1 “ I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?

“I have made an agreement with my eyes not to look with desire at a young woman.

2 F or what is the allotment of God from above, And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

What would be my share from God above? What would my gift be from the All-powerful on high?

3 I s it not destruction for the wicked, And disaster for the workers of iniquity?

Does not trouble come to those who are not right and good? Do not hard times come to those who do wrong?

4 D oes He not see my ways, And count all my steps?

Does He not see my ways and number all my steps?

5 “ If I have walked with falsehood, Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,

“If I have walked in ways that are false, and my foot has been quick to follow false ways,

6 L et me be weighed on honest scales, That God may know my integrity.

let Him weigh me with a true weight. Let God know that I am honest.

7 I f my step has turned from the way, Or my heart walked after my eyes, Or if any spot adheres to my hands,

If my step has turned from the way, and my heart has followed my eyes, or if my hands have held on to sin,

8 T hen let me sow, and another eat; Yes, let my harvest be rooted out.

then let me plant and another eat. Let what grows be pulled out by the roots.

9 “ If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

“If my heart has been tempted by a woman, or I have waited at my neighbor’s door,

10 T hen let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her.

may my wife grind grain for another. And let others bow down upon her.

11 F or that would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.

For that would be a very sinful thing to do. It would be a sin that would be punished by the judges.

12 F or that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase.

For that would be a fire that burns at the Place That Destroys. It would dig out all I have planted.

13 “ If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me,

“If I did not listen to my men servants and women servants when they complained against me,

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

what will I do when God speaks to me? When He asks me why, what will I answer Him?

15 D id not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?

Did not He Who made me inside my mother make him also? Did not the same One give us life from our mothers?

16 “ If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

“If I have kept what the poor should have or have caused the eyes of the woman whose husband has died to be tired,

17 O r eaten my morsel by myself, So that the fatherless could not eat of it

if I have eaten my food alone without sharing it with the child who has no parents,

18 ( But from my youth I reared him as a father, And from my mother’s womb I guided the widow );

(but from the time I was young, he grew up with me as a father, and I have helped the woman without a husband since I was born,)

19 I f I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor man without covering;

if I have seen anyone die because he had no clothing, or left any poor person without clothes,

20 I f his heart has not blessed me, And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

if he has not thanked me for the clothing on his body, and been made warm with the wool of my sheep,

21 I f I have raised my hand against the fatherless, When I saw I had help in the gate;

if I have not done these things, or if I have lifted up my hand against the child who has no parents, because I saw I had help in the gate,

22 T hen let my arm fall from my shoulder, Let my arm be torn from the socket.

let my shoulder fall out of place, and let my arm be broken off at the joint.

23 F or destruction from God is a terror to me, And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.

For trouble sent by God fills me with fear. Because of His great power I could not do these things.

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

“If I have put my faith in gold and said fine gold is my trust,

25 I f I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much;

if I have had pride because of my many riches and have received much by my hand,

26 I f I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness,

if I have looked at the sun shining or the bright moon going on its way,

27 S o that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand;

and have in secret worshiped them in my heart, and have honored them by throwing them a kiss with my hand,

28 T his also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, For I would have denied God who is above.

these also would be sins to be judged. It would say I did not know the God above.

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

“Have I been glad when a person who hated me was destroyed? Have I been filled with joy when trouble came to him?

30 ( Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul);

No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life to be cursed.

31 I f the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’

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

32 ( But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, For I have opened my doors to the traveler );

The stranger has not stayed in the street, for I have opened my doors to the traveler.

33 I f I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

Have I hidden my sins like Adam? Have I hidden my wrong-doing in my heart,

34 B ecause I feared the great multitude, And dreaded the contempt of families, So that I kept silence And did not go out of the door—

because I was afraid of all the people, and of families who hated me? Did I keep quiet and not go out of the door?

35 O h, 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!

If only I had one to hear me! See, here my name is written. Let the All-powerful answer me! May what is against me be written down!

36 S urely I would carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me like a crown;

For sure I would carry it on my shoulder. I would tie it around my head like a crown.

37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him.

I would tell Him the number of my every step. I would come near Him like a prince.

38 “ If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together;

“If my land cries out against me and the ditches made by the plow cry together,

39 I f I have eaten its fruit without money, Or caused its owners to lose their lives;

if I have eaten its fruit without paying for it, and caused its owners to die,

40 T hen let thistles grow instead of wheat, And weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.

let thorns grow instead of grain. And let weeds with a bad smell grow instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.