1 "I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman? |
2 For what is the allotment of God from above, And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high? |
3 Is it not destruction for the wicked, And disaster for the workers of iniquity? |
4 Does He not see my ways, And count all my steps? |
5 "If I have walked with falsehood, Or if my foot has hastened to deceit, |
6 Let me be weighed on honest scales, That God may know my integrity. |
7 If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart walked after my eyes, Or if any spot adheres to my hands, |
8 Then let me sow, and another eat; Yes, let my harvest be rooted out. |
9 "If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door, |
10 Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her. |
11 For that would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment. |
12 For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase. |
13 "If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me, |
14 What then shall I do when God rises up? When He punishes, how shall I answer Him? |
15 Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb? |
16 "If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, |
17 Or eaten my morsel by myself, So that the fatherless could not eat of it |
18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father, And from my mother's womb I guided the widow); |
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor man without covering; |
20 If his heart has not blessed me, And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; |
21 If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, When I saw I had help in the gate; |
22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder, Let my arm be torn from the socket. |
23 For destruction from God is a terror to me, And because of His magnificence I cannot endure. |
24 "If I have made gold my hope, Or said to fine gold, 'You are my confidence'; |
25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much; |
26 If I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness, |
27 So that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand; |
28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, For I would have denied God who is above. |
29 "If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted myself up when evil found him |
30 (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul); |
31 If the men of my tent have not said, 'Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?' |
32 (But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, For I have opened my doors to the traveler); |
33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom, |
34 Because I feared the great multitude, And dreaded the contempt of families, So that I kept silence And did not go out of the door-- |
35 Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my mark. Oh, that the Almighty would answer me, That my Prosecutor had written a book! |
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me 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 caused its owners to lose their lives; |
40 Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, And weeds instead of barley." The words of Job are ended. |