NET Bible | International Standard Version |
1"I made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin? | 1"I made a covenant with my eyes; how, then, can I focus my attention on a virgin? |
2What then would be one's lot from God above, one's heritage from the Almighty on high? | 2What would I have from God above, what heritage from the Almighty on high, |
3Is it not misfortune for the unjust, and disaster for those who work iniquity? | 3if not calamity that is due the unjust, and misfortune that is due those who practice iniquity? |
4Does he not see my ways and count all my steps? | 4He watches my life, observing every one of my actions, does he not?" |
5If I have walked in falsehood, and if my foot has hastened to deceit-- | 5"If I've lived my life in the company of vanity, or run quickly to embrace deception, |
6let him weigh me with honest scales; then God will discover my integrity. | 6let my righteousness be weighed in honest scales, and God will make known my integrity. |
7If my footsteps have strayed from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, or if anything has defiled my hands, | 7If I have stepped away from the way, or if my heart covets whatever my eyes see, or if some other blemish clings to my hands, |
8then let me sow and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted. | 8what I've planted, let another eat or let my crops be uprooted." |
9If my heart has been enticed by a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door, | 9"If my heart has been seduced by a woman and I've laid in wait at my friend's door, |
10then let my wife turn the millstone for another man, and may other men have sexual relations with her. | 10then let my wife cook for another person and may someone else sleep with her, |
11For I would have committed a shameful act, an iniquity to be judged. | 11because something as lascivious as that is an iniquity that should be judged. |
12For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction, and it would uproot all my harvest. | 12The fires of Abaddon will burn, disrupting every part of my eternal reward." |
13"If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed with me, | 13"If I've refused to help my male and female servants when they complain against me, |
14then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment; when he intervenes, how will I respond to him? | 14what will I do when God stands up to act? When he asks the questions, how will I answer him? |
15Did not the one who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us in the womb? | 15The one who made me in the womb made them, too, didn't he? Didn't the same one prepare each of us in the womb?" |
16If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, | 16"If I refused to grant the desire of the poor or exhausted the eyes of the widow, |
17If I ate my morsel of bread myself, and did not share any of it with orphans-- | 17if I ate my meals by myself without feeding orphans, |
18but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow! | 18(even a poor man had grown up with me as if I were his father, and even though I had guided the widow from the time I was born), |
19If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing, or a poor man without a coat, | 19if I've observed someone who is about to die for lack of clothes or if I have no clothing to give to the poor, |
20whose heart did not bless me as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep, | 20if he hadn't thanked me from the bottom of his heart, if he had not been warmed by wool from my sheep, |
21if I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan, when I saw my support in the court, | 21if I've raised my hand against an orphan when I thought I would against him in court, |
22then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let my arm be broken off at the socket. | 22then let my arm fall from its socket; and may my arm be torn off at the shoulder. |
23For the calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his majesty I was powerless. | 23For I'm terrified of what calamity God may have in store for me; and I cannot endure his grandeur." |
24"If I have put my confidence in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are my security!' | 24"If I've put my confidence in gold, if I've told gold, 'You're my security,' |
25if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth, or because of the great wealth my hand had gained, | 25if I've found joy in great wealth that I own, if I've earned a lot with my own hands, |
26if I looked at the sun when it was shining, and the moon advancing as a precious thing, | 26if I look at the sun when it shines or the moon as it rises in steady splendor, |
27so that my heart was secretly enticed, and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth, | 27so that in the depths of my deceived heart I worshipped them with my mouth and hands, |
28then this also would be iniquity to be judged, for I would have been false to God above. | 28this is also a sin that deserves to be judged, since I would have tried to deceive God above." |
29If I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy or exulted because calamity found him-- | 29"Have I rejoiced in the destruction of those who hate me, or have I been happy that evil caught up with him? |
30I have not even permitted my mouth to sin by asking for his life through a curse-- | 30No, I haven't allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse. |
31if the members of my household have never said, 'If only there were someone who has not been satisfied from Job's meat!'-- | 31People in my household have said, 'We cannot find anyone who has not been satisfied with his meat,' haven't they? |
32But no stranger had to spend the night outside, for I opened my doors to the traveler-- | 32No stranger ever spent the night in the street, because I opened my doors to travelers." |
33if I have covered my transgressions as men do, by hiding iniquity in my heart, | 33"Have I covered my transgression like other people, to conceal iniquity within myself? |
34because I was terrified of the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I remained silent and would not go outdoors-- | 34Have I feared large crowds? Has my family's contempt ever terrified me so that I remained silent and wouldn't go outside?" |
35"If only I had someone to hear me! Here is my signature--let the Almighty answer me! If only I had an indictment that my accuser had written. | 35"Who will grant me a hearing? Here's my signature —let the Almighty answer! Since my adversary indicted me, |
36Surely I would wear it proudly on my shoulder, I would bind it on me like a crown; | 36I'll wear it on my shoulder, or tie it on my head for a crown! |
37I would give him an accounting of my steps; like a prince I would approach him. | 37I'll give an account for every step I've taken; I'll approach him confidently like a Commander-in-Chief." |
38"If my land cried out against me and all its furrows wept together, | 38"If my land were to cry out against me or if all its furrows wept as one, |
39if I have eaten its produce without paying, or caused the death of its owners, | 39If I've consumed its produce without paying for it and snuffed out the life of its owners; |
40then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat, and in place of barley, weeds!" The words of Job are ended. | 40may thorns spring up instead of wheat, and obnoxious weeds instead of barley." With this, Job's discourse with his friends is completed. |
|