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