New International Version | International Standard Version |
1"I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. | 1"I made a covenant with my eyes; how, then, can I focus my attention on a virgin? |
2For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high? | 2What would I have from God above, what heritage from the Almighty on high, |
3Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? | 3if not calamity that is due the unjust, and misfortune that is due those who practice iniquity? |
4Does he not see my ways and count my every step? | 4He watches my life, observing every one of my actions, does he not?" |
5"If I have walked with falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit-- | 5"If I've lived my life in the company of vanity, or run quickly to embrace deception, |
6let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless-- | 6let my righteousness be weighed in honest scales, and God will make known my integrity. |
7if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled, | 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, |
8then may others eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted. | 8what I've planted, let another eat or let my crops be uprooted." |
9"If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door, | 9"If my heart has been seduced by a woman and I've laid in wait at my friend's door, |
10then may my wife grind another man's grain, and may other men sleep with her. | 10then let my wife cook for another person and may someone else sleep with her, |
11For that would have been wicked, a sin to be judged. | 11because something as lascivious as that is an iniquity that should be judged. |
12It is a fire that burns to Destruction; it would have uprooted my harvest. | 12The fires of Abaddon will burn, disrupting every part of my eternal reward." |
13"If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me, | 13"If I've refused to help my male and female servants when they complain against me, |
14what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? | 14what will I do when God stands up to act? When he asks the questions, how will I answer him? |
15Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? | 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?" |
16"If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, | 16"If I refused to grant the desire of the poor or exhausted the eyes of the widow, |
17if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless-- | 17if I ate my meals by myself without feeding orphans, |
18but from my youth I reared them as a father would, and from my birth I guided the widow-- | 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), |
19if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or the needy without garments, | 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, |
20and their hearts did not bless me for warming them with the fleece from my sheep, | 20if he hadn't thanked me from the bottom of his heart, if he had not been warmed by wool from my sheep, |
21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court, | 21if I've raised my hand against an orphan when I thought I would against him in court, |
22then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint. | 22then let my arm fall from its socket; and may my arm be torn off at the shoulder. |
23For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things. | 23For I'm terrified of what calamity God may have in store for me; and I cannot endure his grandeur." |
24"If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are my security,' | 24"If I've put my confidence in gold, if I've told gold, 'You're my security,' |
25if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained, | 25if I've found joy in great wealth that I own, if I've earned a lot with my own hands, |
26if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, | 26if I look at the sun when it shines or the moon as it rises in steady splendor, |
27so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage, | 27so that in the depths of my deceived heart I worshipped them with my mouth and hands, |
28then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high. | 28this is also a sin that deserves to be judged, since I would have tried to deceive God above." |
29"If I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him-- | 29"Have I rejoiced in the destruction of those who hate me, or have I been happy that evil caught up with him? |
30I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against their life-- | 30No, I haven't allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse. |
31if those of my household have never said, 'Who has not been filled with Job's meat?'-- | 31People in my household have said, 'We cannot find anyone who has not been satisfied with his meat,' haven't they? |
32but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler-- | 32No stranger ever spent the night in the street, because I opened my doors to travelers." |
33if I have concealed my sin as people do, by hiding my guilt in my heart | 33"Have I covered my transgression like other people, to conceal iniquity within myself? |
34because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside-- | 34Have I feared large crowds? Has my family's contempt ever terrified me so that I remained silent and wouldn't go outside?" |
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. | 35"Who will grant me a hearing? Here's my signature —let the Almighty answer! Since my adversary indicted me, |
36Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown. | 36I'll wear it on my shoulder, or tie it on my head for a crown! |
37I would give him an account of my every step; I would present it to him as to a ruler.)-- | 37I'll give an account for every step I've taken; I'll approach him confidently like a Commander-in-Chief." |
38"if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears, | 38"If my land were to cry out against me or if all its furrows wept as one, |
39if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, | 39If I've consumed its produce without paying for it and snuffed out the life of its owners; |
40then let briers come up instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended. | 40may thorns spring up instead of wheat, and obnoxious weeds instead of barley." With this, Job's discourse with his friends is completed. |
New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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