 “If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart followed my eyes, Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,
- 8 Let me sow and another eat, And let my crops be uprooted.
- 9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or I have lurked at my neighbor's doorway,
- 10 May my wife grind for another, And let others kneel down over her.
- 11 “For that would be a lustful crime; Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.
- 12 “For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon, And would uproot all my increase.
- 13 “If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves When they filed a complaint against me,
- 14 What then could I do when God arises? And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?
- 15 “Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb?
- 16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
- 17 Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the orphan has not shared it
- 18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And from infancy I guided her),
- 19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering,
- 20 If his loins have not thanked me, And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
- 21 If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan, Because I saw I had support in the gate,
- 22 Let my shoulder fall from the socket, And my arm be broken off at the elbow.
- 23 “For calamity from God is a terror to me, And because of His majesty I can do nothing.
- 24 “If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust,
- 25 If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much;
- 26 If I have looked at the sun when it shone Or the moon going in splendor,
- 27 And my heart became secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
- 28 That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above.
- 29 “Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy, Or exulted when evil befell him?
- 30 “No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for his life in a curse.
- 31 “Have the men of my tent not said, 'Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat'?
- 32 “The alien has not lodged outside, For I have opened my doors to the traveler.
- 33 “Have I covered my transgressions like Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
- 34 Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, And kept silent and did not go out of doors?
- 35 “Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature; Let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my adversary has written,
- 36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, I would bind it to myself like a crown.
- 37 “I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him.
- 38 “If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together;
- 39 If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
- 40 Let briars grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
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