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v1
“I made a covenant with my eyes, so ^[Hebrew “and”] how could I look closely upon a virgin?
v2
And what is the portion of God from above or ^[Hebrew “and”] the heritage of Shaddai from on high?
v3
Is not disaster for the evil one and ruin for the workers of mischief?
v4
Does he not see my ways and count all my steps?
v5
“If I have walked with falseness, and my foot has hastened to deceit,
v6
let him weigh me in the balance of justice, and let God know my blamelessness.
v7
If my steps have turned aside from the way, and my heart has walked after my eyes, and my hand has clung to a spot,
v8
let me sow, and let another eat, and let my crops be rooted out.
v9
“If my heart has been enticed by a woman, and at my neighbor’s doorway I have lain in wait,
v10
let my wife grind for another, and let other men kneel over her,
v11
for that is a shameful act, and that is a criminal offense. ^[Literally “an iniquity of judges”]
v12
Indeed, that is a fire that will consume up to Abaddon, and it would uproot all my crop.
v13
“If I have rejected my male or ^[Hebrew “and”] female slave’s case when their complaint was against me,
v14
then ^[Hebrew “and”] what shall I do when God rises up? And when he enquires, how shall I answer him?
v15
Did not he who made me in the womb make them? And did not one fashion us in the womb?
v16
“If I have withheld the desire of the poor from them, or ^[Hebrew “and”] I have caused the widow’s eyes to fail,
v17
or I have eaten my morsel alone, ^[Literally “to alone me”] and the orphan has not eaten from it
v18
(for from my childhood he ^[Probably referring to “the orphan”] grew up with ^[Literally “reared”] me like a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided her ^[Probably referring to “the widow”]),
v19
if I have seen the one who perishes because of no clothing or ^[Hebrew “and”] that there is no covering for the poor,
v20
if his loins have not blessed me, or ^[Hebrew “and”] by means of my sheep’s fleece he has warmed himself,
v21
if I have raised my hand against an orphan because I saw my supporters at the gate,
v22
then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket.
v23
Indeed, the disaster from God was a dread for me, and I was powerless ^[Literally “I was not able”] because of his majesty.
v24
“If I have made gold my trust, or ^[Hebrew “and”] I have called fine gold my security,
v25
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great or ^[Hebrew “and”] because my hand found a fortune,
v26
if I looked at the sun when it shone or ^[Hebrew “and”] at the moon moving in splendor,
v27
and I was secretly enticed, ^[Literally “it was gullible in the secrecy of my heart”] and my hand threw them a kiss, ^[Literally “my hand kissed for my mouth”]
v28
this also is an iniquity to be judged, for I have deceived God above.
v29
“If I have rejoiced at the ruin of the one who hated me or ^[Hebrew “and”] have exulted when evil overtook him—
v30
no, ^[Hebrew “and”] I have not allowed my mouth to sin, to ask his life with a curse.
v31
Have the people of my tent not said, ^[Literally “If the people of my tent have not said”] ‘O that ^[Literally “who shall give”] someone ^[Or “he”] had not been satisfied with his meat’?
v32
An alien has not lodged in the street; I have opened my door to the traveler.
v33
Have I concealed ^[Literally “If I have concealed”] my transgressions as other human beings to hide my iniquity in my bosom
v34
because I dreaded the great multitude, and the contempt of clans terrified me, so that I kept quiet, I did not go out of the doorway?
v35
O that ^[Literally “Who shall give”] I had ^[Literally “for me”] someone hearing me! Here is my signature; let Shaddai answer me! As for ^[Hebrew “And,” or “But”] the written communication that my adversary ^[Literally “the man of my indictment”] has written,
v36
I would surely ^[Literally “if not”] carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me like a crown.
v37
I would give him an account of my steps; I would approach him like a noble.
v38
If my land has cried out against me, and its furrows have wept together,
v39
if I have eaten its yield without payment, or ^[Hebrew “and”] I have caused the breath of its owners to die,
v40
let thorns grow in place of wheat and noxious weeds in place of barley.” The words of Job are ended.