Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I look at a young woman?

1"I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?

2For what portion would I have from God above, or what inheritance from the Almighty on high?

2"And what is the portion of God from above Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

3Doesn't disaster come to the unjust and misfortune to evildoers?

3"Is it not calamity to the unjust And disaster to those who work iniquity?

4Does He not see my ways and number all my steps?

4"Does He not see my ways And number all my steps?

5If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,

5"If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot has hastened after deceit,

6let God weigh me in accurate scales, and He will recognize my integrity.

6Let Him weigh me with accurate scales, And let God know my integrity.

7If my step has turned from the way, my heart has followed my eyes, or impurity has stained my hands,

7"If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart followed my eyes, Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,

8let someone else eat what I have sown, and let my crops be uprooted.

8Let me sow and another eat, And let my crops be uprooted.

9If my heart has been seduced by my neighbor's wife or I have lurked at his door,

9"If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or I have lurked at my neighbor's doorway,

10let my own wife grind grain for another man, and let other men sleep with her.

10May my wife grind for another, And let others kneel down over her.

11For that would be a disgrace; it would be a crime deserving punishment.

11"For that would be a lustful crime; Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.

12For it is a fire that consumes down to Abaddon; it would destroy my entire harvest.

12"For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon, And would uproot all my increase.

13If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servants when they made a complaint against me,

13"If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves When they filed a complaint against me,

14what could I do when God stands up to judge? How should I answer Him when He calls me to account?

14What then could I do when God arises? And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

15Did not the One who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same God form us both in the womb?

15"Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb?

16If I have refused the wishes of the poor or let the widow's eyes go blind,

16"If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17if I have eaten my few crumbs alone without letting the fatherless eat any of it--

17Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the orphan has not shared it

18for from my youth, I raised him as his father, and since the day I was born I guided the widow--

18(But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And from infancy I guided her),

19if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing or a needy person without a cloak,

19If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering,

20if he did not bless me while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep,

20If his loins have not thanked me, And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

21if I ever cast my vote against a fatherless child when I saw that I had support in the city gate,

21If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan, Because I saw I had support in the gate,

22then let my shoulder blade fall from my back, and my arm be pulled from its socket.

22Let my shoulder fall from the socket, And my arm be broken off at the elbow.

23For disaster from God terrifies me, and because of His majesty I could not do these things.

23"For calamity from God is a terror to me, And because of His majesty I can do nothing.

24If I placed my confidence in gold or called fine gold my trust,

24"If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust,

25if I have rejoiced because my wealth is great or because my own hand has acquired so much,

25If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much;

26if I have gazed at the sun when it was shining or at the moon moving in splendor,

26If I have looked at the sun when it shone Or the moon going in splendor,

27so that my heart was secretly enticed and I threw them a kiss,

27And my heart became secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28this would also be a crime deserving punishment, for I would have denied God above.

28That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above.

29Have I rejoiced over my enemy's distress, or become excited when trouble came his way?

29"Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy, Or exulted when evil befell him?

30I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.

30"No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for his life in a curse.

31Haven't the members of my household said, "Who is there who has not had enough to eat at Job's table?"

31"Have the men of my tent not said, 'Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat '?

32No stranger had to spend the night on the street, for I opened my door to the traveler.

32"The alien has not lodged outside, For I have opened my doors to the traveler.

33Have I covered my transgressions as others do by hiding my guilt in my heart,

33"Have I covered my transgressions like Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34because I greatly feared the crowds, and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so I grew silent and would not go outside?

34Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, And kept silent and did not go out of doors?

35If only I had someone to hear my case! Here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me. Let my Opponent compose His indictment.

35"Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature; Let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my adversary has written,

36I would surely carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.

36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, I would bind it to myself like a crown.

37I would give Him an account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.

37"I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him.

38If my land cries out against me and its furrows join in weeping,

38"If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together;

39if I have consumed its produce without payment or shown contempt for its tenants,

39If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,

40then let thorns grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley. The words of Job are concluded.

40Let briars grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org