1 A covenant I made for mine eyes, And what -- do I attend to a virgin?

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

2 A nd what the portion of God from above? And the inheritance of the Mighty from the heights?

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

3 I s not calamity to the perverse? And strangeness to 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 oth not He see my ways, And all my steps number?

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

5 I f I have walked with vanity, And my foot doth hasten to deceit,

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

6 H e doth weigh me in righteous balances, And God doth know my integrity.

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

7 I f my step doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,

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 L et me sow -- and another eat, And my products let be rooted out.

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

9 I f my heart hath been enticed by woman, And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait,

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

10 G rind to another let my wife, And over her let others bend.

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

11 F or it a wicked thing, and a judicial iniquity;

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 a fire it, to destruction it consumeth, And among all mine increase doth take root,

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

13 I f I despise the cause of my man-servant, And of my handmaid, In their contending with me,

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

14 T hen what do I do when God ariseth? And when He doth inspect, What do 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 that made me in the womb make him? Yea, prepare us in the womb doth One.

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

16 I f I withhold from pleasure the poor, And the eyes of the widow do consume,

“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 A nd I do eat my morsel by myself, And the orphan hath 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 He grew up with me as a father, And from the belly of my mother I am led.)

(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 see perishing without clothing, And there is no covering to the needy,

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

20 I f his loins have not blessed me, And from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself,

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 waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in the gate of my court,

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 M y shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken.

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

23 F or a dread unto me calamity God, And because of His excellency I am not able.

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

24 I f I have made gold my confidence, And to the pure gold have said, `My trust,'

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

25 I f I rejoice because great my wealth, And because abundance hath my hand found,

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

26 I f I see the light when it shineth, And the precious moon walking,

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

27 A nd my heart is enticed in secret, And my hand doth kiss my mouth,

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

28 I t also a judicial iniquity, For I had lied to God above.

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

29 I f I rejoice at the ruin of my hater, And stirred up myself 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 Y ea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, To ask with an oath his life.

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

31 I f not -- say ye, O men of my tent, `O that we had of his flesh, we are not satisfied.'

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

32 I n the street doth not lodge a stranger, My doors to the traveller I open.

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

33 I f I have covered as Adam my transgressions, To hide in my bosom mine iniquity,

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

34 B ecause I fear a great multitude, And the contempt of families doth affright me, Then I am silent, I go not out of the opening.

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 W ho giveth to me a hearing? lo, my mark. The Mighty One doth answer me, And a bill hath mine adversary written.

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 I f not -- on my shoulder I take it up, I bind it a crown on myself.

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

37 T he number of my steps I tell Him, As a leader I approach Him.

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

38 I f against me my land doth cry out, And together its furrows weep,

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

39 I f its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,

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

40 I nstead of wheat let a thorn go forth, And instead of barley a useless weed! The words of Job are finished.

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