1 I dictated a covenant (an agreement) to my eyes; how then could I look upon a girl?

“I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

2 F or what portion should I have from God above, and what heritage from the Almighty on high?

For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3 D oes not calamity befall the unrighteous, and disaster the workers of iniquity?

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4 D oes not see my ways and count all my steps?

Doesn’t he see my ways, and number all my steps?

5 I f I have walked with falsehood or vanity, or if my foot has hastened to deceit—

“If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

6 O h, let me be weighed in a just balance and let Him weigh me, that God may know my integrity!

(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);

7 I f my step has turned out of way, and my heart has gone the way my eyes invited, and if any spot has stained my hands with guilt,

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 T hen let me sow and let another eat; yes, let the produce of my field or my offspring be rooted out.

then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

9 I f my heart has been deceived and I made a fool by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,

“If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,

10 T hen let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.

then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.

11 F or is a heinous and chief crime, an iniquity the judges and punishment.

For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

12 F or is a fire which consumes to Abaddon (to destruction, ruin, and the place of final torment); and would burn to the root all my increase.

For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

13 I f I have despised and rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant when they contended or brought a complaint against me,

“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me;

14 W hat then shall I do when God rises up ? When He visits, what shall I answer Him?

What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?

15 D id not He Who made me in the womb make ? And did not One fashion us both in the womb?

Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?

16 I f I have withheld from the poor and needy what they desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to look in vain,

“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 O r have eaten my morsel alone and have not shared it with the fatherless—

or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it

18 N o, but from my youth grew up with me as a father, and I have been guide from my mother’s womb—

(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, her have I guided from my mother’s womb);

19 I f I have seen anyone perish for want of clothing, or any poor person without covering,

if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

20 I f his loins have not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;

21 I f I have lifted my hand against the fatherless when I saw my help at the gate,

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,

22 T hen let my shoulder fall away from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from its socket.

then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

23 F or calamity from God was a terror to me, and because of His majesty I could not endure and could do nothing.

For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing.

24 I f I have made gold my trust and hope or have said to fine gold, You are my confidence,

“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’

25 I f I rejoiced because my wealth was great and because my hand had gotten much,

If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

26 I f I beheld the sunlight when it shone or the moon walking in its brightness,

if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,

27 A nd my heart has been secretly enticed by them or my mouth has kissed my hand,

and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28 T his also would have been iniquity to demand the judges’ action and punishment, for I would have denied and been false to the God Who is above.

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have denied the God who is above.

29 I f I rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me or lifted myself up when evil overtook him—

“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him;

30 N o, I have let my mouth sin neither by cursing my enemy nor by praying that he might die—

(yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);

31 i f the men of my tent will not say, Who can find one in need who has not been satisfied with food he gave them?—

if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’

32 T he temporary resident has not lodged in the street, but I have opened my door to the wayfaring man—

(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);

33 I f like Adam or like men I have concealed my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom

if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

34 B ecause I feared the great multitude and the contempt of families terrified me so that I kept silence and did not go out of the door—

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 O h, for a hearing! Oh, for an answer from the Almighty! Let my adversary write out His indictment in a book!

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 S urely I would bear it on my shoulder and wind the scroll about my head as a diadem.

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; and I would bind it to me as a crown.

37 I would count out to Him the number of my steps, approaching His presence as a prince—

I would declare to him the number of my steps. as a prince would I go near to him.

38 F or if my land has cried out against me and its furrows have complained together with tears,

If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;

39 I f I have eaten its fruits without paying for them or have caused its owners to breathe their last,

if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

40 L et thistles grow instead of wheat and cockleburs instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.