NET Bible | New International 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 not to look lustfully at a young woman. |
2What then would be one's lot from God above, one's heritage from the Almighty on high? | 2For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high? |
3Is it not misfortune for the unjust, and disaster for those who work iniquity? | 3Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? |
4Does he not see my ways and count all my steps? | 4Does he not see my ways and count my every step? |
5If I have walked in falsehood, and if my foot has hastened to deceit-- | 5"If I have walked with falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit-- |
6let him weigh me with honest scales; then God will discover my integrity. | 6let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless-- |
7If my footsteps have strayed from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, or if anything has defiled my hands, | 7if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled, |
8then let me sow and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted. | 8then may others eat what I have sown, and may 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 enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door, |
10then let my wife turn the millstone for another man, and may other men have sexual relations with her. | 10then may my wife grind another man's grain, and may other men sleep with her. |
11For I would have committed a shameful act, an iniquity to be judged. | 11For that would have been wicked, a sin to be judged. |
12For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction, and it would uproot all my harvest. | 12It is a fire that burns to Destruction; it would have uprooted my harvest. |
13"If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed with me, | 13"If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance 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 confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? |
15Did not the one who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us in the womb? | 15Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? |
16If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, | 16"If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, |
17If I ate my morsel of bread myself, and did not share any of it with orphans-- | 17if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless-- |
18but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow! | 18but from my youth I reared them as a father would, and from my birth I guided the widow-- |
19If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing, or a poor man without a coat, | 19if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or the needy without garments, |
20whose heart did not bless me as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep, | 20and their hearts did not bless me for warming them with the fleece from my sheep, |
21if I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan, when I saw my support in the court, | 21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence 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 the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint. |
23For the calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his majesty I was powerless. | 23For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things. |
24"If I have put my confidence in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are my security!' | 24"If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are 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 have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained, |
26if I looked at the sun when it was shining, and the moon advancing as a precious thing, | 26if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, |
27so that my heart was secretly enticed, and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth, | 27so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage, |
28then this also would be iniquity to be judged, for I would have been false to God above. | 28then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high. |
29If I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy or exulted because calamity found him-- | 29"If I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him-- |
30I have not even permitted my mouth to sin by asking for his life through a curse-- | 30I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against their life-- |
31if the members of my household have never said, 'If only there were someone who has not been satisfied from Job's meat!'-- | 31if those of my household have never said, 'Who has not been filled with Job's meat?'-- |
32But no stranger had to spend the night outside, for I opened my doors to the traveler-- | 32but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler-- |
33if I have covered my transgressions as men do, by hiding iniquity in my heart, | 33if I have concealed my sin as people do, by hiding my guilt in my heart |
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-- | 34because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not 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("Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense--let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing. |
36Surely I would wear it proudly on my shoulder, I would bind it on me like a crown; | 36Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown. |
37I would give him an accounting of my steps; like a prince I would approach him. | 37I would give him an account of my every step; I would present it to him as to a ruler.)-- |
38"If my land cried out against me and all its furrows wept together, | 38"if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears, |
39if I have eaten its produce without paying, or caused the death of its owners, | 39if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, |
40then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat, and in place of barley, weeds!" The words of Job are ended. | 40then let briers come up instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended. |
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