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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Doesn’t he 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 with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

6 L et me be weighed on honest scales, 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 from the way, Or my heart walked after my eyes, Or if any spot adheres to my hands,

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 another eat; Yes, let my harvest be rooted out.

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

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 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 over her.

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

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

For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to 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 it is 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,

“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 punishes, how 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 them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?

Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t 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,

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

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

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

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

(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 lack of clothing, Or any poor man without covering;

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

20 I f his heart has 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 raised my hand against the fatherless, When I saw I had help in 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 arm fall from my shoulder, Let my arm be torn from the socket.

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

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

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

24 “ If I have made gold my hope, Or 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 have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much;

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

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

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

27 S o that my heart has been secretly enticed, And 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 be an iniquity deserving of judgment, For I would have denied 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 “ If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted myself up when evil found him

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

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

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

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

if the men of my tent have 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 foreigner has not camped in the street, but 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,

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

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 carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me like a crown;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

40 T hen let thistles grow instead of wheat, And weeds 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.