Job Asserts His Integrity
1 “I have made a covenant (agreement) with my eyes;
How then could I gaze [lustfully] at a virgin?
2 “For what is the portion I would have from God above,
And what heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 “Does not tragedy fall [justly] on the unjust
And disaster to those who work wickedness?
4 “Does not God see my ways
And count all my steps?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has chased after deceit,
6 Oh, let Him weigh me with accurate scales,
And let God know my integrity.
7 “If my step has turned away from the way [of God],
Or if my heart has [covetously] followed my eyes,
Or if any spot [of guilt] has stained my hands,
8 Then let me plant and [let] another eat [from the results of my labor],
And let my crops be uprootedandruined.
9 “If my heart has been enticedandI was made a fool by a woman,
Or if I have [covetously] lurked at my neighbor’s door [until his departure],
10 Let my wife grind [meal, like a bond slave] for another [man],
And let otherskneel down over her.
11 “Foradulteryis a heinousandlustful crime;
Moreover, it would be a sinpunishable bythe judges.
12 “For it is a fire which consumes to Abaddon (destruction, ruin, final torment);
And [illicit passion] would burnandrageanduproot all my [life’s] increase [destroying everything].
13 “If I have despisedandrejected the claim of my male or female servants
When they filed a complaint against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises [to judge me]?
When He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?
15 “Did not He who made me in the womb make my servant,
And did not the same One fashion us both in the womb?
16 “If I have withheld from the poor whattheydesired,
Or have caused the eyes of the widow to look in vain [for relief],
17 Or have eaten my morsel [of food] alone,
And did not share it with the orphan
18 (But from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father,
And from my mother’s womb I have been the widow’s guide),
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor person without covering,
20 If his loins have not thankedandblessed me [for clothing them],
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have lifted my hand against the orphan,
Because I saw [that the judges would be] my help at the [council] gate,
22 Then let my shoulder fall away from its socket,
And my arm be broken off at the elbow.
23 “For tragedy from God is a terror to me,
And because of His majestyandexaltation I can do nothing [nor endure facing Him].
24 “If I have put my trustandconfidence in gold,
Or have declared fine gold my hopeandassurance,
25 If I gloatedandrejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my [powerful] hand [alone] had obtained so much,
26 If I beheld the sun [as an object of worship] when it shone
Or the moon going in its splendor,
27 And my heart became secretly enticed [by them],
And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth [in respect to them],
28 This also would have been [a heinous] sincalling forjudgment,
For I would have denied God above.
29 “Have I rejoiced at the destruction of the enemy [who hated me],
Or exulted [in malicious triumph] when evil overtook him?
30 “No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By cursing my enemyandasking for his life.
31 “I assure you, the men of my tent have said,
‘Who can find one [in need] who has not been satisfied with his meat’?
32 “The stranger has not lodged in the street,
Because I have opened my door to the traveler.
33 “Have I concealed my transgressions like Adamorlike other men,
By hiding my wickedness in my bosom,
34 Because I feared the great multitude,
And the contempt of families terrified me,
So that I kept silenceanddid not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?
35 “Oh, that I had one to listen to me!
Look, here is my signature (mark);
Let the Almighty answer me!
Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form].
36 “Surely I would [proudly] bear it on my shoulder,
And bind the scroll around my head like a crown.
37 “I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life],
Approaching His presence asif I werea prince.
38 “For if my land has cried out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them,
Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives,
40 Let thorns grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweedandcockleburs instead of barley.”
So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished.