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

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

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

For what is the allotment of God from above, And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

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

Is it not destruction for the wicked, And disaster for the workers of iniquity?

4 D oes He not see my ways and number all my steps?

Does He not see my ways, And count all my steps?

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

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

6 l et Him weigh me with a true weight. Let God know that I am honest.

Let me be weighed on honest scales, That God may know my integrity.

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

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

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

Then let me sow, and another eat; Yes, let my harvest be rooted out.

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

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

10 m ay my wife grind grain for another. And let others bow down upon her.

Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her.

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

For that would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Or eaten my morsel by myself, So that the fatherless could not eat of it

18 ( 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,)

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

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

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

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

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

21 i f 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,

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

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

Then let my arm fall from my shoulder, Let my arm be torn from the socket.

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

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

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

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

25 i f I have had pride because of my many riches and have received much by my hand,

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

26 i f I have looked at the sun shining or the bright moon going on its way,

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

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

So that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand;

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

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

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

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

30 N o, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life to be cursed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 I f 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!

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

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

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

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 the ditches made by the plow cry together,

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

39 i f I have eaten its fruit without paying for it, and caused its owners to die,

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

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

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