New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
1“I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman? | 1“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin? |
2For what is the allotment of God from above, And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high? | 2For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high? |
3Is it not destruction for the wicked, And disaster for the workers of iniquity? | 3Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity? |
4Does He not see my ways, And count all my steps? | 4Does He not see my ways and count my every step? |
5“If I have walked with falsehood, Or if my foot has hastened to deceit, | 5If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit, |
6Let me be weighed on honest scales, That God may know my integrity. | 6let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity. |
7If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart walked after my eyes, Or if any spot adheres to my hands, | 7If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands, |
8Then let me sow, and another eat; Yes, let my harvest be rooted out. | 8then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted. |
9“If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door, | 9If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door, |
10Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her. | 10then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her. |
11For that would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment. | 11For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged. |
12For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase. | 12For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest. |
13“If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me, | 13If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me, |
14What then shall I do when God rises up? When He punishes, how shall I answer Him? | 14what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account? |
15Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb? | 15Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb? |
16“If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, | 16If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail, |
17Or eaten my morsel by myself, So that the fatherless could not eat of it | 17if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless— |
18(But from my youth I reared him as a father, And from my mother’s womb I guided the widow); | 18though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow— |
19If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor man without covering; | 19if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak, |
20If his heart has not blessed me, And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; | 20if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep, |
21If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, When I saw I had help in the gate; | 21if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate, |
22Then let my arm fall from my shoulder, Let my arm be torn from the socket. | 22then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket. |
23For destruction from God is a terror to me, And because of His magnificence I cannot endure. | 23For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower. |
24“If I have made gold my hope, Or said to fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’; | 24If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security, |
25If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much; | 25if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much, |
26If I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness, | 26if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, |
27So that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand; | 27so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, |
28This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, For I would have denied God who is above. | 28this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high. |
29“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted myself up when evil found him | 29If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him— |
30(Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul); | 30I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse— |
31If the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’ | 31if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’— |
32(But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, For I have opened my doors to the traveler); | 32but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler— |
33If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom, | 33if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart, |
34Because I feared the great multitude, And dreaded the contempt of families, So that I kept silence And did not go out of the door— | 34because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside— |
35Oh, 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! | 35(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment. |
36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me like a crown; | 36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown. |
37I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him. | 37I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)— |
38“If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together; | 38if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together, |
39If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or caused its owners to lose their lives; | 39if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, |
40Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, And weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended. | 40then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job. |
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